Patient Care

Any situation in which the condition of the patient or a change in medical status makes necessary immediate attention and action.

• -preserve life
• -avoid further harm to patient
• -obtain medical assistance ASAP
• -be able to recognize emergency situation and initiate emergency measures.
• -demonstrate calm and confident presence.

• -ensure open airway
• -control bleeding
• -prevent/treat shock
• -attend to wounds or fractures
• -provide emotional support
• -continually reeavaluate

• -know location
• -familiarize with contents
• -availability reduces time to respond to medical crisis

• -crash cart
• -oxygen
• -wall-mounted suction
• -AED

located on walls, green in color

• 1) fully automatic- does all the work
• 2) smiautomatic- you need to push button to deliver shock

• -shock
• -anaphylaxis
• -pulmonary embolism
• -diabetic reactions
• -cardiac and respiratory failure
• -cerebrovascular accident
• -syncope
• -seizures

• -assess patients level of consciousness
• -symptoms may not manifest right away
• -CT is prefered method of assessment
• -may have hematoma (blood clot) or brain swelling

• -alert and conscious: least severe; respons fully to questions and other stimuli
• -drowsy: responds to loud speaking and gentle stimuli
• -unconscious: reacts only to painful stimuli (pinches and pinpricks) and no verbal stimuli
• -comatose: unresponsive to all stimuli

• -assess patient at beginning of procedure
• -note signs of deterioration from level to another
• -deteriorating head injury

• -irritability
• -lethargy
• -slow pulse rate
• -slow respiratory rate
• -changes in level of consciousness

• -maintain open airway
• -minimize motion
• -stop radiographic procedure
• -get medical assistance
• -monitor vital signs

• -ask patient to state name, date, address and reason for coming to radiology
• -note ability of patient to follow commands
• -access patients vital signs for baseline to note change
• -changes in patients neurologic status or LOC should never be ignored

Failure of the circulatory system to support vital body functions.

compensatory stage- progressive stage- irreversible stage

BP falls, tachycardia, chest pain, confused mental state and problems with kidneys, liver, bowel and spleen.

clammy skin, decreased urine output, increased respiration and anxiety

BP remains low, renal and liver failure, overwehelming lactic acidosis

• -neurogenic: caused by spinal anesthesis or damage to the upper spinal cord
• -hypovolemic: results from sudden decrease in intravascular fluid (15-20%)
• -cardiogenic: caused by hearts failure to pump an adequate supply of blood to vital organs
• -vasogenic: occurs when pooling of blood takes place in peripheral blood vessels

• -decreased venous return of blood to heart
• -decreased BP
• -decreased tissue perfusion