How To Assess Perfusion

Many younger paramedics (and some of the older paramedics too) find that with the invention of more and more brilliant medical diagnostic machines, such as Saturation Probes, ECG/EKG monitors, Glucometers, End Tidal CO2 Monitors, 12 Lead ECGs (that self analize ST segments and possible dysrythmias) that they forget the most important part of any Ambulance job – look at your patient!

How are they looking? This will generally tell you much more than any machine.

When I first started as a student paramedic my training officer told me to remember one thing and one thing only

“Perfusion determines treatment…”

But how do you determine perfusion?

You can assess perfusion by assessing the patient’s Level of Consciousness, Skin Colour, Pulse and very last their Blood Pressure!”

This emphasizes the fact that in Ambulance Practice the machines are the last diagnostic tools. Take a Blood Preasure after you have looked at your patient properly… talked to them, assessed their skin… and manually felt their pulse.

Remember… by manually feeling a pulse you can assess the strength, rate, rhythym, regularity, and overall wellness of a person.

Australian Paramedic…