Preparing US Army Medics and Naval Corpsmen for the COVID-19 Response
Medics should familiarize themselves with basic physical exam requirements. Short post today, but check out the breath sounds of a COVID-19 patient. Be familiar with normal breath sounds so that you’ll know when you hear the abnormal. Be familiar with an abnormal respiratory rate (over 25). Understand that it actually can be a very helpful vital sign. Measure for the full minute, or at least 30 seconds. There are some tricks to keep the patient from figuring out what you’re doing.
In the next few posts, I’m likely to begin working through some Algorithm Directed Troop Medical Care algorithms. This was just updated last year. Long overdue! Pretty good for far. I expect medics could be used for the COVID response in a myriad of ways. Best to prepare now to save lives!