EMT-B, Ch 2 EC
What is a critical incident?
A situation that evokes strong emotions
Stress
A state of physical and/or psychological arousal to a stimulus
What are the types of stress reactions?
Acute, Delayed, Cumulative
Hazardous-Material Incident
An accident or when containers begin to leak which pose serious dangers.
Multiple-Causalty Incident (MCI)
An incident where there are multiple patients.
Decontamination
Cleansing of dangerous chemicals and other materials.
Bloodborne pathogens
Contracted by exposure to the patient's blood or bodily fluids.
Stages of Grief
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
Dealing with Stress
Develop more helathful and positive dietary habits, devote time to relaxing, and exercise.
Alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
Dr. Hans Selye (a Canadian physician and educator who was born in Austria) did a great deal of research in the area of stress and found that the body's response to it has three stages. What are they?
Body Substace Isolation (BSI) precautions
Equipment and procedures that protect you from the blood and body fluids of the patient.
Personal Protective Equiment (PPE)
Equipment that protects the EMS worker from infection and/or exposure to the dangers of rescue operations. Ex: protective gloves, eye protection, masks, gowns.
Reacting to danger
Flee, get rid of any cumbersome equipment, take cover and conceal yourself.
Signs of Stress
Irratibility with family, friends, and coworkers; inability to concentrate; changes in daily activities, such as difficuly sleeping or nightmares, loss of appetite, and loss of interest is sexual activity; anxiety; indecisiveness; guilt; isolation; and loss of interest in work.
Causes of Stress
MCIs, calls involving infants and children, severe injuries, abuse and neglect, death of a coworker.
Distress
Negative stress.
Pathogens
Organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi that cause disease
Actions required to respond to danger?
Plan, observe, react!
Eutress
Positive form of stress that helps people work under pressure and respond effectively.
Approaches that you can take in dealing wiht the patient and family members confronted with death or dying
Recognize the patient's needs, bet tolerant of angry reactions frrom the patient or family members, listen empathetically, do not falsely reassure, offer as much comfort as you realistically can.
What is a hazardous-materials response team?
Specially trained technicians who will coordinate the safe approach and resolution of the incident.
Airborne pathogens
Spread by tiny droplets sprayed during breathing, coughing, or sneezing.
Hepititis C
The deadly form of hepatitis, in which there is no vaccine, that infects many EMS providers is:
Contamination
The introduction of dangerous chemicals, disease, or infectious materials.
When should eye protection be worn?
To prevent splashing, spattering, or spraying fluids from entering the body through these membranes.
Observing danger
Violence, crime scenes, alcohol or drug use, weapons, family members, bystanders, perpetrators, pets.
Planning for danger
Wear safe clothing, prepare your equipment so it is not cumbersome, carry a portable radio wherever possible, decide on safety roles.
Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)
What is a process in which a team of trained peer counselors and mental health professionals meet with rescuers and health-care providers who have been involved in a major incident. The meetings are generally held within 24-72 hours after the incident.
Depression stage
When a dying patient mourns things not accomplished or dreams that won't come true, he is said to be in the:
As an EMT at a hazardous materials incident,
You should not be treating patients until after they have undergone decontamination (cleansing of dangerous chemicals and other materials).