Chapter 2 | Well Being of an EMT Flashcards
• Standard Precautions, or how to protect yourself from transmitted diseases • The kinds of stress caused by involvement in EMS and how they can affect you • The impact that dying patients can have on you and others • How to identify potential hazards and maintain scene safety
Define:
BSI
(abbreviation)
body substance isolation
List:
4 main contamination risks
(for rescuers)
- inhalation
- ingestion
- absorption
- injection
List:
diseases of concern
9 points (for rescuers)
just know the important ones
- avian flu
- ebola
- hepatitis-B
- hepatitis-C
- HIV/AIDS
- influenza/H1N1
- SARS
- tuberculosis (TB)
- west nile virus
Define:
contamination
introduction to dangerous chemicals, disease, or infectious materials
Define:
decontamination
the removal or cleansing of dangerous chemicals and other dangerous or infectious materials
Define:
hazardous material incident
the release of a harmful substance into the environment
Define:
MCI
(abbreviation)
multi-casualty incident
(an emergency involving multiple patients)
Define:
pathogen
organisms that cause infection, such as viruses and bacteria
Define:
PPE
(abbreviation)
personal protective equipment
(equipment that protects the EMS worker from infection and/or exposure to the dangers of rescue operations)
Define:
standard precautions
a strict form of infection control that is based on the assumption that all blood and other body fluids are infectious
same as body substance isolation (BSI)
Define:
CISM
(abbreviation)
critical incident stress management
Choose:
You are dispatched to a female with altered mental status. Once inside the home, you find a female who appears to have been beaten unconscious. A man, who smells of alcohol, says that she is his wife and that he does not know what happened: “I just found her this way!” The husband is behaving suspiciously, appears paranoid, and is pacing erratically around the room.
What would be the safest course of action?
A: Continue to question the man and begin treating the patient.
B: Have your partner call for help while you stay with the patient.
C: Evacuate the patient and begin treatment.
D: Leave the house and call for law enforcement.
D
Fill in the blank:
The body’s three-stage response to a stressful stimulation is known as general [BLANK] syndrome.
The body’s three-stage response to a stressful stimulation is known as general adaption syndrome.
List:
stages of general adaption syndrome
3 points (stress according to Dr. Hans Selye)
- alarm
- resistance
- exhaustion
Fill in the blank:
According to Dr. Hans Selye, the first stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the [BLANK] stage.
the first stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the alarm stage.
- alarm
- resistance
- exhaustion
According to Dr. Hans Selye, the second stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the [BLANK] stage.
the second stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the resistance stage.
- alarm
- resistance
- exhaustion
Fill in the blank:
According to Dr. Hans Selye, the third stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the [BLANK] stage.
the third stage of the body’s response to stress is known as the exhaustion stage.
- alarm
- resistance
- exhaustion
Answer:
An EMT is confronted by an armed gunman who is threatening to kill the EMT and his partner.
An elevation in the EMT’s heart rate and blood pressure occurs in which stage of the body’s response to stress?
alarm reaction stage
Answer:
An off-duty EMT is driving down the road when she sees a major vehicle accident. There are no Emergency Medical Responders on the scene yet. There are only Good Samaritans. The EMT is late for a doctor’s appointment, so she decides that she will not stop and help. The driver of the vehicle dies before help arrives. One of the Good Samaritans notices her EMT license plates and writes them down as she passes by. The Good Samaritan is angry that the EMT did not stop and help and tries to get the EMT fired for not helping.
Was the EMT negligent or not? Why?
No, the EMT is not negligent because she did not have a duty to act.
Fill in the blank:
The purpose of Good Samaritan laws is to [BLANK].
The purpose of Good Samaritan laws is to protect people who are trying to help in an emergency.
Fill in the blank:
If the EMT’s hands are visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand cleaner [IS/ISN’T] sufficient.
If the EMT’s hands are visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand cleaner is not sufficient.
True or false:
Following patient contact, the EMT should soak his hands in warm soapy water for at least 30 seconds and then shake them vigorously.
false
True or false:
If the EMT’s hands are visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand cleaner is not sufficient.
true
True or false:
In cases where soap and water and alcohol-based hand cleaners are not immediately available, bleach wipes should be used.
false
True or false:
If the EMT’s hands are visibly dirty, an alcohol-based hand cleaner is sufficient.
false
they gonna need soap and water
Define:
Ryan White CARE Act
legislation that allows EMTs access to resources to identify exposures to infectious disease
List:
types of stress reactions
3 points
- acute stress reaction
- delayed stress reaction
- cumulitive stress reaction
Define:
acute stress reaction
normal reaction to extraordinary situations
Define:
delayed stress reaction
signs/symptoms of stress not evident until long after incident
typically much more intense and disproportionate to immediate trigger
Define:
cumulitive stress reaction
stress that results from years of low-level stressors
progresses to loss of emotional control and depression
Define:
CISD
(abbreviation)
critical incident stress debriefing
Define:
critical incident stress management (CISM)
comprehensive system that includes education and resources to both prevent stress and to deal with it appropriately when it occurs
List
5 emotional stages of death and dying
- denial
- anger
- bargaining
- depression
- acceptance
Choose:
You are working on the ambulance during a pandemic outbreak of a viral pathogen that is suspected to be spread mainly by droplets and fomites.
Which of the following describes the minimum acceptable PPE?
A. A surgical mask.
B. An N95 mask and eye protection
C. An N95 mask
D. A surgical mask and eye protection.
D
A surgical mask and eye protection are the minimal acceptable PPE for a potentially deadly droplet pathogen such as COVID-19.
If the pathogen was confirmed to be airborne, an N95 mask would be required.
Gloves and aggressive cleaning of work uniforms are also recommended but not absolutely required for these pathogens.
In an ideal scenario, all body surfaces including any showing skin would be covered by single-use disposable coveralls, however, the majority of American EMS systems are not equipped with a sufficient amount of this equipment.
