These are the mnemonics I've come across as an EMT. If you know of a variation, or one I haven't posted here, please email me.
2012-12-03: We now have COLDERR as an alternative to OPQRST. I don't advocate either one; use whichever is easier for you, your team, and your protocols.
And, here is a page for Firefighting Mnemonics.
These are the mnemonics I have:
On scene:
ENAME,
PENMAN,
MIST,
CHATT,
MCVITE
Patient evaluation:
SOAP,
CHEATED,
ABCs,
SAMPLE,
PRBELS,
OPQRST,
PASTMED,
AVPU,
CMSTP,
FACTS,
SLUDGE,
PERRLA,
START & RPM,
VOMIT,
FAST,
COLDERR
Other useful information:
AEIOU-TIPS,
DCAP-BLS-TIC,
PCMM-HLDD,
NAVEL,
CHASHPN,
CHAMPS RN,
DICCCE
| ENAME |
PENMAN |
- 2008-01-30: A checklist for first tasks on scene of a motor vehicle
collision.
- Environmental hazards
- Number of patients
- Additional resources
- Mechanism of injury
- Extrication?
|
- 2008-01-30: A different checklist for first tasks at an MVC.
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Equipment needed
- Number of injured
- Mechanism of injury
- Additional resources needed
- Need for immobilization?
|
| MIST |
CHATT |
- 2010-11-07: A checklist for handover of a trauma patient.
- Mechanism of Injury - describe it
- Injuries - describe them
- Signs - vital signs, abnormal s/s
- Treatment - what have you done?
|
- 2010-11-07: Elements of a Patient Contact/Care Report or Patient Report Form
- Chief complaint
- History - recent & relevant long term
- Assessment - your conclusions
- Treatment - include patient reactions
- Transport - note changes en route
|
| MCVITE |
- 2012-02-23: The elements of a radio ringdown/passdown to a hospital.
- Start with Agency and Unit Number. ex. "St. Anthony's, This is South Kitsap Aid 17Adam."
- When the hospital answers up, begin your report with age and sex. ex. "I have a 23-year-old female." Then,
- Mechanism. "Fall," "MVC/MVA," "Possible MI," etc.
- Chief Complaint. "Complaining of..."
- Vital Signs. "Vital signs are..."
- Injuries. List all known injuries with severity of major ones.
- Treatment. What have you done to treat these conditions?
- ETA. "Our ETA is 10 minutes. Do you have any questions?"
|
|
| SOAP |
CHEATED |
- This is the general order for treating a patient.
- Subjective information (What is the patient telling you?)
- Objective information (What are your observations and tools
telling you?)
- Assessment of the patient (What do you think is happening?)
- Plan of action (What are you going to do about it?)
|
- 2008-01-30: This is a summary of a patient contact, from start to
finish.
- Chief Complaint
- History
- Examination
- Assessment
- Treatment
- Evaluation (Did the treatment help?)
- Disposition (What was the final outcome?)
|
| ABC's |
SAMPLE |
- The ABC's are the critical steps in the Initial Assessment of a
patient.
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Deformity
- Expose
- Farenheit (temperature)
- EKG, Pulse Oximetry, Vital signs
- Head to toe exam
- Interventions, Inspect back
|
- SAMPLE is the acronym covering the details we need to get about any
patient.
- Signs & Symptoms
- Allergies
- Medications
- Past pertinent history
- Last oral intake, liquid & solid
- Events leading to the incident
|
| PRBELS |
- 2012-02-23: The vital signs to take.
- Pulse
- Respiration
- Blood Pressure
- Eyes (PERRLA)
- LoC (AVPU)
- Skin Signs (Color, Appearance, Temperature)
|
|
| OPQRST |
PASTMED |
- 2012-02-23: Added L, M, and N to the start of the list.
- This is the list the mnemonic for evaluating a medical
patient.
- Location (this event)
- Medical History
- New (Is this event a new one, or has it gone on a while?)
- Onset (this event)
- Provoke, Palpation
- Quality
- Radiates (Does it spread out?)
- Severity
- Time (history)
|
- This is an alternate mnemonic for evaluating a patient with difficulty
breathing.
- Provoke, Progression
- Associated Chest Pain
- Sputum, color & amount
- Time, Trauma
- Medications
- Exertion, Exercise
- Diagnosis by physician
|
| AVPU |
CMSTP |
- This is the mnemonic to establish level of responsiveness.
- Alert
- Verbal (Instructions are mostly followed. Answers are delayed
or inappropriate.)
- Pain (Sternal rub. Thumb web pinch.)
- Unresponsive (Ain't gettin' nuttin'...)
|
- This mnemonic is used when evaluating extremities.
- Color
- Motor
- Sensory
- Temperature
- Pulse
|
| FACTS |
SLUDGE |
- 2008-01-30: Thanks to many contributions, I can now say that this
mnemonic outlines the information needed following a seizure.
- Focus (What part of the body?)
- Activity (Tonic? Clonic? One but not both?)
- Color (Cyanotic?)
- Time (How long was the episode? How much time between
episodes?)
- Somnolence (Postictal state?) or Secondary trauma (Was the seizure caused by trauma? Did the
patient suffer trauma as a result of the episode?)
|
- These are the symptoms of excessive stimulation of body functions due
to organophosphate poisoning.
- Salivation (Drool)
- Lacrimation (Tears)
- Urination (Piss)
- Defecation (Poop)
- Gastric juices (Heartburn)
- Emesis (Vomiting)
|
| PERRLA |
START & RPM |
- 2008-01-30: I can't believe I never included this list for evaluating
the eyes during a field exam!
- Pupils are
- Equal,
- Round, and
- Reactive to
- Light
- Accomodation
|
- 2008-01-30: START is
an acronym for a copyrighted system for triage. RPM is the list of
specific actions taken in this system.
- Simple
- Triage
- And
- Rapid
- Transport
- &
- Respirations
- Perfusion
- Mentation
|
| VOMIT |
FAST |
- 2010-11-07: Key parts of an ALS intervention.
- Vital Signs
- Oxygen
- Monitor
- IV
- Treatment/Transport
|
- 2010-11-07: Elements of the Cincinnati Stroke Scale.
- Facial droop
- Aarm drift
- Speech abnormality
- Time of onset or Time last observed negative test result
|
| COLDERR |
- This is an alternative to OPQRST.
- Character - What does it feel like?
- Onset
- Location
- Duration
- Exacerbation
- Radiation
- Relief
|
.
|
| PCMM-HLDD |
NAVEL |
- This is a list of some common drugs. 2008-01-30: Possibly a list of
commonly abused drugs?
- Percodan/Percocet
- Codeine
- Morphine
- Methadone
- Heroin
- Lomotil
- Darvon
- Demerol
|
- The five drugs that may be adminstered by endotracheal tube.
- Narcan (naloxone)
- Atropine
- Versed (midazolam) (May be
Valium (diazepam) in some areas.)
- Epinephrine
- Lidocaine
|
| CHASHPN |
CHAMPS RN |
- The seven types of shock.
- Cardiogenic
- Hemmorhagic
- Anaphalactic
- Septic
- Hypovolemic
- Psychogenic
- Neurogenic
|
- 2008-01-30: An alternative list of eight types of shock.
- Cardiogenic
- Hemmorhagic
- Anaphalactic
- Metabolic
- Psychogenic
- Septic
- Respiratory
- Neurogenic
|
| DICCCE |
|
- 2010-11-07: Safety in medication/drug administration. Particularly IVs
- Drug - correct one
- Integrity - packaging intact
- Color
- Concentration
- Clarity
- Expiration
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