Chapter 32 --> Environmental Emergencies

All of the following snakes are pit vipers, EXCEPT for the: A. copperhead. B. rattlesnake. C. coral snake. D. cottonmouth.

Coral Snake

Which of the following statements regarding drowning is correct?

Laryngospasm following submersion in water makes rescue breathing difficult.

Which of the following statements regarding lightning strikes is correct?

Lightning strikes may cause cardiac dysrhythmias that spontaneously resolve.

You are assessing a 33-year-old male who complains of severe abdominal pain, weakness, and nausea. He tells you that he was gathering wood to build a fire when he felt a sudden, sharp pain on the back of his hand. Your assessment reveals that the patient's abdomen is rigid and painful to palpation. You should suspect:

a black widow spider bite

Breath-holding syncope is caused by a decreased stimulus to breathe and occurs when:

a swimmer hyperventilates prior to entering the water

After being stung on the leg by a jellyfish, a man complains of severe pain to his leg, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. He has a red rash covering his trunk and his blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. The EMT should:

administer oxygen and epinephrine and prepare for rapid transport.

A dysbarism injury refers to the signs and symptoms related to changes in:

barometric pressure.

The diving reflex may allow a person to survive extended periods of submersion in cold water secondary to:

bradycardia and the slowing of the metabolic rate

The venom of a brown recluse spider is cytotoxic, meaning that it:

causes severe local tissue damage.

The transfer of heat to circulating air, such as when cool air moves across the body's surface, is called:

convection

Geriatric patients, newborns, and infants are especially prone to hyperthermia because they:

exhibit poor thermoregulation

Shivering is a mechanism in which the body generates heat by:

increasing the metabolic rate

A frostbitten foot can be identified by the presence of:

mottling and blisters

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:

move him as a unit to a supine position

You are dispatched to a local high school track and field event for a 16-year-old male who fainted. The outside temperature is approximately 95°F (35°C) with high humidity. Upon your arrival, the patient is conscious, alert, and complains of nausea and a headache. His skin is cool, clammy, and pale. You should:

move him into the cooled ambulance

Signs and symptoms of an air embolism include all of the following, EXCEPT:

pale skin

Your assessment of a 23-year-old female reveals a core body temperature of 93.4°F (34°C). She is conscious, answers your questions appropriately, is shivering, and complains of nausea. Her skin is cold and pale, her muscles appear rigid, and her respirations are rapid. You should:

place heat packs to her groin, axillae, and behind her neck; cover her with warm blankets; and avoid rough handling.

A patient with a core body temperature of 95°F (35°C) will MOST likely experience:

rapid breathing

Signs of late heat stroke include:

weak, rapid pulse

You are dispatched to a residence for a young female who is sick. The patient complains of a rash to her lower extremities and truncal area. Your assessment reveals a small, painful blister on her inner thigh. As your partner is taking the patient's vital signs, she states that she and her family returned from a camping trip 2 days ago. On the basis of this patient's presentation, you should suspect:

Lyme disease