Summary FCCS

A snapshot of the summary - FCCS

• 1 Recognition and Assesment of the Seriously Ill Patient

• How long does physiological deterioration preceed cardiopulmonary arrest?

  Several hours
• What is the direct methodology?

  Detection, intervention, reassessment, effective communication and teamwork

• 1.1.1 Assessing Severity

• Cognitive signs of deterioration

  Confusion, irritability, impaired consciousness or sense of impending doom.
• Signs of deterioration during inspection (4)

  Shortness of breath
  Sympathetic response: pallor, sweating, cool extremities.
• Six most relevant vital signs

  Pulse rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygenation, temperature and urine output
• The main goal of the early stage of assessment (primary survey)

  1. Recognize existing problems
  2. Maintaining physiological stability
  3. Pursuing the cause
  4. Initiation treatment

• 1.2 Initial Assessment of the Critically Ill Patient

• What is the goal of the primary survey? (Initial Contact - First minutes)

  Finding the main physiological problem
• What is the goal of the secondary survey?

  Finding the underlying problem
• What do you need to know from the history in the primary survey?

  Main features of circumstances and environment
  

  • Witnesses, personnel, relatives
  • Main symptoms: pain, dyspnea, altered mental status, weakness
  • Trauma or no trauma
  • Operative or nonoperative
  • Medications and/or toxins
  • What treatment has been given so far?
  • Delay in treatment?
• What do you need to know from the examination in the primary survey?

  Look, listen, feel -> ABCD (D: level of consciousness)