Chapter 37 | Special Challenges Flashcards
• The variety of challenges that may be faced by patients with special needs • Types of disabilities and challenges patients may have • Special aspects of prehospital care for a patient with special challenges • Congenital and acquired diseases and conditions • Types of advanced medical devices patients may rely on • How to recognize and deal with cases of abuse and neglect
Define:
disability
condition which interferes with ability to engage in major life activities
Define:
developmental disability
disability caused by an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas
Define:
terminal illness
disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient
True or false:
A patient with a terminal illness may have special emotional needs.
true
True or false:
Whether or not a patient has a terminal illness is not a concern for an EMT because there is nothing to treat.
false
involves other considerations (advanced directives or emotional needs)
True or false:
Obesity increases the risk of multiple diseases.
true
(hypertension, high cholesterol, stroke, CAD, T2D, gallbladder disease)
True or false:
Special measures may be needed to care for obese patient.
true
may need to call assistance from bariatric unit
Define:
ABCS of dealing with autistic patients
- awareness: adapt approach and strategies to patient
- basic: be clear with simple language
- calm: be calm
- safe: make patient feel safe
make the autistic patient feel these things
List:
types of diseases
2 points
- congenital: structural or functional anomalies that occur during intrauterine life
- acquired: disease which appears in an individual over the course of their lifetime
Fill in the blank:
Patient with a chronic disease [COULD/COULDN’T] experience sudden worsening of disease.
Patient with a chronic disease could experience sudden worsening of disease.
Answer:
Could a patient with a chronic disease also develop an accute illness?
yes
acute illness may be more devastating due to coexisting chronic disease
Define:
tracheostomy tube
tube connected to surgical opening through neck into trachea
Fill in the blank:
A BVM [DOES/DOESN’T] fit on the end of a tracheostomy tube.
A BVM does fit on the end of a tracheostomy tube.
Fill in the blank:
It is common for [BLANK] to build up in a patient’s tracheostomy tube.
It is common for mucus to build up in a patient’s tracheostomy tube.
True or false:
It is uncommon for mucus to build up in a patient’s tracheostomy tube.
false
actually, it’s common
True or false:
A vomiting patient with a tracheostomy tube may vomit through their stoma.
false
aspiration is still always a concern, but not super duper likely
Fill in the blank:
A patient with a tracheostomy tube [CAN/CAN’T] speak.
A patient with a tracheostomy tube may or may not be able to speak.
gotcha! — it depends
Define:
implanted pacemaker
medical device that generates electrical pulses delivered by electrodes to one or more of the chambers of the heart
Define:
AICD
(abbreviation)
automatic implanted cardiac defibrillator
Define:
automatic implanterd cardiac defibrillator (AICD)
device implanted under the skin of the chest to detect any life-threatening dysrhythmia and deliver a shock to defibrillate the heart
Define:
LVAD
(abbreviation)
left ventricular assist device
Define:
left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
pump that used for patients who have reached end-stage heart failure
(usually a bridge to a heart transplant)
Fill in the blank:
A patient who is waiting for a heart transplant likely has [BLANK].
(a thing)
A patient who is waiting for a heart transplant likely has an LVAD.
left ventricular assist device
Fill in the blank:
An AICD is implanted in the [BLANK] or [BLANK].
An AICD is implanted in the upper left chest or upper left abdominal quadrant.
Fill in the blank:
An AICD detects [BLANK].
An AICD detects life-threatening cardiac rhythms.
Fill in the blank:
An AICD delivers shock in order to [BLANK].
(for what?)
An AICD delivers shockin order to correct dysrhythmia.
True or false:
The shock delivered by an AICD is not typically painful to the patient.
false
it’s typically very painful
True or false:
The shock delivered by an AICD is typically painful to the patient.
true
it’s typically very painful
Fill in the blank:
During transport of a patient with a urinary catheter, keep the catheter bag [BLANK].
(where?)
During transport of a patient with a urinary catheter, keep the catheter bag lower than the patient.
Answer:
At what point should a urinary catheter bag be emptied?
when ⅓ to ½ full
(document amount emptied)
Fill in the blank:
A patient’s ostomy bag is connected to [BLANK].
A patient’s ostomy bag is connected to the site of the colostomy or ileostomy.