Module 6 Injuries and Environmental Emergencies Flashcards
It is fine to enter an area where there is a chemical spill as long as you are very careful. True or False?
False
As part of general care for a person with an injury, it is important to keep the person from getting chilled or overheated. True or False?
True
As part of general care for a person with an environmental emergency, it is not important to watch for changes in the person’s condition because EMS will be there soon. True of False?
False
Signs and symptoms of burns include:
Burned areas can appear red, brown, black or white.
You may see swelling, blisters or both.
Burns range in severity from minor to life threatening.
Burns requiring immediate medical attention include:
Burns that extend through deeper layers of skin or the fat, muscle or bone underneath.
Burns that cover more than one body part or a large percentage of the person’s total body surface area.
Burns that affect areas that could impair a person’s function or their ability to breathe, such as burns on the face, hands, feet, joints or groin.
Inhalation burns.
Burns caused by electricity, chemicals, radiation or an explosion.
Burns in people with medical conditions or other injuries.
Burns in an older adult.
Give care for a burn while waiting for EMS to arrive:
Cool the burn under clean, cool, running water.
Cool the burn as soon as possible and for at least 10 minutes, ideally 20 minutes.
Leave the burn uncovered unless EMS is delayed, or you are in a remote location. In this case, cover the burn loosely with a sterile dressing.
Signs and symptoms of a head, neck or spinal injury:
Mechanism of injury
Change in behavior or mental status (e.g., unresponsiveness, confusion, stumbling, repeatedly asking the same questions, memory loss, nausea or vomiting, or speech problems)
Head, neck or back pain or a visible injury
Loss of sensation or movement
Seizures
Crying
Inability to do activities that the person could previously do
Give care for a head, neck or spinal injury while waiting for EMS to arrive:
Leave the person in the position they were found
Maintain the person’s body temperature
Give care for other injuries that may be present
Signs and symptoms of a concussion include:
Dizziness
Loss of consciousness
Headache
Confusion
Blurred or double vision
Nausea
Vomiting
Seizures
Memory loss
Crying
Inability to do activities that the person could previously do
Give care for a concussion while waiting for EMS to arrive:
Have the person rest without moving
Maintain the person’s body temperature
Give care for other injuries that may be present
Signs and symptoms of heat stroke:
Moist, pale or flushed skin Absence of sweating Some degree of sweating Unresponsive Confusion Seizure Headache Nausea Dizziness Weakness Exhaustion
Give care for heat stroke while waiting for EMS to arrive. The priority is lowering the person’s body temperature:
Immerse the person up to their neck in cold water, if you can safely do so.
If you can’t immerse the person in cold water, apply cold, wet clothes or towels to the skin, then apply ice packs and fan the person.
Watch for changes in the person’s condition.
Hypothermia can occur:
When the person experiences exposure to cold air temperatures, cold water or both.
When the weather is not cold, but the person experiences prolonged exposure to a wet or windy environment, wet clothes or sweating.
Signs and symptoms of hypothermia include:
Shivering (but may be absent as hypothermia worsens)
Pale
Cold to the touch
Disoriented
Give care for hypothermia while waiting for EMS to arrive:
Move the person to a warmer place.
Remove any wet clothes, wrap them in a blanket and cover their head to slowly warm them.
Reassure the person until help arrives
