TLA…..not during EMT Class

EMT Week 3 (or four)....

Three Letter Acronyms are the least of my concerns during EMT training. The entire course is littered with MLA (Multi-Letter Acronyms) which are actually very helpful in assessing patients and performing treatment.

Lets start with the simple one:

• PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
• ABC: Airway, Breathing, Circulation
• AVPU: Alert, Vocal, Painful, Unresponsive
• DCAP-BTLS: Deformity, Contusion, Abrasion, Puncture/Penetration, Bruising, Tenderness, Laceration & Swelling
• SAMPLE: Symptoms, Allergy, Medicines, Pertinent History, Last oral intake, events leading up
• OPQRST: Onset, Provokes, Quality, Radiation, Severity & Time

That is only the first few chapters of training. So far we have managed trauma and medical assessment, airway management, vitals, scene size up and lifting.

Great class.