Environmental Emergencies Flashcards
Which statement regarding decompression sickness (the “bends”) is not true?
A. A diver at great depths for long periods may experience decompression sickness if he ascends rapidly.
B. The gas that is the problem in decompression sickness is oxygen.
C. Extremes of water temperature and poor physical condition are factors that increase the severity of this condition.
D. The treatment of choice for decompression sickness is recompression
B. The gas that is the problem in decompression sickness is oxygen.
A high school football player is starting practice in midsummer. He is instructed to run the track, along with other players for 10 laps. On lap 6, he becomes dizzy and nauseated. Upon arrival, he is pale, with moist skin. Vital signs are BP 90/50, HR 154, RR 44/min and temp 99oF. You suspect:
A. Heat cramps
B. Heat exhaustion
C. Heat stroke
D. Heat intolerance
C. Heat stroke
Which laboratory finding would the nurse expect for a patient with heatstroke?
A. Elevated serum glucose
B. Low serum blood urea nitrogen
C. Respiratory acidosis
D. Elevated hematocrit
D. Elevated hematocrit
Heat _____:
Assessment:
* Muscle cramps
* Nausea
* Tachycardia
* Pallor
* Diaphoresis
* Cool skin
* Slightly elevated temp
* Low serum Na+
Management:
-Remove from heat
* Rest
* Oral or IV balanced electrolyte replacement
* Gentle massage to muscles
* Rest for 1-2 days
* Education
Heat Cramps
Heat _______:
Assessment:
* Headache
* Vomiting
* Malaise
* Extreme thirst
* Tachycardia
* Hypotension
* Syncope/collapse
* Warm, moist skin
* Mild to severe temp elevation 98.6-104oF (37-40oC)
Management:
-Cool environment
* Remove constricting clothing
* Fluid and electrolyte replacement
* Cardiac monitoring
* Education
Heat Exhaustion
Heat _______:
Assessment:
-Headache
* Vomiting
* Malaise
* Extreme thirst
* Tachycardia
* Hypotension
* Syncope/collapse
* Warm, moist skin
* Mild to severe temp elevation 98.6-104o F (37-40oC)
Management:
* Cool environment
* Remove constricting clothing
* Fluid and electrolyte replacement
* Cardiac monitoring
* Education
Heat Exhaustion
Heat ______:
Assessment
* Core temp > 105o F (40.5oC)
* Anxiety
* Visual disturbances
* Confusion, hallucinations
* Loss of muscle coordination
* Nausea
* Hot, dry skin
* Rapid irregular pulse
* Loss of perspiration
Management
* Rapid cooling measures
* Cooling blankets
* Pack in ice
* Infusion with cool fluids
* Iced gastric lavage
* Fluid and electrolyte replacement
* Thorazine for shivering
* Cardiac monitoring
* Watch for rhabdomyolysis
Heat Stroke
What is mild hypothermia? Moderate? Severe?
Mild: 93-95F (34-35C)
Moderate: 86-93F (30-34C)
Severe: <86F (<30C)
Type of hypothermia:
Assessment:
-Decreased mentation
* Tachycardia
* Tachypnea
* Cold to touch
* Shivering
Management:
-Passive external warming
* Prevent further heat loss
* Remove wet clothing
* Warm blankets
* Warm PO fluids
Mild
Type of hypothermia:
Assessment:
* Hypotension
* Shivering slows
* Hyperglycemia
* Slurred speech
* Bradycardia
* Decreased RR
* Dilated pupils
* Atrial dysrhythmias (osborn wave)
Management:
-Active external warming
* Rewarm truncal areas 1F/ hour
* Radiant heat lamps
* Hot water bottles
* Convection Blanket/Bair Hugger
Moderate
Type of hypothermia:
Assessment:
-Unconsciousness
* Hypoventilation
* Shivering stops
* Decreased cardiac output
* Lactic acidosis
* Absent DTR’s
* Ventricular dysrhythmias
Management:
-Active core rewarming:
* Warmed IVF and Oxygen
* Peritoneal lavage
* GI lavage
* Cardiopulmonary bypass
* Hemodialysis
* Continuous arteriovenous rewarming (CAVR)
-Active external rewarming
Severe
A positive deflection seen at the J point in precordial and true limb leads. It is most commonly associated with hypothermia <90F (32C)
Osborn Wave
Type of frostbite:
- Usually involves ears, fingertips, toes, & cheeks
- Tingling, numbness
- Pain with thawing
- Burning sensation
- Whitish, waxy color, no blanching
- Skin cool to touch
Superficial
Type of frostbite:
-Involves muscles, bones, and tendons
* White or yellow-white
* Hard and cool
* Insensitive to touch
* Blisters appear 1-7 days after injury
* Gray-black mottling progressing to gangrene
Deep
How do we treat frostbite: (8)
*Rapidly rewarm body part in warm water
*Do not rub extremity
*Remove wet clothing
*Debride blisters
* Elevate
*Narcotic analgesics
* Tetanus prophylaxis
*Consider escharotomy with severe frostbite
Try of submersion injury caused by intense laryngeal spasm; no aspiration of water. Death is secondary to airway obstruction (10-20% of cases)
Dry-drowning
Type of submersion injury caused by aspiration of water (80-90% of cases)
Wet-drowning
Type of submersion injury that occurs up to 72 hours after the initial insult due to the inflammatory response in the lungs and damage to the alveolar capillary membrane and altered surfactant function
Secondary drowning
Submersion injury in this type of water:
-Water is absorbed across the alveolar-capillary membrane
* Hypervolemia develops
* Lysis of RBC as water is absorbed and leads to
hemoglobinuria
* Dilutional electrolyte problems (decreased Na+)
* Decreased surfactant activity
Freshwater
Submersion injury in this type of water:
* Hypovolemia 2/2 hypertonicity of water in lungs
* Plasma pulled into lungs
* Hemoconcentration
* Electrolyte abnormalities
Saltwater
What are 8 assessment findings with submersion injuries: How do we manage it (6)?
Assessment:
* Stridor
* Wheezing
* Frothy sputum
* Seizures from hypoxia
* Chest pain
* Altered LOC
* Hypothermia
* Hypoxia
Management:
-ABC’s
* C-spine stabilization
* Continuously monitor respiratory status & hemodynamic status
* Correct hypothermia
* Decompress abdomen
* Correct electrolyte imbalances
Type of thermal injury: most common, caused by exposure to hot liquids
Scald burn
Type of thermal injury: 2nd most common, caused by careless smoking, MVCs, clothing ignoted by stoves or space heaters
Flame burns
Type of thermal injury: 3rd most common, caused by explosion of natural gas/propane/gasoline/other flammable liquids, intense heat for a brief period of time, often cause partial thickness burns and associated with significant upper airway damage
Flash burns
Type of thermal injury: small areas of full thickness burn from contact with hot metal/plastic/glass
Contact burn
This is the leading cause of death in burn patients. Results in upper and/or lower airway edema causing airway obstruction, hypoxia and cellular damage to
alveolar-capillary membrane
Inhalation injuries
With these burns we want to identify agent if possible but do not delay treatment. STAFF SAFETY and decontamination are essential. Irrigation with water is usually safe and effective.
Chemical Burns
What kind of chemical burns are more severe due to deeper penetration?
Alkaline
Tretament for this kind of exposure requires topical and IV calcium
Hydrofluoric acid
These burns are difficult to determine the extent of burn injury. Nerves and blood vessels most susceptible
(least resistant). Monitor for cardiac dysrhythmias.
Electrical Burns
Cardiovascular effects of this cause inflammatory response develops from the release of mediators from damaged tissue, results in massive vasodilation and increased capillary permeability, loss of fluid and electrolytes resulting in hypovolemic shock
Burns
Depth of burn injury:
-Only Epidermis involved
*Skin red, dry, blanches
-painful!
* Treat with moisturizers
-heals in 3-5 days
Superficial
Depth of burn injury:
-Epidermis and all of dermis involved
*May be mottled, dry or moist in appearance, blisters may be present (white to red skin)
*Usually very painful
* Treat with topical antibacterial agents or biologic
dressings, may require debridement and grafting
Partial thickness
Depth of burn injury:
-Loss of epidermis, dermis and extension of burn into muscle, tendons, and even bone
*No pain (nerve endings are destroyed) but will have pain at periphery of burn
*Appears white, black or charred, may have dry
leathery appearance. No blisters
-Skin hard to touch
*Healing is prolonged and may never heal.
-Requires debridement and grafting or possibly amputation of extremity
Full thickness