EMT Chapter 33 Environmental Emergencies

A person's ability to shiver is lost when his or her body temperature falls below: A. 90°F (32°C). B. 92°F (33°C). C. 94°F (34°C). D. 95°F (35°C).

90

Rough handling of a hypothermic patient with a pulse may cause: A. profound bradycardia. B. ventricular fibrillation. C. ventricular tachycardia. D. pulseless electrical activity.

ventricular fibrillation

A 30-year-old male was rescued after being lost in the woods for approximately 18 hours. The outside temperature is 30°F (−1°C). He is immediately placed in the warmed ambulance, where you perform a primary assessment. He is unconscious, pale, and apneic. You should: A. apply an AED and assess his cardiac rhythm. B. assess for a carotid pulse for up to 45 seconds. C. open his airway and give two rescue breaths. D. apply chemical heat packs to his groin and axillae.

Assess for a carotid pulse for up to 45 seconds

A dysbarism injury refers to the signs and symptoms related to changes in: A. rapid ascent. B. rapid descent. C. decompression. D. barometric pressure.

Barometric Pressure

A patient with a core body temperature of 95°F (35°C) will MOST likely experience: A. a slow pulse. B. rapid breathing. C. muscle stiffness. D. loss of consciousness.

Rapid Breathing

Compared to adults, infants and children are at higher risk for hypothermia for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT: A. a decreased ability to shiver. B. a relatively small surface area. C. a smaller amount of body fat. D. a smaller overall muscle mass.

a relatively small surface area

Signs of late heatstroke include: A. hot, moist skin. B. nausea and vomiting. C. a weak, rapid pulse. D. a change in behavior.

a weak, rapid pulse

The MOST prominent symptom of decompression sickness is: A. tightness in the chest. B. difficulty with vision. C. dizziness and nausea. D. abdominal or joint pain.

abdominal or joint pain

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: A. immediately begin CPR on the unresponsive patient, but cease resuscitation efforts if there is no response after 5 minutes of treatment. B. focus your initial treatment efforts on the patients who are conscious because the unresponsive patient is likely in irreversible cardiac arrest. C. assess the unresponsive patient's pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the AED as soon as possible. D. recognize that the patients who are conscious are at high risk for developing cardiac arrest and quickly assess them for potentially life-threatening injuries.

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

Hypothermia can worsen internal bleeding secondary to: A. cardiac arrhythmias. B. a decreased heart rate. C. severe muscular rigidity. D. blood clotting abnormalities.

blood clotting abnormalities

Patients with generalized hypothermia are at an increased risk of a local cold injury because: A. blood is shunted away from the extremities to the body's core. B. peripheral vasodilation brings warm blood to the skin's surface. C. the major muscles of the body become rigid during hypothermia. D. the patient is usually unable to escape the cold ambient temperature.

blood is shunted away from the extremities to the body's core

You and your partner are standing by at a large social event at a river resort when a frantic woman tells you that she found a young male floating face-down in the water. Nobody claims to have witnessed the event. After you and your partner enter the water and reach the patient, you should: A. move him as a unit to a supine position. B. begin ventilations with a barrier device. C. immediately secure him to a longboard. D. perform a jaw-thrust maneuver to open his airway.

move him as a unit to a supine position

Signs and symptoms of an air embolism include all of the following, EXCEPT: A. dysphasia. B. pale skin. C. dizziness. D. joint pain.

pale skin

A 20-year-old male was pulled from cold water by his friends. The length of his submersion is not known and was not witnessed. You perform a primary assessment and determine that the patient is apneic and has a slow, weak pulse. You should: A. suction his airway for 30 seconds, provide rescue breathing, keep him warm, and transport at once. B. ventilate with a bag-mask device, apply a cervical collar, remove his wet clothing, and transport rapidly. C. provide rescue breathing, remove wet clothing, immobilize his spine, keep him warm, and transport carefully. D. apply 100% oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask, immobilize his spine, keep him warm, and transport rapidly.

provide rescue breathing, remove wet clothing, immobilize his spine, keep him warm, and transport carefully

High air temperature reduces the body's ability to lose heat by: A. radiation. B. convection. C. conduction. D. evaporation.

radiation