Kuwait MOH Paramedic flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Adult compression depth and rate

Compress the adult chest at least 5 cm but no more than 6 cm deep, at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute, allowing full recoil between compressions.

Shockable cardiac arrest rhythms

Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are shockable. Asystole and pulseless electrical activity are not shockable and require CPR plus epinephrine.

Epinephrine dose in cardiac arrest

Give 1 mg of epinephrine 1:10,000 intravenously or intraosseously every 3 to 5 minutes during adult cardiac arrest, regardless of the rhythm.

Reversible causes: Hs and Ts

Hypoxia, hypovolemia, hydrogen ion acidosis, hypo/hyperkalemia, hypothermia; tension pneumothorax, tamponade, toxins, thrombosis pulmonary, thrombosis coronary. These are sought and corrected during arrest.

Anaphylaxis epinephrine dose

Give 0.3 to 0.5 mg of epinephrine 1:1,000 intramuscularly into the anterolateral thigh, repeating every 5 to 15 minutes as needed while supporting airway and circulation.

Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale

Assess facial droop, arm drift, and abnormal speech. Any positive finding suggests stroke; record the last known well time and transport to a stroke-capable facility.

Hypoglycemia treatment thresholds

Treat glucose below 70 mg/dL. If the patient can swallow, give oral glucose; if unconscious, give dextrose 50% 25 g IV or glucagon 1 mg IM.

Glasgow Coma Scale components

Eye opening scored 1 to 4, verbal response 1 to 5, and motor response 1 to 6. The total ranges from 3 to 15, and a score of 8 or less indicates a definitive airway.

Shock index formula

Divide the heart rate by the systolic blood pressure. A result above roughly 0.9 to 1.0 in an adult suggests significant occult hemorrhage and the need for rapid transport.

OPQRST pain assessment

Onset, provocation and palliation, quality, radiation, severity, and time. It characterizes the chief complaint and helps distinguish cardiac, respiratory, and other causes.

SAMPLE history

Signs and symptoms, allergies, medications, past medical history, last oral intake, and events leading to the illness or injury. It is obtained after the primary survey.

Oropharyngeal airway indication

Use only in patients without a gag reflex. Measure from the corner of the mouth to the angle of the mandible, and insert so it displaces the tongue anteriorly.

Nasopharyngeal airway contraindication

Avoid with suspected basilar skull fracture or severe midface trauma. Measure from nostril tip to earlobe, lubricate, and insert along the nasal floor.

Oxygen saturation targets

Target 94 to 98 percent for most patients and 88 to 92 percent for those at risk of hypercapnic respiratory failure, such as some patients with COPD.

Ventilation rate with advanced airway

Once an advanced airway is placed, give one breath every 6 seconds, about 10 per minute, while compressions continue without pauses for ventilation.

Tourniquet application distance

Place the tourniquet 5 to 7 cm above the wound, not over a joint, and tighten until bleeding stops. Record the application time and report it at handoff.

Rule of Nines adult

Each arm 9 percent, each leg 18 percent, anterior trunk 18 percent, posterior trunk 18 percent, head 9 percent, and perineum 1 percent of total body surface area.

Parkland burn formula

Give 4 mL per kg per percent total body surface area of lactated Ringer solution in 24 hours, with half in the first 8 hours from the time of injury.

Tension pneumothorax signs

Unilateral absent breath sounds, tracheal deviation away from the affected side, distended neck veins, and hypotension. Treat with immediate needle decompression.

Permissive hypotension in trauma

Target a systolic pressure near 80 to 90 mmHg or a palpable radial pulse until hemorrhage is controlled, except in traumatic brain injury where higher pressure is preferred.

Perimortem cesarean timing

In maternal cardiac arrest with a uterus at or above the umbilicus, perform perimortem cesarean delivery within 4 minutes if there is no return of spontaneous circulation.

Pediatric defibrillation energy

Use 2 J/kg for the first shock, 4 J/kg for the second, and at least 4 J/kg up to 10 J/kg or the adult dose for subsequent shocks.

Estimated pediatric systolic pressure

For children 1 to 10 years old, a rough lower limit is 70 plus twice the age in years. Hypotension is a late sign in pediatric shock.

Magnesium sulfate in eclampsia

Give 4 to 6 g IV over about 20 minutes, then 1 to 2 g per hour. Watch for loss of deep tendon reflexes, respiratory depression, and decreased urine output.

Epinephrine concentrations

1:1,000 contains 1 mg/mL and is used intramuscularly for anaphylaxis. 1:10,000 contains 0.1 mg/mL and is used intravenously for cardiac arrest. Never give 1:1,000 IV.

Nitroglycerin contraindications

Do not give with systolic pressure below 90 mmHg, suspected right ventricular infarction, or recent use of a PDE-5 inhibitor such as sildenafil within 24 hours.

Hazmat hot warm cold zones

The hot zone requires full protective equipment and excludes unprotected entry. The warm zone is the decontamination corridor, and the cold zone is the safe treatment area.

START triage categories

Immediate red, delayed yellow, minor green, and deceased or expectant black. Assessment uses respirations, perfusion, and mental status in adults.

Nerve agent antidote pair

Organophosphate nerve agent exposure is treated with atropine to control secretions and bronchospasm plus pralidoxime to reactivate acetylcholinesterase. Diazepam may be added for seizures.

Refusal of care documentation

Confirm the patient is alert and oriented with decision-making capacity, explain risks, offer alternatives, obtain a signature, and document the specific risks explained.

N95 respirator use

An N95 respirator requires fit testing and is used for airborne precautions such as tuberculosis, measles, and varicella. Surgical masks are used for droplet precautions.

Needlestick exposure risk

The risk of transmission from a needlestick is highest for hepatitis B, up to about 30 percent, followed by hepatitis C at about 3 percent and HIV at about 0.3 percent.