Disaster Nursing Flashcards
Triage Priority 1
RED = Immediate
- Sucking chest wound
- Airway obstruction secondary to mechanical cause
- Asphyxia
- Shock (a quick fix shock, they need fluids or blood)
- Hemothorax
- Tension pneumothorax
- Unstable chest and abdominal wounds
- Incomplete amputations (tourniquet)
- Open fractures of long bones
- 2nd and 3rd degree burns of 15-40% of total body surface area
Characteristics of Priority 1 Triage
Injuries are life threatening, but survival is possible with minimal intervention
** Patient in this category progress to expectant or black tagged if treatment is delayed
Characteristics of Priority 2 Triage
Injuries are significant and require medical care, but treatment can be delayed for hours without threat to life or limb
** Individuals in this category receive treatment only after immediate casualties have been treated
Triage Priority 2
YELLOW = Delayed
- Stable abdominal wounds without massive hemorrhage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Maxillofacial wounds without airway compromise
- Vascular injuries with adequate collateral circulation
- Genitourinary tract disruption
- Fractures requiring open reduction
- Debridement
- External fixation
- Most eye and CNS injuries
Characteristics of Priority 3 Triage
Injuries are minor and treatment can be delayed hours or days
** Individuals in this category should be moved away from the main triage area
Priority 3 Triage
GREEN = Minimal
- Upper extremity fractures
- Minor burns
- Sprains
- Small lacerations without significant bleeding
- Behavioral disorders
- Psychological disturbances (hallucinations)
Characteristics of Priority 4 Triage
Injuries are extensive and chances of survival are unlikely, even with definitive care
- Persons in this group should be separated from other casualties, but not abandoned
- Comfort measures only
Priority 4 Triage
BLACK = Expectant or black tagged
- Unresponsive patients with penetrating head wounds
- High spinal cord injuries
- Wounds involving multiple anatomical sites and organs
- 2nd and 3rd degree burns in excess or 60% of body surface area
- Seizures or vomiting within 24 hours after radiation exposure
- Profound shock with multiple injuries
- Agonal respirations, no pulse, no BP, pupils fixed and dilated
Components of the Emergency Preparedness Operations Plan
- Activation response
- An internal/external communication plan (one spokesperson)
- Implement a plan for coordinated patient care
- Implement security plans
- Identification of external resources
Trends that may suggest deliberate dispersal of toxins or infectious agents
- Unusual increase in the number of people seeking care for fever, respiratory, or GI symptoms
- Clusters of patients who present with the same unusual illness from a single location
- A large number of rapidly fatal cases, especially when death occurs within 72 hours after hospital admission
- Any increase in disease incidence in a normally healthy population
Level A PPE
Protection is worn when the highest level respiratory, skin, eye, and mucous membrane is required
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
- Fully encapsulating, vapor tight chemically resistant suit
- Chemical-resistant gloves and boots
Level B PPE
Protection requires the highest level of respiratory protection, but a lesser level of skin and eye protection
- SCBA
- Chemical-resistant suit, suit is not vapor tight
Level C PPE
Protection requires air-purified respirator, which filters harmful substance from the air
- Chemical resistant coverall with splash hood
- Chemical resistant gloves
- Boots
Level D PPE
Typical work uniform
TB Masks are which PPE Level
Level C
Decontamination
- Removal of patient clothing and jewelry and rinsing patient with water
- Depending on the type of exposure, this can remove a large amount of contaminant - Thorough soap and water wash and rinse
- Each patient who arrives after pre-hospital treatment should go through this procedure
Three Waves of Casualties
- First wave consists of minimally injured people who arrive on their own
- Second wave consists of severely injured people
- Third wave consists of injured patients whoa re discovered by rescuers
* * The walking wounded may not seek treatment for 5 days to 2 weeks after the event
Types of Explosive Devices
- Pipe bombs (most commonly used; may contain nails and other things that cause damage when ignited)
- Molotov cocktail (uses a flammable liquid such as gasoline in a glass bottle as an ignition)
- Fertilizer bombs
- Dirty bombs (spread radiation)
Blast Injuries: Lung Damage
Results in hemorrhage and tearing of the lung
- Dyspnea
- Hypoxia
- Tachypnea
- Apnea
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Hemodynamic instability
- Hemo/pneumothorax
- Air embolus
Complications to the lungs from blast injuries
- ARDS
2. Respiratory failure
Blast Injuries: Tympanic Membrane
Most frequent injury after blast in an enclosed building due to pressure wave
- Majority only suffer high frequency hearing loss
1. Hearing loss (5% require hearing aids post blast)
2. Tinnitus
3. Abdomen and head trauma
4. Pain
5. Dizziness
6. Otorrhea
7. Tympanic membrane rupture
- Majority only suffer high frequency hearing loss
Blast Injuries: Head
- Typically minor, but those that are severe result in majority of post-blast deaths
- Concussions are the most common
Blast Injuries: Abdomen
Evidenced by abdominal hemorrhage and internal organ injury
- Increase in pulse rate (internal hemorrhage)
- Pain
- Guarding
- Rebound tenderness
- Rectal bleeding
- N/V
Anthrax
- Caused by bacteria bacillus anthracis
- Replicates and releases a toxin that causes hemorrhage, edema, and necrosis
- Is odorless and invisible and can travel a great distance before disseminating
Anthrax Infection only results from:
- Skin contact
- Ingestion of infective animal products (usually raw meat)
- Inhalation of spores
S/Sx of Skin Contact Anthrax
- Edema
- Pruritus
- Macule/papule formation
- Results in ulceration
- 1-3 mm vesicles
- Painless eschar (fall off in 1-2 weeks)
* * Most Common
S/Sx of Inhalation Anthrax
- Symptoms mimic the flu
- Treatment usually sought when stage 2 of respiratory distress occurs
- Current antibiotic therapy does not halt progression of the disease
- Inhaled anthrax incubates for up to 60 days
Anthrax Initial Symptoms
- Cough
- HA
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Weakness
- Mild chest discomfort
- Dyspnea
- Syncope