Mod 5 Environmental Emergencies

Question 1

Ways in which the body loses heat

Answer 1

• Conduction
• Convection
• Radiation
• Evaporation
• Respiration

Question 2

Conduction

Answer 2

-The transfer of heat from one material to another through direct contact.

Question 3

Water chill

Answer 3

-Chilling caused by conduction of heat from the body when the body or clothing is wet

Question 4

Convection

Answer 4

-Carrying away of heat by currents of air, water, or other gases or liquids

Question 5

Wind chill

Answer 5

-Chilling caused by convection of heat from the body in the presence of air currents

Question 6

Radiation

Answer 6

-Sending out energy, such as heat, in waves into space

Question 7

Evaporation

Answer 7

-The change from liquid to gas. When the body perspires or gets wet, evaporation of the perspiration or other liquid into the air has a cooling effect on the body.

Question 8

Respiration

Answer 8

-Breathing. During respiration, body heat is lost as warm air is exhaled from the body

Question 9

Hypothermia

Answer 9

-When cooling affects the entire body or cooling develops.

Question 10

Situations where hypothermia may be susceptible

Answer 10

• Ethanol (alcohol) intake
• Underlying illness such as a circulatory disorder that makes patient susceptible to cold
• Major trauma such as being trapped in a car wreck in cold weather. Or shock making preventing parts from being warmed
• Outdoor resuscitation such as if the patient was drowning

Question 11

Stages of hypothermia

Answer 11

• 99F-96F/37.0C-35.5C Shivering
• 95F-91F/35.5C-32.7C Intense shivering, difficulty speaking
• 90F-86F/32.0C-30.0C Shivering decreases and is replaced by a strong muscular rigidy
• 85F-81F/29.4C-27.2C Patient becomes irrational, loses contact with environment, and drifts into a stuporous state.
• 80F-78F/26.6C-20.5C Patient loses consciousness and does not respond to spoken words
• Skin may appear red in early stages

Question 12

Passive rewarming

Answer 12

-Covering a hypothermic patient and taking other steps to prevent further heat loss and help the body rewarm itself

Question 13

Active rewarming

Answer 13

-Application of an external heat source to rewarm the body of hypothermic patient

Question 14

Steps for actively rewarming a patient who is alert and responding appropriately

Answer 14

• Remove all of patients wet clothing
• During transport actively rewarm
• Provide care for shock
• Except in mild cases (Shivering) transport patient
• Rewarm patient slowly
• Use central warming
• If transport must be delayed giving warm bath is helpful
• Keep patient at rest
• Avoid rough handling

Question 15

Central warming

Answer 15

-Application of heat to the lateral chest, neck, armpits, and groin of a hypothermic patient

Question 16

Care for patient who is unresponsive or not responding appropriately

Answer 16

• Ensure open airway
• Provide O2 that has been passed through warm water humidifier
• Wrap patient in blankets
• Transport immediately

Question 17

Care in extreme hypothermia

Answer 17

• Assess carotid pulse. If no pulse begin CPR and prepare to apply AED
• If no pulse care in steps for unresponsive or not responding

Question 18

Local cooling

Answer 18

• Cooling or freezing of particular (local) parts of the body.
• Commonly affects ears, nose, face, hands and fingers