Emergency Response: Water and Temperature Hazards
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Questions and Answers

What should you do after reaching a patient found floating face-down in the water?

Move him as a unit to a supine position.

During transport of a frostbitten patient, what should you do?

Protect the affected part from further injury.

How does high air temperature affect the body's ability to lose heat?

Reduces the body's ability to lose heat by radiation.

What is the body's natural cooling mechanism when sweat is converted to gas?

<p>Evaporation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for an apneic patient with a slow, weak pulse after being submerged in water?

<p>Provide rescue breathing, remove wet clothing, immobilize his spine, keep him warm, and transport carefully.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an early sign of pit viper envenomation?

<p>Local swelling and ecchymosis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for an unresponsive patient found after a lightning strike?

<p>Assess the unresponsive patient's pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the AED as soon as possible.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens during a lightning strike?

<p>Lightning often results in a brief period of asystole that resolves spontaneously.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the transfer of heat to circulating air?

<p>Convection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which medication increases a person's risk of a heat-related emergency?

<p>Diuretics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

The venom of a black widow spider is toxic to which system?

<p>Nervous system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can hypothermia worsen internal bleeding?

<p>Secondary to blood clotting abnormalities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a dysbarism injury refer to?

<p>The signs and symptoms related to changes in barometric pressure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where should you assess a patient's general temperature?

<p>On the abdomen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a black widow spider from a brown recluse spider?

<p>It is large and has a red-orange hourglass mark on its abdomen.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the specific treatment for a jellyfish sting?

<p>Irrigating the wound with vinegar and immersing his leg in hot water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Burns associated with lightning strikes are typically what type?

<p>Superficial.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two MOST efficient ways for the body to eliminate excess heat?

<p>Sweating and dilation of skin blood vessels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you assess for in an unconscious 30-year-old male in a 30°F environment?

<p>A carotid pulse for up to 45 seconds.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is drowning MOST accurately defined as?

<p>Death from suffocation after submersion in water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you suspect in a young female with a rash after a camping trip?

<p>Lyme disease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When does an air embolism associated with diving occur?

<p>When the diver holds his or her breath during a rapid ascent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the MOST prominent symptom of decompression sickness?

<p>Abdominal or joint pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can a frostbitten foot be identified?

<p>By the presence of mottling and blisters.</p> Signup and view all the answers

For sweating to be an effective cooling mechanism, it must be able to:

<p>Evaporate from the body.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a 16-year-old male who fainted in high heat?

<p>Move him into the cooled ambulance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When does heatstroke occur?

<p>When the body's heat-eliminating mechanisms are overwhelmed.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the MOST prominent symptom of decompression sickness?

<p>Abdominal or joint pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are signs of late heatstroke?

<p>A weak, rapid pulse.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a patient who was bitten by a snake and shows minimal distress?

<p>Supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does high humidity affect the body's ability to lose heat?

<p>Reduces the body's ability to lose heat through evaporation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is LEAST likely to increase a person's risk of hypothermia?

<p>Hyperglycemia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Heat loss from the body through respiration occurs when?

<p>Warm air is exhaled into the atmosphere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are geriatric patients at a higher risk for heatstroke?

<p>Circulation to the skin is reduced.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What may rough handling of a hypothermic patient with a pulse cause?

<p>Ventricular fibrillation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the venom of a brown recluse spider cause?

<p>Severe local tissue damage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

<p>head</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a patient who fainted in high humidity conditions?

<p>Move him into the cooled ambulance.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What steps should you take for a diver with difficulty breathing after rapid ascent?

<p>Suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, position him on his left side with his head down, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do after reaching a patient found floating face-down in the water?

<p>Move him as a unit to a supine position.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can the diving reflex allow a person to do during cold water submersion?

<p>Survive extended periods of submersion.</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what body temperature is a person's ability to shiver lost?

<p>90°F (32°C).</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a patient with a core body temperature of 93.4°F?

<p>Place heat packs to her groin, axillae, and behind her neck; cover her with warm blankets; and avoid rough handling.</p> Signup and view all the answers

When must the EMT assume any unwitnessed water-related incident has?

<p>Possible spinal injury.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should you do for a 53-year-old diabetic male found confused after mowing the lawn in heat?

<p>Load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the body lose when it loses sweat?

<p>Electrolytes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the body's natural protective mechanisms against heat loss?

<p>Vasoconstriction and shivering.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following would be the LEAST likely to occur at a core body temperature of 89°F to 92°F?

<p>Tachycardia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a warm hand is immersed in water that is 70°F?

<p>Heat is transferred from the hand to the water through conduction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common response in patients with a core body temperature of 95°F?

<p>Rapid breathing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What makes rescue breathing difficult when drowning?

<p>Laryngospasm following submersion in water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Hypothermia occurs when core body temperature falls below:

<p>90°F (32°C).</p> Signup and view all the answers

What symptoms should you expect in a patient experiencing decompression sickness?

<p>Abdominal or joint pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is NOT a symptom of an air embolism?

<p>Pale skin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Water Emergencies

  • When rescuing a submerged patient, move them as a unit to a supine position to avoid spinal injury.
  • Recognize that drowning can lead to death from suffocation after submersion.
  • Signs and symptoms of air embolism include difficulty breathing, cyanosis, and frothy discharge from the mouth after rapid ascent.
  • Frostbite is indicated by mottling and blistering of the affected area.
  • Protect frostbitten extremities and maintain stable vitals during transport, which may last up to 45 minutes.
  • Heatstroke arises when the body's heat-eliminating mechanisms are overwhelmed, with prominent symptoms including rapid breathing and weak, rapid pulse.
  • High humidity hinders heat loss through evaporation.

Temperature Regulation

  • The body eliminates excess heat primarily through sweating and skin blood vessel dilation.
  • Convection occurs when cool air moves across the body's surface, aiding in heat loss.
  • Evaporation is the cooling mechanism through which sweat is transformed into gas.

Snake and Spider Bites

  • Pit viper envenomation presents early with local swelling and bruising.
  • Black widow spider venom targets the nervous system, while brown recluse venom causes severe local tissue damage.

Hypothermia and Decompression Sickness

  • Hypothermia is defined by core body temperature falling below 90°F (32°C), leading to shivering and potential changes in consciousness.
  • Decompression sickness typically presents with abdominal or joint pain, often after divers ascend too quickly.

Patient Assessment and Care

  • Always assess a patient's carotid pulse for up to 45 seconds if unconscious and pale, especially in cold conditions.
  • Implement cooling interventions rapidly in heat-related illnesses, monitoring vital signs continuously.
  • For jellyfish stings, irrigate the wound with vinegar and immerse in hot water for pain relief.

General Considerations

  • Any unwitnessed water incident should raise suspicion of possible spinal injuries.
  • Geriatric patients are at greater risk for heat injuries due to reduced skin circulation.
  • Electrolytes are lost along with sweat, impacting hydration and muscle function.

Lightning Strikes

  • Victims of lightning strikes may initially experience asystole but can stabilize spontaneously.
  • Always assess for signs of cardiac compromise and initiate CPR if necessary.

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Description

This quiz covers critical concepts in managing water emergencies, such as rescuing submerged victims and recognizing signs of air embolism. Additionally, it addresses frostbite and heat-related emergencies, including symptoms of heatstroke and the body's temperature regulation mechanisms. Test your knowledge on these essential emergency response topics.

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