Unit 4 Case 1 Flashcards
What is Unit 4 Case 1 about?
A couple has 2 children and runs a family dairy farm business who both work full time. While working in a field, the wife gets trampled on by a charging cow. She has severe chest pain. A guy nearby rang 999 and an air ambulance came, taking her to a trauma center. After a CT scan, a chest drain was inserted and she was mechanically ventilated. 4 days later she was sent home, and she had nightmares about the event and worried she could not work on the farm again
What is the effect of prolonged CO2 levels in the blood?
Tissues in the body are not getting enough oxygen to carry out metabolic functions. Can lead to many symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, or dsypnea
What is the term for an excess build-up of CO2 in the body?
Hypercapnia
How can increased levels of CO2 change the pH concentration in the blood?
As CO2 combines with water it forms carbonic acid, decreasing pH levels in the blood. Causes acidosis. Acidic conditions effect the function of metabolic enzymes
What is acidosis?
Acidosis is the condition where the pH of the blood becomes less than 7.35
What is a bruise?
Also known as a contusion, is a region of injured tissue or skin in which blood capillaries have been ruptured
What is the progression of a bruise?
Starts red- fresh, oxygen rich blood has newly pooled under the skin
The blood begins to loose oxygen and change colour to blue/purple/black
In about 5-10 days it turns yellow/green
-These colours come from compounds the body produces when it breaks down haemoglobin
What is bovine tuberculosis (BT)?
It is an infectious disease in cattle which primarily effects the lungs. It can jump the species barrier and cause tuberculosis like infections in humans and other animals
How is pain scaled for a patient?
Using a numeric rating scale - Patient describes their pain from 1-10 0 is no pain 1-3 is mild pain 4-6 is moderate pain 7-10 is severe pain
How does the accessibility of the emergency services differ in rural vs urban areas?
In more rural areas, there is often less accessibility as there are many areas no accessible by ambulance. Therefore an emergency helicopter is often sent out for rural emergencies
-Whereas in urban areas most/all places accessible by ambulance - quicker
Is there any risk of pesticides to farmers?
Pesticides have been proven to cause reproductive and developmental effects, cancer, kidney and liver damage, endocrine disruption etc.
-linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s aswell
What is turbulent flow in breathing?
Turbulent flow refers to when air is not flowing in paralllel layers and direction.
-Pressure needed to maintain air flow therefore needs tobe increased, causing resistance in the airway
What is a primary trauma survey?
Is the initial assessment and management of a trauma patient. It is conducted to detect and treat actual or imminent life threats and prevents complications from these injuries
When would an air ambulance be called out?
When the pateint is in a position that is not accessible by other emergancy services like an ambulance
-but also when the patient is in quite critical condition and needs immediate medical attention
What is the role of a flight paramedic?
A flight paramedic are responsible for working to recover or stabilize the patient while in transport to a qualified medical facility.
What are the basics of first aid?
Call an ambulance
If the patient is unconscious and breathing put them in the recovery position until help arrives
If the patient is inconscious and not breathing call 999 and start CPR
(Danger, Response, Airways, Breathing, Circulation)
What is the difference between a trauma centre and the ER?
A trauma centre is equipped to handle the most serious of conditions. Have access to quick CT scans and MRIs, trauma surgeons, lots of life support and easy access such as helicopter landing pads
What is paradoxical breathing movement?
Where the diaphragm moves out down inspiration (abdominal wall moves in) and in up expiration (abdominal wall moves out) (oppisite of expected)
-Prevents you from inhaling O2 and exhaling CO2
What is lung resonance?
Low pitched hollow sounds that can be heard over normal lung tissue.
This sound gets replaced by a dull sound when fluid or solid tissues replaces air-containing lung tissues (e.g with pneumonia)
How does a mechanical ventilator work?
Endotracheal tube goes through pateints mouth and into windpipe. And a nasogastric tube goes through patients nose and into the stomach
-works by bringing oxygen to the lungs via one tube and taking carbon dioxide out via another
What is an arterial blood gas (ABG)?
An ABG is a blood test that measures the pH, levels of O2, and levels of CO2 from an artery. The test is used to check the function of a patients lungs and their ability to move oxygen in the blood and remove carbon dioxide
What is a pneumothorax?
A pneumothorax is a ‘collasped lung’. Air leakes into the spaces between your lung and the chest wall. This pushes on the outside of your lung and makes it collapse
What is a flail chest?
A flail chest is a chest injury in which 2 or more ribs fracture and become detached from the rest of the rib cage
How can a flail chest cause pneumothorax?
When the ribs fracture and become detached from the rib cage they can be sharp and puncture the pleura of the lung. This can allow air to move into the space between the lung and chest wall, causing the lung to collapse
