Ch. 31-32 EMT Eleventh Edition

Hypothermia is diagnosed when the core body temperature falls below what temperature?

95°F (35°C).

Which of the following statements regarding compartment syndrome is correct?

Compartment syndrome typically develops within 6 to 12 hours after an injury.

In which of the following situations should the EMT splint an injured limb in the position of deformity?

If resistance is encountered or the patient experiences severe pain.

Which of the following is an early sign of pit viper envenomation?

Local swelling and ecchymosis.

Which of the following musculoskeletal injuries would pose the greatest threat to a patient's life?

Pelvic fracture with hypotension.

The MOST prominent symptom of decompression sickness is

abdominal or joint pain.

With regard to musculoskeletal injuries, the zone of injury is defined as the

area of soft-tissue damage surrounding the injury.

You and your partner respond to a park where several people were reportedly struck by lightning. When you arrive, you find three patients. The first patient is lying supine on the ground; he is unresponsive and does not appear to be breathing. The second patient is ambulatory, appears confused, and is holding his arm against his chest. The third patient is sitting on the ground holding the sides of his head. After calling for backup, you should

assess the unresponsive patient's pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the AED as soon as possible.

In contrast to Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever:

can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse.

The MOST significant hazard associated with splinting is

delaying transport of a critically injured patient.

Which of the following musculoskeletal injuries would MOST likely result in deformity?

displaced fracture

A supracondylar or intercondylar fracture is also known as a fracture of the

distal humerus.

Crepitus and false motion are

positive indicators of a fracture.

The EMT must assume that any unwitnessed water-related incident is accompanied by

possible spinal injury.

You are transporting a 28-year-old man with a frostbitten foot. The patient's vital signs are stable and he denies any other injuries or symptoms. The weather is treacherous and your transport time to the hospital is approximately 45 minutes. During transport, you should

protect the affected part from further injury.

A 22-year-old female was ejected from her car after striking a tree head-on. As you approach her, you note obvious closed deformities to both of her femurs. She is not moving and does not appear to be conscious. You should

stabilize her head and perform a primary assessment.

During your rapid secondary assessment of a 30-year-old male who fell 25′, you note crepitus when palpating his pelvis. Your partner advises you that the patient's blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg and his heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak. After completing your assessment, you should

stabilize the pelvis with a pelvic binder and protect the spine.

Most of the serious injuries associated with scuba diving are caused by

too rapid of an ascent.

When a warm hand is immersed in water that is 70°F (21°C), heat is transferred from the hand to the water through a process called

conduction.

A 54-year-old male accidentally shot himself in the leg while cleaning his gun. Your assessment reveals a small entrance wound to the medial aspect of his right leg. The exit wound is on the opposite side of the leg and is actively bleeding. The patient complains of numbness and tingling in his right foot. You should

control the bleeding and cover the wound with a sterile dressing.

A 17-year-old female dislocated her patella while playing soccer. Her knee is flexed and she complains of severe pain. You should

keep her knee flexed and secure it with padded board splints.

You respond to a local lake where a diver complains of difficulty breathing that occurred immediately after rapidly ascending from a depth of approximately 30 feet. On assessment, you note that he has cyanosis around his lips and has pink froth coming from his nose and mouth. You should

suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, monitor the patient's breath sounds for a pneumothorax, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.

Burns associated with lightning strikes are typically

superficial.

A 31-year-old male was bitten on the leg by an unidentified snake. The patient is conscious and alert and in no apparent distress. Your assessment of his leg reveals two small puncture marks with minimal pain and swelling. In addition to administering oxygen and providing reassurance, further care for this patient should include

supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.

In general, musculoskeletal injuries should be splinted before moving the patient unless

the patient is clinically unstable.