N Ch13: Environmental Emergencies

True or False" Exposure to environmental heat reduces the body's ability to cool itself by radiation.

True

True or False? Elderly patients are more at risk of frostbite.

True

True or False? Heatstroke occurs when the body can no longer cool itself by sweating.

True

True or False? A patient suffering from heat exhaustion most likely has an elevated body temperature.

False

True or False? You are providing care for a 22-yr old male patient who was rescued after falling into the deep end of a public swimming pool. The patient is unconscious and not breathing, and there is water draining from his mouth. Your priority should be to dry him and begin rescue breathing.

False

True or False? You are providing care for a 48-yr old male patient who got lost while on a winter hike. The patient is cold and lethargic. He is not shivering and his muscles appear stiff. At this time his body temp is likely between 80F and 88F (27C to 31C)

False

True or False? You are providing care to a 34-yr old male patient who was ice fishing. The patient is now feeling cold and shivering uncontrollably. He tells you that his fingers are numb and his hands are quite pale. Part of your initial care should be to briskly rub his fingers and hands.

False

True or False? You are providing care to a 44-yr old female patient who has collapsed on a hot summer day. The patient is unconscious with flushed, hot, dry skin. Your priority should be to get her out of the heat and cool her with ice water.

False

A 10-yr old child, who was submerged in cold water for approximately 30 minutes, is removed by rescue personnel. The child is unconscious, not breathing, and without a pulse. You should: a: remove his wet clothing and begin CPR; b: recognize that the child is obviously dead; c: defibrillate every minute with an AED; d: hyperventilate him with warmed oxygen

a: remove his wet clothing and begin CPR

Drowning is most accurately defined as: a: suffocation because of submersion in water or in other liquids; b: cardiac arrest after submersion in water for at least 10 mins; c: any injury that results from being beneath the surface of the water; d: cardiac failure following submersion in water less than 70F (21C)

a: suffocation because of submersion in water or in other liquids

Frostbite can occur in a short period of time, depending on the: a: temperature and wind speed; b: humidity at the time of exposure; c: part of the body that is exposed; d: patient's resting pulse rate

a: temperature and wind speed

Which of the ff people would be least likely to experience a heat-related illness? a: a 55-yr old woman who has diabetes; b: a 30-yr old man who is slightly overweight; c: a 78-yr old man who has heart disease; d: a 6-mo old infant who was born prematurely

b: a 30-yr old man who is slightly overweight

Which of the ff may occur with heatstroke, but not with heat exhaustion? a: a pulse that is slow and bounding; b: a body temperature as high as 104F (40C); c: a normal body temperature; d: severe irritability or hyperactivity

b: a body temperature as high as 104F (40C)

Which of the ff statements regarding lightning injuries is correct? a: patients who appear uninjured after a lightning strike usually do not require EMS transport; b: burns caused by lightning are mainly internal and may not be visible right after the injury occurs; c: lightning injuries often cause respiratory arrest but rarely cause cardiopulmonary arrest; d: you should defibrillate a patient who was struck by lightning before the primary assessment

b: burns caused by lightning are mainly internal and may not be visible right after the injury occurs

Which of the ff represents the safest approach approach when attempting to rescue a person from the water? a: go, tow, reach and throw; b: reach, throw, row and go; c: tow, reach, throw and go; d: throw, tow, go and reach

b: reach, throw, row and go

You are caring for a young female with frostbitten hands. The patient is conscious, alert, and actively shivering. Her hands are pale and waxy and covered with blisters. You should: a: carefully rupture the blisters and bandage her hands; b: remove any jewelry and apply dry dressings to her hands; c: apply a tight constricting band to her wrists and reassess; d: have a friend drive her to the closest appropriate facility

b: remove any jewelry and apply dry dressings to her hands

Which of the ff statements regarding hypothermia is not correct? a: shivering is an early sign of hypothermia; b: late hypothermia often causes unresponsiveness; c: hypothermia is not exclusive to wintry weather; d: as hypothermia progresses, the pulse rate increases

d: as hypothermia progresses, the pulse rate increases

Common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include all of the ff, except: a: nausea and dizziness; b: profuse sweating; c: lightheadedness; d: flushed, dry skin

d: flushed, dry skin

The most important initial treatment for a patient with heatstroke is: a: rapidly cooling the patient with water; b: opening the airway and assessing breathing; c: elevating the patient's lower extremities; d: moving the patient to a cooler place

d: moving the patient to a cooler place

With frostnip, the affected part of the body first becomes: a: pale white; b: swollen; c: painful; d: numb

d: numb