Question

Why may the EMT have to change the general impression of the patient on the basis of information learned during the primary or secondary assessment?

1) An intoxicated patient may present as a medical patient but actually also have a traumatic injury.
2) The EMS service has a short transport time and may not be able to complete the primary survey before arriving at the hospital.
3) Once formed by the EMT, the general impression can be changed only by a provider with a higher certification level.
4) Once the general impression has been formed, the EMT should never change it, as this will cause a delay in patient care.

Answer 1

The EMT may have to change the general impression of the patient based on information learned during the primary or secondary assessment for various reasons, including intoxicated patients with traumatic injuries and limited assessment time. Once formed, the general impression can be changed by higher-level providers if new information becomes available.

Step-by-step explanation:

The EMT may have to change the general impression of the patient on the basis of information learned during the primary or secondary assessment for several reasons:

1. An intoxicated patient may present as a medical patient but actually also have a traumatic injury. For example, a patient who appears to be experiencing chest pain due to a medical condition may actually have sustained internal injuries from a fall while intoxicated.
2. The EMS service may have a short transport time and may not be able to complete the primary survey before arriving at the hospital. In this case, the EMT may need to change the general impression based on information gathered during the limited assessment.
3. Once formed by the EMT, the general impression can be changed by a provider with a higher certification level if new information becomes available. This allows for a comprehensive reassessment of the patient's condition and appropriate changes in treatment.