ch. 32 environmental emergencies Flashcards
Hypothermia is diagnosed when the core body temperature falls below what temperature?
95 degrees F. (35 C)
Shivering stops and muscle activity ceases once the body’s core temperature reaches what?
90 degrees F (32.2 C)
Rough handling a patient with severe hypothermia may cause which of the following dysrhythmias?
Ventricular fibrillation
In the context of an environment that is 90 degrees F with 85% humidity, what does moist, pale, cool skin indicate?
There has been excessive fluid and salt loss
What is the first sign of heat stroke?
change in behavior
In which of the following environmental emergencies are you most likely to encounter laryngospasm?
drowning
What is the most dangerous, and most common emergency in scuba diving?
air embolism
You are treating a patient who was climbing a 10,000 ft mountain when he began to experience a severe, constant, throbbing headache; ataxia; and extreme fatigue. He is nauseated and as you assess him, he loses consciousness. Which of the following should you expect?
HACE
You suspect the patient you are treating was bitten by a rattlesnake. What do you do first?
Place the patient in a supine position
A person who strands outside in windy, wintry weather and wears only lightweight clothing is experiencing heat loss mainly by what method?
convection
Breath-holding syncope is caused by a decreased stimulus to breathe and occurs when
A swimmer hyperventilates prior to entering the water
All of the following snakes are pit vipers, except:
coral snake
Signs and symptoms of an air embolism include all of the following, EXCEPT:
pale skin
Which of the following statements regarding lightning strike is correct?
Lightening strikes may cause cardiac dysrhythmias that spontaneously resolve
The venom of a brown recluse spider is cytotoxic, meaning that it:
causes severe local tissue damage.
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 frostbitten foot can be identified by the presence of:
Mottling and blisters
Signs of late heatstroke include:
a weak, rapid pulse.
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:
black widow spider bite
Which of the following statements regarding drowning is correct?
Laryngospasm following submersion in water makes rescue breathing difficult.
A patient with a core body temperature of 95°F (35°C) will MOST likely experience:
Rapid breathing
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
A dysbarism injury refers to the signs and symptoms related to changes in:
Barometric pressure
The transfer of heat to circulating air, such as when cool air moves across the body’s surface, is called:
convection
