chapter 2 post test

After the completion of an EMS run in which the patient vomited on the​ cot, using a disinfectant such as alcohol or bleach to kill microorganisms is​ called:

disinfecting. Using chemicals such as alcohol or bleach to kill microorganisms on your equipment is called disinfecting. Cleaning is just the removal of visible​ soiling, and sterilization is the process of using harsher chemicals or superheated steam to kill all pathogens on a surface. Purification is a process that is typically performed on liquids and is not applicable to this question.

Which one of the following classes of reflective garments are intended for areas where traffic is moving at 25 mph or​ greater?

Class 2 Class 2 reflective garments are intended or designed for personnel whose attention is diverted from traffic or where the traffic flow is moving at 25 mph or greater.

The process of killing​ many, but not​ all, microorganisms that may be on the surface of an object is​ called:

disinfection Cleaning is simply the process of washing a soiled object with soap and water and is the simplest form of preparing reusable equipment. Disinfecting is the use of chemicals to kill many​ microorganisms, and sterilization is the use of chemicals or superheated steam to kill all microorganisms. Purification is the removal of harmful substances from a liquid.

Microorganisms that cause diseases are​ called:

pathogens. Diseases are caused by​ pathogens, which are microorganisms that are typically visible only through a microscope and may be found in the environment around you and on or within the patient you are assessing and treating. The most common pathogens you will encounter are​ bacteria, viruses,​ fungi, protozoa, and helminths.

Eye​ protection, protective​ gloves, gowns, and masks are known​ as:

personal protective equipment. The equipment that is used for Standard Precautions is referred to as personal protective equipment​ (PPE). Always use PPE as a barrier against infection. It will help to prevent your skin and mucous membranes from coming into contact with a​ patient's blood and other body fluids. PPE includes eye​ protection, protective​ gloves, gowns, and masks.

During the treatment of a multisystem trauma​ patient, you accidently get the​ patient's blood on your uniform. You​ should:

remove the affected​ clothing, bag​ it, and label it for later washing. If your uniform gets soiled with body​ fluids, remove it as soon as is​ practical, bag​ it, and label it. It should be washed in hot soapy water for at least 25 minutes. Take a hot shower​ yourself, and rinse thoroughly. Use an alcohol pad or trying to brush the uniform off when dry does not adequately work. Disposing of it is​ unnecessary, as it can be used again after proper washing.

The single MOST important way you can prevent the spread of infection is​ by:

washing your hands. Hand washing is the single most important way in which you can prevent the spread of infection. The spread of infection to you as the provider and from​ you, then being passed from patient to​ patient, can be reduced by hand washing. Wearing gloves and a surgical mask​ helps, but these forms of protection are not individually more important than hand washing.​ Finally, refusing to treat a patient is not an​ ethically, morally, or professionally sound decision.

In order to be rested and prepared for a long EMS​ shift, how many hours of sleep is recommended the night​ before?

8 to 10 hours One of the keys to maintaining as near normal function as possible is getting an adequate amount of sleep. Lack of sleep​ (sleep deprivation) puts you at risk for accidents and injury. It also puts your patients at risk of improper care resulting from your inability to function at the necessary mental and physical level. Individuals require a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of sleep each day. Studies have shown that a lack of regular sleep contributes to chronic​ diseases, such as heart​ disease, weight​ gain, and poor mental function.

Which is the final emotional stage a person with terminal cancer might experience prior to​ dying?

Acceptance There are five emotional stages of​ dying: denial,​ anger, bargaining,​ depression, and acceptance. The stage at which a terminally ill or injured patient reaches a point at which the patient seems to accept​ death, though he may not be happy about​ it, is known as acceptance. At this​ stage, the family usually requires more support than the patient does.

What type of stress reaction would an EMT likely experience when his partner is attacked and stabbed by a drunk patron at a​ tavern?

Acute stress reaction An acute stress reaction results from exposure to a​ high-stress situation. You may note the reaction not only in the patient or​ bystanders, but also in​ yourself, your​ partner, or other emergency service personnel at the scene of the​ high-stress incident. Signs and symptoms typically occur immediately or shortly after the incident and may involve​ cognitive, physical,​ behavioral, or psychological functions. Delayed and cumulative stress reactions are both manifested after an event​ (or may be​ ongoing).

Which emotional stage of dying might a patient be experiencing if he makes a statement such​ as, "I know this is going to​ happen, but first let me. .​ ."?

Bargaining The five emotional stages of dying are​ denial, anger,​ bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The emotional stage known as bargaining is characterized by the​ patient's attempting to​ "bargain," or make agreements that in the​ patient's mind will postpone death for a short time and allow the patient to complete some unfinished task.

Which of the following is one of the five emotional stages experienced by a dying​ patient?

Bargaining haracteristically, you will not witness all five stages during emergency treatment. For​ example, the critically injured patient who is aware that death is imminent typically displays​ denial, bargaining, or depression. The terminally ill patient may be more prepared and display acceptance. The key for you is to accept all these emotions as real and necessary and to respond accordingly. The five emotional stages of dying are​ denial, anger,​ bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Why do EMTs have a difficult time trying to help family members understand what​ it's like to work in​ EMS?

Because family members do not have a shared experience or understanding to draw from. Families typically have little or no knowledge of prehospital emergency care.​ Unfortunately, they may have gathered a lot of misinformation about prehospital emergency care from​ movies, television, the​ Internet, and other sources of entertainment.

Of the following​ scenarios, which one would MOST likely create the greatest amount of stress in an​ EMT?

Caring for a family member involved in an MVC Many emergency calls may be considered​ "routine" with a minimal level of stress.​ However, the nature of some calls may produce extreme levels of stress. Some of these situations include​ multiple-casualty incidents​ (MCIs); abuse and neglect of​ infants, children,​ adults, and the​ elderly; emergencies involving infants and​ children; injury or death of a​ coworker; responding and providing emergency care to a​ relative; and severe traumatic injuries such as amputations.

Which of the following stress reactions is associated with the condition some EMS providers describe as​ "burnout"?

Cumulative stress reaction Cumulative stress reaction is a result of constant exposure to stressful situations that builds over time. This is a common cause of​ burnout, which is a state of exhaustion and irritability and results in the relative inability or ineffectiveness of the EMT to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. Acute stress reaction occurs immediately after an​ event, and delayed stress reaction occurs after a longer period of time has passed since the event. Chronic stress reaction is fictitious and not a correct response.

The emotional stage of dying characterized by a patient who becomes​ silent, distant,​ sad, and despairing is referred to as which​ stage?

Depression As reality settles​ in, the patient may become​ silent, distant,​ sad, and despairing about those who will be left behind and things left undone. Often the patient will make statements that start out with something​ like, "Okay, but I​ haven't . .​ ." Denial is refusing to believe that death is​ imminent; anger is simply the display of that emotion about impending​ death; and acceptance occurs when the patient is resigned to the fact that this event is unavoidable.

Which of the following phases of a CISD program is NOT an appropriate​ phase?

Determine how to place blame for events that were detrimental during the critical incident. These phases are intended to allow the participants to review the facts of the​ event; share their​ feelings; identify signs and symptoms they are​ experiencing; sort through their feelings with the assistance of a mental health​ professional; receive suggestions for overcoming the​ stress; develop a plan of action for returning to the​ job; and obtain​ follow-up assistance if lingering issues are present. CISD is not meant to assign blame.

What type of pathogen is described as a plantlike microorganism that typically will NOT cause infection in a person with a normally functioning immune​ system?

Fungi

What is the single MOST important standard precaution EMTs can take to protect themselves from spreading or contracting a​ disease?

Hand washing Hand washing is the single most important way EMTs can prevent the spread of infection. The use of​ immunizations, exam​ gloves, and eye and face protection is​ helpful, but these types of protection are not individually better than hand washing for protection from contracting or transmitting disease.

Of the following characteristics that are common to the prehospital​ profession, which one is NOT considered a significant stressor to the EMT regarding the work environment.

Having to pack meals to take to work op sources of stress for the EMT include long​ hours, boredom between​ calls, working too much and too​ hard, getting little​ recognition, having to respond​ instantly, making lifedashanddashdeath ​decisions, fearing serious​ errors, dealing with dying people and grieving​ survivors, and being responsible for​ someone's life. Having to pack a lunch would not be considered a stressful situation in comparison to the other options.

What is the overall goal or purpose of a CISM​ program?

Help the EMT deal with stress. Critical incident stress management​ (CISM) is a process to deal with stress encountered by the EMT.

A patient you are caring for states he has hepatitis. You ask him what​ type, but the patient is unsure. Given the immunization you received before you started​ working, which type of hepatitis are you immunized​ against?

Hepatitis B Get vaccinated against hepatitis B before beginning EMS field work. These vaccines are offered by employers when employees have the potential to come into contact with blood and body fluids.

What has become the MOST common bloodborne infection from a virus in the United​ States?

Hepatitis C Hepatitis C virus​ (HCV) infection has become the most common bloodborne infection in the United States.​ Fortunately, the risk of transmission through occupational exposure is relatively low because it requires introduction through the skin by needlestick. Transmission via the mucous membrane is rare. Testing of EMS personnel is recommended after exposure has occurred.

A spouse who​ says, "Your job is more important to you than your​ family!" is likely responding to what type of family stressor due to your EMS​ career?

Long shift hours The support of your family and friends is essential in helping you manage stress.​ However, you may find that they also suffer from a certain amount of stress as a result of your job. Long hours and demanding physical labor can take their toll and increase your​ family's distress over your absences.​ Typically, you may​ hear, "Your job is more important to you than your​ family!" due to working long shifts such as a​ 24-hour shift or working on important holidays.

What type of mask should EMTs don if they suspect the elderly patient they are caring for has​ tuberculosis?

N95 respirator If you are treating a patient who is suspected of having​ tuberculosis, you need additional protection. Wear a​ high-efficiency particulate air​ (HEPA) respirator or an N95 respirator. A​ surgical-type face mask offers inadequate​ protection, and a​ high-action particulate air​ (HAPA) mask is a fictitious name of a protective barrier.

Which one of the following would help to reduce your​ job-related stress?

Request to work at a slower station or a station that has a different type of call volume. You can request to take an assignment to a less busy area or an area with a different type of call volume. As an​ example, move from a station that deals primarily with calls involving crime and violence to a station that responds to more illnesses.

You have been an EMT in a busy system for a number of years. You have noticed over the past several months an increase in your stress​ levels, and despite trying to mediate this stress through relaxation techniques and​ exercise, you still feel stressed all the time. What is one other intervention you could consider to reduce the stress in your​ life?

Seek the help of a mental health professional. If traditional methods of reducing stress do not​ work, you can always consider seeking advice from mental health professionals. These are trained individuals who can help you realize that your reactions are​ normal, mobilize your best coping​ strategies, and arm you with more effective ways to deal with stress in the future. The EMT should never attempt to​ self-medicate.

What type of protective gloves should be worn when cleaning the ambulance and​ equipment?

Utility gloves Wear a good pair of utility gloves when cleaning vehicles and equipment.

Beyond obtaining required immunizations before beginning work as an​ EMT, what should one do to reduce the risk of​ infection?

Use Standard Precautions with each patient contact. Although immunizations offer protection against many​ diseases, Standard Precautions must always be​ practiced, even by immunized EMTs.​ Additionally, EMTs should wash their hands before and after each patient​ contact, not just at the start and end of the shift.

Which of the following strategies for dealing with stress is the LEAST effective in managing the​ stress?

Use of sedative drugs Some EMS providers resort to the use of alcohol or​ drugs, prescription or​ illegal, in an attempt to reduce the mental and physical stress associated with the job. Overindulgence in alcohol to reduce or relieve stress is a practice that must be avoided. It has consequences for your health and mental​ function, and it does not get rid of the stress. If you or a fellow EMT is relying on drugs or​ alcohol, it is necessary to seek professional assistance.