Types of listening - Paramedic game transcript

Task 1: Check vital signs

Audio transcript:
See if he's breathing - but before you start on that, make sure you're not going to become a casualty yourself, so check there's a clear space around him where you can safely get to work on resuscitating him.
Get down close to him and see if he responds when you speak to him and give him a gentle shake.
If he doesn't reply, lift his chin up and look in his mouth to check that his airway is clear. If the airway's ok, the next thing is to look and see if his chest is rising and falling.
Listen over his mouth to hear the air moving and feel the breath on your cheek. When you're sure he's still breathing, see if you can find the pulse on the neck.
[End of audio]

Task 2: Put on oxygen mask

Audio transcript:
He needs oxygen fast! Here's the oxygen mask - just fit it over his mouth.
This elastic goes round his head to hold the mask on. Now turn on the oxygen here. And always check that the oxygen really is going into the mask by putting your ear to the mask and listening for a sort of hissing noise. It doesn't happen often but we've had empty tanks before.
Now, take this peg-shaped little gadget, just clip it onto his finger. It's the pulse oximeter, to monitor how much oxygen he's got in his bloodstream.
[End of audio]

Task 3: Get casualty to ED

Audio transcript:
Ok, we've got him on the trolley, so fix those straps across him so he can't roll off. Now over to the ambulance and straight in, quick as you can. Secure the trolley into the catch on the floor of the ambulance - we don't want him rolling out when we've just got him in, do we?
Once you're ready to go, flip that switch there for the flashing light and the siren - the blues'n twos, we call them.
As soon as we're off, you've got to quickly call the ED to update them about the casualty's condition. They need to know what to expect when we get him there so tell them we've got a 50-year old male, who was in an RTA. He's stable and the ETA is 20 minutes.
Check his breathing, pulse, blood pressure and oxygen levels again, and keep an eye on him all the way.
[End of audio]