Chapter 11 Poisoning & Substance Abuse

Which of the following statements regarding snake bites is correct

A snake's venom may affect the entire body.

Which of the following toxins irritates the lungs and upper respiratory tract, resulting in violent coughing?

Ammonia mixed with chlorine.

Which of the following is not a route by which a poison can enter the body?

Dilution

What factors are often associated with excited delirium?

Drug toxicity and previous mental illness.

Shortly after arriving at the scene of a sick person, you are told that the patient has been exposed to a nerve agent, what should you do?

Move to a safe place and notify the hazardous materials response team.

Which of the following regarding nerve agents is correct?

Nerve agents are much stronger organophosphate that those found in pesticides.

Carbon monoxide negatively affects the body by:

preventing red blood cells from carrying oxygen.

The usual adult dose of activated charcoal is:

25 to 50g

Inhaling relatively small quantities of carbon monoxide can result in severe poisoning because:

Carbon monoxide combines with red blood cells 200 times more readily than oxygen does.

A poison that enters the body through the mouth or nose and is absorbed by the mucous membranes lining the respiratory system is said to be:

Inhaled

Which of the following routes occurs when a person is stung by an insect or bitten by a snake?

Injection

All of the following are nerve agents, except:

Ricin

Much of the emergency care you provide to a patient who has been poisoned is based on the:

Signs and symptoms the patient is experiencing.

A poison is most accurately defined as a:

Substance that can cause death in relatively small quantities.

It is most important that you never assume that an apparently intoxicated person is drunk because:

a serious illness or injury can mimic alcohol intoxication.

Inflammation or redness of the skin, and intense and itching are signs of an;

absorbed poison

Two general treatments for poisoning by ingestion are:

activated charcoal and dilution with water.

When administering naloxone via the intranasal route, the EMR should:

administer a half dose in each nostril

A chemical substance that has pH of greater than 7 is called an:

alkali

A 16-year-old girl intentionally ingested liquid drain cleaner in an attempt to kill herself. She is conscious, alert and refuses to speak to you. You should :

arrange for prompt transport to the hospital.

After taking precautions to ensure personal safety, initial treatment for a patient who has been exposed to a nerve agent should focus on:

assessing and supporting the patient's ABCs.

You respond to a residence where a young man apparently used an excessive amount of speed an cocaine. A crew responding is 10 min away. Law enforcement has made the scene safe. The patient is extremely irritable and restless and begins shouting obscenities at you. You should:

attempt to provide reassurance to the patient and enlist the help of the police if he gets violent

Activated charcoal works by:

binding to the poison

Opioid drugs have a direct negative effect on:

central nervous system

Emergency medical care for a patient experiencing excited delirium would most likely include:

cooling measures

Common signs or symptoms of an injected poison include all of the following, except:

cyanosis

You are on scene with a patient who ingested a poisonous substance and are unable to contact the poison control center:

dilute the poison by giving the patient water.

General signs and symptoms of poisoning include all of the following, except:

dry, flushed, hot skin

In addition to ensuring your own safety, the first step in treating a patient who had absorbed a poisonous substance is to:

ensure the patient is no longer in contact with the substance.

A hiker was bitten on the left leg by an unknown type of snake. Your assessment reveals that the affected area is swollen and tender to the touch. The patient is sweating profusely and is nauseated. Responding paramedics have not arrived at the scene. In addition to keeping the patient calm and arranging for prompt transport to the hospital, you should:

gently wash the bite area, splint the affected extremity, and place it below the level of the heart.

While waiting for responding EMTs to arrive at the scene, you are caring for an industrial plant worker who was exposed to dry lime. The patients arms are covered with lime and he complains of intense pain. You should:

have the patient remove his clothes, brush off the dry lime & wash off the affected are for 20 minutes.

Naloxone would most likely reverse the effects of:

heroin

anaphylactic shock is characterized by:

hives, a rapid pulse, low blood pressure, and unconsciousness.

When treating a person who has ingested a poison, you should first:

identify the poison the person ingested.

Absorption occurs when a poison enter the body through?

intact skin and spreads through the circulatory system.

When administering a DuoDote nerve agent auto-injector, you should inject the medication;

into the lateral thigh & hold the injector in place for 10 seconds

The most effective way to slow the spread of an injected poison throughout the body is to:

keep the patient quiet and still

A patient who has attempted suicide by intentional poison.

needs both medical and psychological help

A 22-year-old woman was stung multiple times by hornets while at a family outing. The patient is semiconscious and has labored breathing. Further assessment reveals that she has a rash on her entire body, and a rapid, weak pulse. After correcting the airway, breathing, circulation you should:

prepare patient for rapid transport

A 52-year-old man presents with chest pain, restlessness and hallucinations approximately 3 days after he stopped drinking alcohol. The patients tell you that he is an alcoholic and has tried to quit drinking several times. You assess him and notice that he is shaking and his skin is hot to the touch: You should

recognize that the patient is experiencing a serious medical emergency and arrange for prompt transport to the hospital.

You are the first medically trained person to arrive at a residence for a 40 year old woman who has a sever headache and nausea. As you are assessing the patient, her husband tells you that he and his son have the same symptoms. You should:

remove everyone from the residence at once.

You arrive at a water treatment plant for a 30-year-old man who is having difficulty breathing. As you get out of your vehicle and approach the building, you notice several workers who are having trouble breathing and coughing violently. One of the workers tells you that the patient, who is now unconscious, is still in the building. You should:

request fire personnel with specialized gear to remove the patient.

A patient who has used amphetamines or cocaine would most likely present with:

restlessness, irritability, and talkativeness.

Common early signs of an ingested poison include all of the following, EXCEPT:

severe difficulty breathing.

Common signs or symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include all of the following:

severe neck rigidity.

Symptoms of exposure to an organophosphate insecticide or nerve agent include:

slow heart rate, salivation, and excessive tearing.

A man found his girlfriend lying unconscious on the couch. You arrive at the scene, determine that it is safe, and assess the patient. Your assessment reveals that the patient is not breathing and her pulse is slow and weak. You should:

suspect an opioid overdose and mouth to mask rescue breathing

Activated charcoal not be administered to a patient if:

the patient has ingested a strong acid substance.

A patients reaction to an injected depends on:

the type and quality of the drug