Chapter 24: Environmental Emergencies Flashcards
environmental emergencies
when there is a significant disruption in normal physiological activities of the body as a response to a change in some element in the patient’s natural surroundings
hypothalamus
regulates and controls the body temperature, receives input from central thermoreceptor (measure core body temp via blood) and peripheral thermoreceptors (measure body temp in skin and extremities)
thermoreceptor
responsible for sending nerve impulses to the hypothalamus that indicate body temperature
behavioral regulation
patient makes a conscious effort to change the sensation and comfort level by taking action (e.g. put on jacket)
physiological regulation
body responds with a physiologic action to change temperature without any conscious control by the patient (e.g. shivering)
piloerection
hair on the surface of skin erects
hypothermia
low body temperature (less than 95°F)
radiation
most significant mechanism of heat loss, the transfer of heat from the surface of one object to the surface of another WITHOUT physical contact
convection
cold air molecules that are in immediate contact with the skin are warmed
wind chill
increases convection, the amount of heat that would be lost in an hour from a square meter of exposed skin surface with a normal temperature of 91.4°F
conduction
body heat lost through direct contact
water chill
water conducts heat 240 times faster than air
evaporation
liquid changes to vapor, has a cooling effect
respiration
breathing, produces heat loss
hyperthermia
high body temperature
