Exam 2; Environmental safety Flashcards

Question

Safety Consideration for Adults:Domestic Abuse

Answer 1

Safety while living with an abusive partner: remove weapons, keep phone accessible, develop a signal to notify trusted friends and family, teach your children how to get help and how to get out safely, keep the car keys accessible and the car full of gas, do not wear jewelry or scarves that could pose a threat to your safety, keep copies of important documents Safety planning with children: teach them how to call 911, teach them not to intervene, involve them in the plans for physical safety, teach them IPV is not their fault Safety planning for pets: stock extra supplies, copy their medical records Safety planning during pregnancy: recognize the heightened risk, utilize time with your provider to discuss IPV issues, take a women-only prenatal class Leaving a relationship: keep evidence of abuse, plan with your children, contact a local shelter or other community resource, pack and take essential items, communicate your history and needs to new support systems, protect yourself and avoid the perpetrator after leaving, consider your legal options

Answer 2

Accidents or unintentional injury were the leading cause of death in the US in 2018 for people age 20-44 (214,000 people/yr in the US) mainly affecting the young and older populations. Mechanism of injury: Penetrating, or open injuries, can be caused by any sharp object or by projectiles traveling at high speed. Blunt, or closed injuries, the skin surface in intact; injury affects surrounding tissues. Prevention: Safe driving Safety in recreational sports: ATV, jet skis, sky diving Tool safety: lawn mowers, power saws, drills Avoid violent encounters and situation

Answer 3

Prevent falls and accidents. Orient person to surroundings (avoid falls). Maintain vehicle in working order, schedule eye exams, and keep noise at a minimum. Promote safe environment at home (avoid fires). Use medication trays (avoid poisoning).

Answer 4

Falls are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury deaths worldwide. Each year an estimated 646 000 individuals die from falls globally of which over 80% are in low- and middle-income countries. Adults older than 65 years of age suffer the greatest number of fatal falls. 37.3 million falls that are severe enough to require medical attention occur each year. Prevention strategies should emphasize education, training, creating safer environments, prioritizing fall-related research and establishing effective policies to reduce risk.

Answer 5

screening within living environments for risks for falls; clinical interventions to identify risk factors, such as medication review and modification, treatment of low blood pressure, vitamin D and calcium supplementation, treatment of correctable visual impairment; home assessment and environmental modification for those with known risk factors or a history of falling; prescription of appropriate assistive devices to address physical and sensory impairments; muscle strengthening and balance retraining prescribed by a trained health professional; community-based group programs which may incorporate fall prevention education and Tai Chi-type exercises or dynamic balance and strength training; use of hip protectors for those at risk of a hip fracture due to a fall.

Answer 6

Assess home environment for working electrical or gas heat Encourage them to wear layers of clothes Ensure they have access to cold weather gear like coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and proper foot attire to keep out the wet and cold. Check for adequate bedding material Keep thermostat at 68*F or greater Consider supplemental or alternative sources of heat Schedule outdoor activities at the warmest part of the day Avoid getting wet Avoid alcohol and sedatives

Answer 7

Hyperthermia results when thermoregulation breaks down because of excessive heat generation, an inability to dissipate heat, overwhelming environmental heat, or a combination of these factors. Three forms of hyperthermia: Heat cramps – mildest form, involve painful muscle spasms in the legs or abdomen that occur after strenuous exercise; treat with rest and fluid replacement. Heat exhaustion – the body loses so much water and electrolytes through heavy sweating that hypovolemia occurs; strain to cardiovascular system; patient is irritable and shows poor judgement; skin cool and clammy; face gray in color; body temperature is from 100.4 to 102.2; vomiting and diarrhea may be present; patient is dizzy and weak; ability to sweat remains. Heat stroke – altered mental status (confusion or psychosis); inability to sweat; hot, dry, flushed skin; body temperature rises to 106 or higher; can result in death; late complications are seizures, cerebral ischemia, renal failure, late cardiac decompensation, and GI bleeding.

Answer 8

Assess home environment for access to cooling measures like air conditioning, fans, open windows, etc. If home isn’t well air-conditioned, consider spending time in an air-conditioned mall, library, or other cool public place during hot spells Encourage elderly to avoid exertion or exercise during the hottest part of the day When outside, wear a hat and loose clothing. When indoors, remove as much clothing as needed to be comfortable Take a tepid bath or shower Use cold wet towels with the heat is extreme Avoid hot and heavy meals Avoid alcohol Educate on warning signs that they are overheating and when to call for emergency help

Answer 9

Culprits: bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, certain ants, scorpions, spiders Treatment: ice to the site, elevate the affected part, remove stinger by gently scraping it off the skin (don’t use tweezers or forceps because the squeezing the stinger will release more venom into the patient), antivenin for black widow and brown recluse spider bites. Prevention: Insect repellant Remaining aware of environment Having home treated for any infestation

Answer 10

Thanks in part to successful fire injury prevention activities, such as smoke alarm installation and fire safety education, deaths and injuries caused by residential fires have declined over the past several decades. However, many residential fire-related deaths remain preventable and continue to pose a significant public health problem. Prevention is key Everyone should have a fire escape plan Store fire extinguishers, second story rope ladders, and fire blankets in case of emergency R—Rescue anyone in immediate danger. A—Activate the fire code and notify appropriate person. C—Confine the fire by closing doors and windows. E—Evacuate patients and other people to safe area.

Answer 11

Prevention of medical errors and patient safety Procedure related accidents Equipment related accidents Chemical Exposure Falls Workplace Safety (Violence)

Answer 12

Per The Joint Commission, a sentinel event is a patient safety event that reaches a patient and results in any of the following: Death Permanent harm Severe temporary harm An event is also considered sentinel if it is one of the following: Suicide of any patient receiving care, treatment, or services in a staffed around the clock care setting or within 72 hours of discharge, including from the organization’s emergency department (ED) Unanticipated death of a full-term infant Discharge of an infant to the wrong family Abduction of any patient receiving care, treatment, or services

Answer 13

World Health Organization (WHO) United States Department of Labor: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) The United States Department of Health and Human Sciences Healthy People 2020 Center for Disease Control: National Center for Environmental Health The Joint Commission The Oklahoma State Department of Health (or other state and county health departments)

Answer 14

WHO is implementing a Global Plan of Action on Workers’ health 2008-2017 endorsed by the World Health Assembly in 2007 with the following objectives: devising and implementing policy instruments on workers' health; protecting and promoting health at the workplace; improving the performance of and access to occupational health services; providing and communicating evidence for action and practice; and incorporating workers' health into other policies.

Answer 15

In 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. Employers shall provide employees with effective information and training on hazardous chemicals in their work area. Injury and illness prevention programs are systems that can substantially reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries and illnesses while reducing costs to employers. OSHA insists that employers have emergency plans and provide personal protective equipment for employees.

Answer 16

Reduce deaths from work-related injuries Reduce nonfatal work-related injuries Reduce sleepiness at work and sleep disturbances caused by shift work Reduce occupational skin diseases or disorders among full-time workers Reduce work-related assaults Increase the proportion of employees who have access to workplace programs that prevent or reduce employee stress Reduce new cases of work-related, noise-induced hearing loss Reduce the proportion of persons who have elevated blood lead concentrations from work exposures

Answer 17

NCEH protects people’s health from environmental hazards that can be present in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the world that sustains us. They do this by investigating the relationship between environmental factors and health, developing guidance, and building partnerships to support healthy decision making. NCEH Goals Implement environmental health programs and interventions to protect and promote health. Prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents; natural disasters; and extreme weather events. Identify, characterize, and monitor health outcomes and environmental exposures to guide actions that protect and promote health.

Answer 18

The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 22,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.

Answer 19

Employers participating in the Work@Health® Program receive a variety of benefits, including: A complete health and safety assessment of their organization to define existing needs, interests and the capacity of their worksite for specific health and safety interventions to address those needs Professional training via a blended delivery model to learn how to develop a worksite health intervention plan to meet individual employer needs Technical assistance and community support resources aimed at giving employers what they need to sustain the worksite health promotion interventions The careful monitoring of participants’ progress in implementing their worksite health interventions by professional worksite health trainers and on-going availability of technical assistance An on-going opportunity to expand their network by linking to and partnering with other employers and organizations with a focus on health in their community A safer and healthier work environment at the end of the program Certification and recognition of employer participants as healthy worksites

Answer 20

Use electronic equipment in the health care setting properly and recognize signs of malfunctioning and clearly mark and set away from patient area. Medication administration errors Patient’s with same/similar names being treated on the same unit. Transferring patients: esp. frail, weak, obese, and unconscious patients are high risk. Changing dressings/lines: increases risk of hospital acquired infections Prevention of pressure wounds Applying heat or cold therapy to a patient for prolonged periods of time. Working in understaffed conditions

Answer 21

Must be completed after any accident or incident in a health care facility that compromises safety Describes the circumstances of the accident or incident Details the patient’s response to the examination and treatment of the patient after the incident Completed by the nurse immediately after the incident Is not part of the medical record and should not be mentioned in documentation

Answer 22

Disaster Response A disaster is defined as any event that overwhelms existing personnel, facilities, equipment, and capabilities of a responding agency, institution, or community. Sources: fire, explosions, floods, storms, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, motor vehicle accidents, plane crashes, and acts of terrorism. Victims of a disaster are called casualties when they are injured. Triage is sorting casualties for the purpose of assigning priority for care.

Answer 23

The design of work tasks to best suit the capabilities of workers… the use of mechanical equipment & safety procedures