Principles of assessment for ems chapter 18

Principles of Patient Assessment
in EMS

Chapter 18 – The Assessment
Approach for the Pregnant
Patient
© 2011 Bedford-Parkinson-Tolouei EMT Education Unit

Objectives
 Describe the normal A&P changes that
occur during the first, second and third
trimesters of pregnancy.
 Explain why the pregnant patient is at
increased risk for vomiting and possible
aspiration.
 Describe the condition “anemia of
pregnancy” and its significance in a
patient who is hemorrhaging.

Objectives (continued)
 Explain the importance of prenatal care
and list some of the potential problems
that can develop with inadequate or no
prenatal care.
 Discuss the OPQRST history and SAMPLE
history specific to the pregnant patient.
 List additional focused information to
obtain specific to the current pregnancy,
as well as any prior pregnancies.

 Explain why positioning becomes an
important consideration for the woman in
late 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
 Explain the condition supine hypotension
and describe how to correct the condition.
 List the gestational ages at which fetal
movement can be felt by the mother and
by the examiner.

 Describe fetal assessment including:
measurement of the fundus, fetal heart
rate and palpation of uterine contractions.
 List the possible causes of fetal distress.
 List six complications associated with
pregnancy and describe the characteristics
of each.
 Differentiate signs of active labor from
imminent delivery.

Introduction
 Assessing the pregnant patient is focused
on the patient’s chief complaint.
 Normal anatomical and physiological
changes during pregnancy will modify the
assessment process.
 Assessment may involve 2 or more
patients.

Normal A&P Changes of Pregnancy
 Normal gestation is 38-42 weeks.
 Pregnancy is broken into 3 – 3 month
segments (trimesters).
 At 12 weeks the fundus (top of uterus)
can be palpated above the symphysis
pubis.
 Displaces the urinary bladder.
 Excessive fatigue and SOB is common
throughout pregnancy.

Normal A&P Changes (continued)
 Release of progesterone causes:
 Relaxation of the GI tract and other smooth
muscles
 Slowed peristalsis
 Nausea/vomiting (increasing the risk of
aspiration)

 Circulating blood volume increases by
nearly 50% by full term.
 Hemoglobin does not increase proportionately
creating a mismatch called “anemia of
pregnancy”
 During hemorrhagic shock normal
signs/symptoms will not be apparent until 30-
35% blood loss
 The fetus becomes stressed due to hypoxia
before signs and sypmtoms of shock are
apparent

 Enlarging uterus displaces main internal organs:
 Diaphragm displaced upward decreasing functional
tidal volume
 Esophgeal sphincter displaced resulting in reflux
 Low back pain is common in late pregnancy
 BP decreases slightly in 2nd trimester and returns to
normal in the 3rd trimester
 Hypertension during pregnancy is always dangerous
and requires evaluation
 Heart rate increases 10-20 bpm throughout
pregnancy

The Focused History
 The most common EMS calls are for traumatic
injury, pain, or vaginal bleeding.
 Pregnant patient’s are not immune from any
other causes of abdominal pain (i.e.
appendicitis, gallbladder, or kidney stones).
 Obtain OPQRST and SAMPLE Hx, as well as
specific information about the current pregnancy
and any previous pregnancies.
 Identify any possible risk factors for
complications in pregnancy.

The OPQRST History
 O – When did the pain, bleeding, labor or
traumatic injury or other complaint begin?
 P – What was the patient doing at the onset and
are there any complications of pregnancy?
 Q – Describe the pain and compare to previous
episodes.
 R – Any radiation from the point of origin? Did
she do anything for relief?
 S – Rate the pain on the 1 to 10 scale.
 T – When did it begin? Any life-threats and
imminent delivery indications?

The SAMPLE History
 S – amenorrhea, nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness,
back pain, abdominal pain, cramping, vaginal discharge,
urinary or bowel problems, abnormal weight gain,
generalized edema, etc.
 A – Any increased sensitivity to environmental allergens?
 M – Any drugs during the pregnancy?
 P – Is there a prior pregnancy history or high risk
situations?
 L – When was the last menstrual period and last oral
intake?
 E – What events lead to EMS being called (i.e. ruptured
waters, labor pain, trauma, hemorrhage)?

The Physical Exam
 Perform the Initial Assessment (MS-ABCs)
as with any other patient.
 The depth of the PE is focused on the
patient’s chief complaint.
 For the female in late 2nd or in 3rd
trimester positioning is an important factor
for comfort and circulation.
 Let the patient assume the position of comfort
 Immobilized patient’s need to be tilted to
avoid supine hypotension

The Vital Signs
 Keep in mind normal vs changes in each
trimester.
 Assess skin CTC, note presence of
generalized edema.
 Respiratory rate – unusually normal or
slightly increased.
 Heart rate – increases 10 – 20 bpm
throughout the pregnancy.

 BP – decreases (10 to 15 mmHg) during
2nd trimester, returns to normal in 3rd.
 BP varies with positioning (supine
hypotension)
 New onset hypertension is abnormal and
dangerous > 140/90 may indicate
preeclampsia and eclampsia
The Vital Signs

The Skin
 Changes in skin color are normal due to
increased estrogen levels.
 Chloasoma or “mask of pregnancy” – mild
darkening of the face
 Linea nigra – darkened midline from umbilicus
to public bone
 Areolar, armpits, perineum and inner thigh
may also darken

Changes Assessed During Visualization
 Postural changes:
 Lordoses
 Kyphosis
 Protruding abdomen
 Widened rib cage, flaring of the lower ribs.
 When imminent delivery is suspected
examine external vagina for the presence
of crowning, prolapsed cord, or the
progression of labor.

Changes Assessed During Palpation
 Neck – enlarged thyroid gland is
normal.
 Thorax – costal angle may be wider
than normal.

 Abdomen – note any tenderness, guarding
and the fundal height.
 > 12 weeks fundus can be palpated above symphysis
pubis
 At 20 weeks at the level of the umbilicus
 At 36 weeks it has reached the ribs or costal margin
 When contractions are reported measure duration
and time between the start of one until the start of
another. Perform a fetal assessment
Changes Assessed During
Palpation

Changes Assessed During Auscultation
 Abnormal heart sounds develop during
pregnancy in some women.
 S-1 may be louder than normal.
 S-3 may be heard.
 A systolic murmur may be heard.
 Fetal heart tones may be heard > 12
weeks gestation.

Fetal Assessment
 Includes:
 Measuring fundal height and fetal heart rate
 Fetal movement and contractions (when
present)
 Assess during active labor for signs of
distress.

 Fundal height:
 In supine position, place the zero mark of the
measuring tape at the top of the symphysis pubis.
Measure in the midline up and over the abdomen to
the top of the fundus, note the mark (1cm = approx.
1 wk gestation)
 A smaller/larger uterus, than expected, is an
abnormal finding
 12 wks at the symphysis pubis, 16 wks between pubis
and umbilicus, 36 wks at coastal margin
 > 24 wks is age where the fetus is survivable outside
the womb
Fetal Assessment

Fetal Heart Rate
 Fetal heart tones (FHT) may be heard 12 to 14
wks with a Doppler or handheld ultrasound or by
a Fetoscope by 20 wks.
 Normal FHT range is 110 to 160.
 Brief rate changes are normal during fetal
movement, sleep and contractions.
 Locating the FHT may be difficult. Most often
other tasks take priority.
 Place the mother supine for listening:
 Place the microphone on the abdomen and move in
slow circles until the FHT are heard

Fetal Heart Rate (continued)
 Count for a minute. Repeat as you repeat
the maternal vital signs.
 Early pregnancy listen in the midline
between the symphysis pubis and the
umbilicus.
 Late pregnancy listen in the right or left
upper quadrant.

Fetal Movement/Contractions
 Mother feels movement in the 2nd
trimester.
 May feel movement during auscultation
(especially in the 3rd trimester).
 Ask the mother when last movement was
felt.
 Assess contractions or movement by
placing one hand on the top of the
fundus.

 A contraction is felt as a muscle tensing.
 Measure duration and time of onset of one
to another.
 True labor is persistent regular
contraction.
 False labor (Braxton-Hicks) is irregular and
inconsistent.
 Preterm labor is true labor prior to 38 wks
gestation.
Fetal Movement/Contractions

Pregnancy Associated Complications
 Most OB/GYN emergent complaints are of
pain, bleeding or both.
 Complications are not common. The goal
is to rapidly identify life-threatening
conditions:
 Eclampsia
 Ectopic pregnancy
 Determine if delivery is imminent

Ectopic Pregnancy
 When pregnancy is unknown or in 1st
trimester and the c/c is lower abdominal
pain with/without bleeding suspect ectopic
pregnancy.
 In 1st trimester, ectopic or miscarriage
may be life-threatening conditions when
unrecognized and untreated.

 The c/c is usually lower abdominal pain,
vaginal bleeding or both.
 Uncontrolled vaginal bleeding can lead to
hypovolemia, shock or death for both the
mother and fetus.
Ectopic Pregnancy

Spontaneous Abortion (miscarriage)
 A loss of pregnancy < 20 wks gestation.
 Occurs in 20 to 30 % of all pregnancies.
 c/c is vaginal bleeding with or without
abdominal pain. Often there is passing of
fetal tissue (blood clot).

Diabetes
 In 2nd trimester hormones trigger a
release of increased insulin.
 New onset or gestational diabetes typically
begins in 2nd or 3rd trimester and subsides
after delivery.
 Diabetes requires carefully monitoring due
to increased risk of birth defects,
hypertension, eclampsia and an oversized
fetus.

Hypertension
 BP (>140/90) is always abnormal during
pregnancy.
 Can progress to stroke, acute pulmonary
embolism, renal failure, preeclampsia,
eclampsia, or death.

 Signs and Symptoms of pregnancy induced HTN
include:
 Increase of 30 mm Hg systolic or 15 mmHg diastolic
above baseline
 Abnormal weight gain
 Headaches and visual disturbances
 Abdominal pain and generalized edema
 Decreased urine output (oliguria)
 Protein in the urine on clinical analysis
Hypertension

Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
 Leading cause of maternal/fetal morbidity
and mortality.
 Signs and symptoms are the same as
pregnancy-induced HTN.

 More severe symptoms include:
 Severe headaches
 Blurred vision and diplopia
 Nausea and vomiting
 RUQ or epigastric pain
 Anuria and hematuria
 Oliguria, dizziness, confusion
 Fetal distress and abruptio placentae
 Without rapid treatment may progress to
eclampsia (seizures, coma and death).
Preeclampsia and Eclampsia

Abruptio Placentae / Placenta Previa
 Abruptio
 A sudden separation of the placenta from the
uterine wall
 S & S vary with the extent of the detachment
 Severe abdominal pain with or without
bleeding, but (+) signs of shock
 Previa
 Abnormal implantation of the placenta in a
lower uterine site
 S & S include signs of shock and vaginal
bleeding without abdominal pain

Prehospital Delivery
 Active labor typically progresses slowly in
the female who has never given birth and
rapidly in the female who has.
 Assessment includes:
 Palpate / measure the contractions
 Establish Hx of fundus (gestational age)
 Inspect external genitalia for presenting fetus
 Ask about ruptured membranes

 Determine if birth is imminent:
 Urge to move bowels
 Mother says it is time
 Crowning
Prehospital Delivery

Conclusion
 Approach to the pregnant patient is
directed by the c/c, which is typically pain
bleeding or both.
 Obtain acute details in the FH.
 When pregnancy is unknown, or in 1st
trimester, all abdominal pain in lower
abdomen with/ without bleeding is a
possible ectopic pregnancy. (manage as a
life-threat!)

 Consider preexisting conditions (i.e. HTN
or diabetes).
 Consider other causes of abdominal pain
(i.e. appendicitis or reflux).
 Include the patient’s priorities and
concerns.
Conclusion

Principles of assessment for ems chapter 18

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