Critical Care and the Patient Assessment System Part II
This is the second of two articles on the Patient Assessment System (PAS). In the first article, we reviewed the entire PAS, paying particular attention to the areas of the PAS that can indicate an emergent problem requiring immediate care. In this edition of the WMN, we will review the PAS and Critical Care—taking a close look at the patient’s chief complaints which would indicate an underlying potentially life-threatening injury or illness that would necessitate immediate care and attention. In particular, we will review the differential diagnosis and management for changes in level of consciousness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and shock.