EMT ( 32 )

The body's natural cooling mechanism, in which sweat is converted to a gas, is called:

evaporation.

All of the following terms are used to describe a cold body part that is not frozen, EXCEPT:

frostbite.

Covering a patient's _________ will significantly minimize radiation heat loss.

head.

Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to increase a person's risk of hypothermia?

hyperglycemia

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

increasing the metabolic rate.

To obtain the MOST accurate reading of a patient's core body temperature, you should place a special hypothermia thermometer:

into the patient's rectum.

A frostbitten foot can be identified by the presence of:

mottling and blisters.

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. In addition to monitoring her ABCs, administering oxygen, and turning up the heat in the back of the ambulance, you should:

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

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:

protect the affected part from further injury.

High air temperature reduces the body's ability to lose heat by:

radiation.

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

rapid breathing.

The two MOST efficient ways for the body to eliminate excess heat are:

sweating and dilation of skin blood vessels.

Which of the following would be the LEAST likely to occur in a patient with a core body temperature of between 89°F (32°C) and 92°F (33°C)?

tachycardia

The body's natural protective mechanisms against heat loss are:

vasoconstriction and shivering.

Rough handling of a hypothermic patient with a pulse may cause:

ventricular fibrillation.

Heat loss from the body through respiration occurs when:

warm air is exhaled into the atmosphere.

A person's ability to shiver is lost when his or her body temperature falls below:

90°F (32°C).

Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below:

95°F (35°C).

Which of the following MOST accurately describes hyperthermia?

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

Compared to adults, infants and children are at higher risk for hypothermia for all of the following reasons, EXCEPT:

a relatively small surface area.

To assess a patient's general temperature, pull back on your glove and place the back of your hand on his or her skin at the:

abdomen.

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:

assess for a carotid pulse for up to 45 seconds.

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

barometric pressure.

Hypothermia can worsen internal bleeding secondary to:

blood clotting abnormalities.

Patients with generalized hypothermia are at an increased risk of a local cold injury because:

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

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:

conduction.

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

convection.