Paramedic Mneumonics

For some reason Ambulance Services and Emergency Services love mneumonics. Sometimes I think paramedic students spend more time memorizing the mneumonics than the actual reasons behind them. These are some of the paramedic mneumonics that I’ve come across over my time as a paramedic – and yes, there are many interpretations of them all…

If you would like to read non-serious (but funny) mnemonics, please see my Funny Paramedic Mnemonics Page

AEIOU TIPS – to assess causes of an altered level of consciousness mneumonic

Alcohol

Epilepsy

Insulin – high or low BSL

Overdose

Uraemia – (this has to do with poor renal function)

Trauma

Infection

Psychosis

Stroke

DRABC -Basic First Aid Mneumonic

Danger

Response

Airway

Breathing

Circulation

AVPU – Basic Level of Consciousness Mneumonic

Alert

Verbal

Pain

Unconscious

OPQRST – Pain Assessment Mneumonic

Onset (at rest or during exercise?)

Provocation – what makes the pain worse/better?

Quality – sharp, crushing, heavy

Region/radiation – where does it her, can you point with one finger to the pain? Does the pain radiate anywhere else?

Severity – 10/10 or 1/10, Mild, Medium Worst Pain Ever

Time/treatment – When did this start? Have you ever had this pain before? Has it been continuous since the time of onset? Have you taken anything for this pain?

SPINAL – High Risk of Spinal Injury/unable to clear a spine because of this medical mneumonic

Suspicious Mechanism of Injury – High speed MVC, roll over, patient ejected, fall, pedestrian, etc

Pain or bony tenderness around the spine

Intoxication with medications, alcohol or elicit drugs

Numbness or tingling distally (below the area of injury)

Any distracting pain

Level of consciousness altered

SERIOUS Assessment in patients with suspected meningococcal septiceamia mneumonic

Serious concern

Extremities cold and painful

Rapid onset of illness

Illness recently

Other flu-like symptoms

Unresponsive to medications

Skin abnormalities (such as purperic rash that does not blanch).

GUTPAINS assessment for abdominal pain mneumonic

Gastritis, gallbladder, gynaecological, excess gass

Urinary problems, ulcerative collitis

Trauma, think hollow organs. Think spleen, liver

Pregnancy (ectopic or normal), pancreatitis

Abdominal aortic anneurysm, appendicitis

Ischeamia of the bowel, intesitinal obstruction

Neoplasm or other cancer

Splenic rupture, or any spasm of the eosophagus