Environmental Emergencies Flashcards
describe conduction
heat to cool by direct contact
describe convection
heat is transferred by circulating air
describe evaporation
sweat to air
describe radiation
transfer of heat by radiant energy
hypothermia occurs when the internal body temperature falls below…
95 degrees
temperature range for mild hypothermia
90-95 degrees
temperature range for moderate hypothermia
82-90 degrees
temperature range for severe hypothermia
less than 82 degrees
to assess temperature…
feel patient’s skin in the abdominal area
describe frostbite
firm to frozen feel of skin, blisters and swelling, and the color can be red, white, blue, or purple
temperature range for hyperthermia
greater than 101 degrees
what are heat cramps?
painful muscle spasms that occur after vigorous exercise
what is heat exhaustion?
significant amount of fluid and electrolyte loss occurs because of heavy sweating and you are unable to cool down
describe a heat stroke
warm, DRY skin (no sweating), severely altered mental status. first signs are changes in behavior and quickly becomes unresponsive.
if able, what should you do with a hyperthermic patient?
cool them down until their temperature reaches 101-102 degrees
heat exhaustion symptoms
dizziness or fainting, heavy sweating, cold+pale+clammy skin, fast and weak pulse, weakness or cramps, excessive thirst
heatstroke symptoms
headache, confusion, delirium, absence of sweating, dry skin, hot and red, nausea or vomiting, rapid heart rate, temperature over 104 degrees
describe diving descent emergencies
sudden increase of pressure, effects mostly lungs, ears and face
what diving emergency occurs at the bottom of the descent?
poisoned oxygen
describe diving ascent emergenices
air embolism
describe air embolism
the presence of air in the veins. Leads to cardiac arrest
describe decompression sickness
(the bends) when divers ascend too quickly, nitrogen forms bubbles in the blood vessels
signs and symptoms of decompression sickness. treatment?
abdominal or joint pain, may occur several hours after diving. treatment is O2
describe dysbarism injuries
caused by the difference between the surrounding atmospheric pressure and the total gas pressure in the body
describe acute mountain sickness
diminish O2 pressure in air carried into the blood.
signs and symptoms of acute mountain sickness
SOB and swollen face
signs and symptoms of high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)
cough with pink sputum, cyanosis, rapid pulse
when triaging patients from a lightning strike, what occurs?
reverse triage! treat those in cardiac and resp arrest first!
signs and symptoms of a black widow spider bite
agonizing muscle spasms, dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, rashes
signs and symptoms of brown recluse spider
severe local tissue damage, develops a pale, mottled, cyanotic center and possibility a blister
onset of black widow spider bites?
15 minutes to an hour
onset of brown recluse spider bites?
hours to days of the bite
treatment of snake bites?
apply pressure bandage, place bite site below the level of the heart. do not give anything by mouth
results of a scorpion sting?
very painful by not dangerous, causes localizes swelling and discoloration
signs and symptoms of a tick bite
painful swelling of joints, rashes, swelling
onset of symptoms of a tick bite
days to weeks after the bite
what diseases are spread by ticks?
Rocky Mountain Spotted fever and Lyme disease
