Self Assessment 16

Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below:

95*F (35*C)

After being stung on the leg by a jellyfish, a man complains of sever 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.

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:

Assess the unresponsive patients pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the automated external defibrillator as soon as possible.

All of the following snakes are pit vipers, except for the:

Coral snake

Which of the following medications increase a persons risk of a heat-related emergency?

Diuretics

A 21-year-old female was lost in the woods for several hours. The ambient temperature is 25 degrees Fahrenheit. She is lethargic and confused. The skin on her hands is waxy and white. What should you do?

Gently wrap the patent in several dry blankets

Shivering is a mechanism which the body generates heat by:

Increasing the metabolic rate

Your patient is a 53-year-old diabetic male. 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 blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg, and his pulse is weak and thready. You should:

Load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions

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 patients vital signs, she states that she and her family returned from a camping trip two days ago. On the basis of this patients presentation, you should suspect:

Lyme disease

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 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

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:

Suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, monitor the patients breath sounds for a pneumothorax, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.

A 31-year-old ale 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:

Supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting

Heatstroke occurs when:

The body's heat-elimination mechanisms are overwhelmed

Most of the serious injuries associated with scuba diving are caused by:

Too rapid of an ascent.

Removal of a tick should be accomplished by:

Using tweezers to pull it straight out of the skin

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

Ventricular fibrillation

To treat a sting from a jellyfish, pour ________on the affected area.

Vinegar

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

a black widow spider bite