Block III

Name three of the five organisms that cause infectious diseases.

Any three of the following: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, helminths

Name five common, or serious, communicable diseases.

Any five of the following: herpes simplex, HIV infection, syphilis, hepatitis, meningitis, tuberculosis, whooping cough, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, hantavirus, West Nile virus, SARS, avian flu, H1N1

How do you investigate the nature of illness?

By asking questions regarding the chief complaint

When would the closest hospital not be the appropriate choice for the medical patient?

Certain medical conditions, such as patients with chest pain as the result of a heart attack, may need a facility that is capable of performing a cardiac catheterization, which may not be available at the closest hospital.

In general, should your scene time be shorter or longer for medical patients when compared to trauma patients?

In many cases, the scene time for medical patients may be longer than trauma patients. If the patient is not critical, you should gather as much information as possible from the scene so you can transmit that information to the physician in the emergency department.

What are the early signs of viral hepatitis?

Loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, fatigue, sore throat, cough, and muscle and joint pain

Name three patients that should be considered serious and warrant immediate transport.

Patients who are unconscious or who have an altered mental status, patients with airway or breathing problems, and patients with obvious circulation problems such as severe bleeding or signs of shock

When assessing the pulse rate of a patient, what other things are you assessing about that pulse?

Quality and regularity

When questioning a patient with a medical complaint, you use the OPQRST mnemonic. What does the "S" stand for?

Severity- That is, on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your pain? Has the pain changed?

What are some common gynecologic emergencies?

Vaginal bleeding, sexually transmitted diseases, pelvic inflammatory disease