Environmental Emergencies

Question 1

describe conduction

Answer 1

heat to cool by direct contact

Question 2

describe convection

Answer 2

heat is transferred by circulating air

Question 3

describe evaporation

Answer 3

sweat to air

Question 4

describe radiation

Answer 4

transfer of heat by radiant energy

Question 5

hypothermia occurs when the internal body temperature falls below…

Answer 5

95 degrees

Question 6

temperature range for mild hypothermia

Answer 6

90-95 degrees

Question 7

temperature range for moderate hypothermia

Answer 7

82-90 degrees

Question 8

temperature range for severe hypothermia

Answer 8

less than 82 degrees

Question 9

to assess temperature…

Answer 9

feel patient’s skin in the abdominal area

Question 10

describe frostbite

Answer 10

firm to frozen feel of skin, blisters and swelling, and the color can be red, white, blue, or purple

Question 11

temperature range for hyperthermia

Answer 11

greater than 101 degrees

Question 12

what are heat cramps?

Answer 12

painful muscle spasms that occur after vigorous exercise

Question 13

what is heat exhaustion?

Answer 13

significant amount of fluid and electrolyte loss occurs because of heavy sweating and you are unable to cool down

Question 14

describe a heat stroke

Answer 14

warm, DRY skin (no sweating), severely altered mental status. first signs are changes in behavior and quickly becomes unresponsive.

Question 15

if able, what should you do with a hyperthermic patient?

Answer 15

cool them down until their temperature reaches 101-102 degrees

Question 16

heat exhaustion symptoms

Answer 16

dizziness or fainting, heavy sweating, cold+pale+clammy skin, fast and weak pulse, weakness or cramps, excessive thirst

Question 17

heatstroke symptoms

Answer 17

headache, confusion, delirium, absence of sweating, dry skin, hot and red, nausea or vomiting, rapid heart rate, temperature over 104 degrees

Question 18

describe diving descent emergencies

Answer 18

sudden increase of pressure, effects mostly lungs, ears and face

Question 19

what diving emergency occurs at the bottom of the descent?

Answer 19

poisoned oxygen

Question 20

describe diving ascent emergenices

Answer 20

air embolism

Question 21

describe air embolism

Answer 21

the presence of air in the veins. Leads to cardiac arrest

Question 22

describe decompression sickness

Answer 22

(the bends) when divers ascend too quickly, nitrogen forms bubbles in the blood vessels

Question 23

signs and symptoms of decompression sickness. treatment?

Answer 23

abdominal or joint pain, may occur several hours after diving. treatment is O2

Question 24

describe dysbarism injuries

Answer 24

caused by the difference between the surrounding atmospheric pressure and the total gas pressure in the body

Question 25

describe acute mountain sickness

Answer 25

diminish O2 pressure in air carried into the blood.

Question 26

signs and symptoms of acute mountain sickness

Answer 26

SOB and swollen face

Question 27

signs and symptoms of high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)

Answer 27

cough with pink sputum, cyanosis, rapid pulse

Question 28

when triaging patients from a lightning strike, what occurs?

Answer 28

reverse triage! treat those in cardiac and resp arrest first!

Question 29

signs and symptoms of a black widow spider bite

Answer 29

agonizing muscle spasms, dizziness, sweating, nausea, vomiting, rashes

Question 30

signs and symptoms of brown recluse spider

Answer 30

severe local tissue damage, develops a pale, mottled, cyanotic center and possibility a blister

Question 31

onset of black widow spider bites?

Answer 31

15 minutes to an hour

Question 32

onset of brown recluse spider bites?

Answer 32

hours to days of the bite

Question 33

treatment of snake bites?

Answer 33

apply pressure bandage, place bite site below the level of the heart. do not give anything by mouth

Question 34

results of a scorpion sting?

Answer 34

very painful by not dangerous, causes localizes swelling and discoloration

Question 35

signs and symptoms of a tick bite

Answer 35

painful swelling of joints, rashes, swelling

Question 36

onset of symptoms of a tick bite

Answer 36

days to weeks after the bite

Question 37

what diseases are spread by ticks?

Answer 37

Rocky Mountain Spotted fever and Lyme disease