EMT Ch 32 Environmental Emergencies

The correct answer is: too rapid of an ascent.

Most of the serious injuries associated with scuba diving are caused by: Select one: A. cold water temperature. B. too rapid of a descent. C. alcohol consumption. D. too rapid of an ascent.

The correct answer is: The body is exposed to more heat than it can lose.

Which of the following MOST accurately describes hyperthermia? Select one: A. Heat evaporates a significant amount of body water. B. The body is exposed to more heat than it can lose. C. The core body temperature exceeds 99.5°F (37°C). D. The body eliminates more heat than it can generate.

The correct answer is: assess for a carotid pulse for up to 60 seconds.

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 unresponsive, pale, and apneic. You should: Select one: A. apply an AED and assess his cardiac rhythm. B. apply chemical heat packs to his groin and axillae. C. open his airway and give two rescue breaths. D. assess for a carotid pulse for up to 60 seconds.

The correct answer is: supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.

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: Select one: A. transporting only with close, continuous monitoring. B. supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting. C. applying ice to the wound and transporting quickly. D. elevating the lower extremities and giving antivenin. Feedback

The correct answer is: 90°F (32°C).

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

The correct answer is: frostbite.

All of the following terms refer to a body part that is cold but not frozen, EXCEPT: Select one: A. immersion foot. B. frostnip. C. trench foot. D. frostbite.

The correct answer is: the diver holds his or her breath during a rapid ascent.

An air embolism associated with diving occurs when: Select one: A. the diver hyperventilates prior to entering the water. B. the alveoli completely collapse due to high pressure. C. the diver holds his or her breath during a rapid ascent. D. high water pressure forces air into the mediastinum.

The correct answer is: superficial.

Burns associated with lightning strikes are typically: Select one: A. full-thickness. B. superficial. C. partial-thickness. D. third-degree.

The correct answer is: hot, dry skin.

Common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include all of the following, EXCEPT: Select one: A. headache. B. hot, dry skin. C. tachycardia. D. nausea.

The correct answer is: a relatively small surface area.

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

The correct answer is: head

Covering a patient's _________ will significantly minimize radiation heat loss. Select one: A. chest B. head C. abdomen D. extremities

The correct answer is: death from suffocation after submersion in water.

Drowning is MOST accurately defined as: Select one: A. death beyond 24 hours after submersion in water. B. water in the lungs following submersion in water. C. death from suffocation after submersion in water. D. temporary survival after submersion in water.

The correct answer is: warm air is exhaled into the atmosphere.

Heat loss from the body through respiration occurs when: Select one: A. air temperature is greater than body temperature. B. warm air is exhaled into the atmosphere. C. the core body temperature is greater than 98°F (37°C). D. cool air is inhaled and displaces warm air.

The correct answer is: the body's heat-eliminating mechanisms are overwhelmed.

Heat stroke occurs when: Select one: A. a person becomes dehydrated secondary to excess water loss. B. the body's heat-eliminating mechanisms are overwhelmed. C. the ambient temperature exceeds 90°F (32°C) and the humidity is high. D. a person's core body temperature rises above 103°F (39°C).

The correct answer is: radiation.

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

The correct answer is: evaporation.

High humidity reduces the body's ability to lose heat through: Select one: A. evaporation. B. conduction. C. radiation. D. convection.

The correct answer is: blood-clotting abnormalities.

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

The correct answer is: 95°F (35°C).

Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below: Select one: A. 95°F (35°C). B. 98°F (37°C). C. 88°F (31°C). D. 90°F (32°C).

The correct answer is: can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse.

In contrast to Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever: Select one: A. presents with flu-like symptoms and a bull's-eye rash. B. can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse. C. causes painful joint swelling after a few days or weeks. D. may be confused with rheumatoid arthritis.

The correct answer is: it must be able to evaporate from the body.

In order for sweating to be an effective cooling mechanism: Select one: A. several layers of clothing must be worn. B. it must be able to evaporate from the body. C. the body must produce at least 1 L per hour. D. the relative humidity must be above 90%.

The correct answer is: possible spinal injury.

The EMT must assume that any unwitnessed water-related incident is accompanied by: Select one: A. cold-water immersion. B. alcohol intoxication. C. possible spinal injury. D. an air embolism.

The correct answer is: abdominal or joint pain.

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

The correct answer is: evaporation.

The body's natural cooling mechanism, in which sweat is converted to a gas, is called: Select one: A. radiation. B. conduction. C. evaporation. D. convection.

The correct answer is: vasoconstriction and shivering.

The body's natural protective mechanisms against heat loss are: Select one: A. vasodilation and respiration. B. respiration and vasoconstriction. C. vasoconstriction and shivering. D. shivering and vasodilation.

The correct answer is: nervous system.

The venom of a black widow spider is toxic to the: Select one: A. nervous system. B. renal system. C. respiratory system. D. cardiovascular system.

The correct answer is: abdomen.

To assess a patient's general body temperature, pull back on your glove and place the back of your hand on his or her skin at the: Select one: A. forehead. B. abdomen. C. neck. D. chest.

The correct answer is: conduction.

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: Select one: A. convection. B. evaporation. C. radiation. D. conduction.

The correct answer is: electrolytes.

When the body loses sweat, it also loses: Select one: A. erythrocytes. B. plasma. C. electrolytes. D. nutrients.

The correct answer is: Local swelling and ecchymosis

Which of the following is an early sign of pit viper envenomation? Select one: A. General weakness and diaphoresis B. Syncope and bleeding at distal sites C. Local swelling and ecchymosis D. Signs and symptoms of hypoperfusion

The correct answer is: Diuretics

Which of the following medications increases a person's risk of a heat-related emergency? Select one: A. Motrin B. Aspirin C. Diuretics D. Tylenol

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

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: Select one: 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.

The correct answer is: secondary to decreased perfusion in the extremities.

You are assessing a man with suspected hypothermia. The patient is conscious and alert, and is actively shivering. His respiratory rate is increased, but his breathing is unlabored, and the pulse oximeter reads 72%. The pulse oximetry reading is MOST likely: Select one: A. accurate because he has signs of respiratory failure. B. a direct reflection of his increased respiratory rate. C. secondary to decreased perfusion in the extremities. D. accurate because shivering affects hemoglobin binding.

The correct answer is: protect the affected part from further 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: Select one: A. cover his foot with chemical heat compresses. B. administer oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask. C. protect the affected part from further injury. D. rewarm his foot in 102°F to 104°F (38.9°C to 40°C) water.

The correct answer is: load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions.

You receive a call to a residence for a sick patient. Upon your arrival, you find the patient, a 53-year-old diabetic male, lying down on his front porch. His wife tells you that he had been mowing the lawn in the heat for the past 3 hours. The patient is confused and has hot, moist skin. His pulse is weak and thready, and his blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. You should: Select one: A. administer one tube of oral glucose and reassess his mental status. B. place him in a sitting position and have him drink 1 L of water. C. load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions. D. perform a head-to-toe assessment and look for signs of trauma.

The correct answer is: 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.

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: Select one: A. suction his mouth and nose, keep him supine and elevate his legs to prevent air bubbles from entering his brain, administer high-flow oxygen, and transport to a hyperbaric chamber. B. 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. C. place him in a semi-sitting position, suction his mouth and nose, apply a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, and transport to the closest emergency department. D. position him supine with his head elevated 30°, suction his mouth and nose, hyperventilate him with a bag-valve mask, and contact medical control for further guidance.