First Aid Flashcard 5
Rationale
C. Rationale: Warming by soaking a frostbitten finger to water heated to at most 104°F or 40°C is the recommended first aid intervention. It is also recommended to soak for 20 to 30 minutes, after which the affected area is dried and wrapped in sterile gauze until EMS arrives to transport the patient.
Question
You are attempting to rewarm a moderately frostbitten finger by soaking in water heated at the appropriate temperature. For how long should you soak the patient’s affected finger?
a. 5 to 10 minutes
b. 10 to 15 minutes
c. 20 to 30 minutes
d. 45 minutes to 1 hour
Answer
c. 20 to 30 minutes
Rationale
B. Rationale: The patient is in cardiac arrest. The first action is to activate EMS then perform high-quality CPR.
Question
You are attending to a patient after an intentional exposure to insecticide. You arrive at the scene to find that the patient has no pulse and no breathing. What is your next course of action?
a. Decontaminate the patient with irrigation.
b. Activate EMS.
c. Perform high-quality CPR.
d. Make sure to wear PPE.
Answer
b. Activate EMS.
Rationale
A. Rationale: To effectively warm the patient and improve her symptoms, she must be immediately placed in a warm environment to prevent deterioration due to hypotension.
Question
You are part of a rescue mission that has finally located a lost skier. She is hypothermic, and you notice some signs of frostbite on her nose and ears. She is conscious, coherent, and can ambulate without any assistance. What is the first course of action in this case?
a. Move the patient into a warm environment
b. Irrigate the affected areas with warm water
c. Apply sterile bandages to the affected area
d. Apply dry heat to warm the affected area
Answer
a. Move the patient into a warm environment
Rationale
C. Rationale: If the patient has a pulse but is not breathing, immediately begin rescue breathing to provide 1 breath every 6 seconds. If naloxone is available and protocol allows, have a second rescuer administer that medication as rescue breathing continues.
Question
You are shopping at the local mall when you come across a young woman lying on the floor surrounded by a group of people. You feel a pulse, but she is not breathing. One of her friends says the patient used heroin earlier. You send a bystander to call EMS and retrieve the AED and naloxone. Your best next action is to:
a. Begin high-quality CPR.
b. Monitor the patient until the naloxone arrives.
c. Begin rescue breathing.
d. Defibrillate with the AED.
Answer
c. Begin rescue breathing.
Rationale
D. Rationale: The rectum is one of the areas that a simple thermometer can be used to obtain a core body temperature. Other areas are more complicated to obtain a reading, such as in the esophagus.
Question
You are tasked to measure the core body temperature of a patient suspected of having heat exhaustion. Which of the following areas is the best place to place the thermometer for a core reading?
a. On the forehead
b. Under the armpits
c. Under the tongue
d. Into the rectum
Answer
d. Into the rectum
Rationale
B. Rationale: Patients with heatstroke can deteriorate rapidly to cardiac arrest. The most critical first aid intervention is to cool the patient right away. You can first move the patient from a sunny area to a shaded area. If there is a room with air-conditioning, this is ideal. You must remove any restrictive clothing and wrap the patient in a towel drenched with cold water. Placing ice packs in the armpits and groin area immediately cools down core body temperature. If the patient is conscious, you can instruct them to drink cold fluids, preferably fortified with electrolytes.
Question
You are tending to a 24-year-old patient that you diagnose with heatstroke after ROTC training in the field. You called 9-1-1, and dispatch asked you to stay with the patient and monitor her until EMS arrives. She is currently conscious but seems confused. Which among the following interventions should you perform while waiting for help to arrive?
a. Give acetaminophen
b. Move the patient to a well-shaded or cool area
c. Give rescue breaths
d. Start CPR
Answer
b. Move the patient to a well-shaded or cool area
Rationale
B. Rationale: Patients with heatstroke can deteriorate rapidly. This patient progressed to cardiac arrest. Therefore, you must immediately begin high-quality CPR. You may attach the defibrillator while performing CPR, so you can assess the rhythm and give a shock if necessary.
Question
You are tending to a 44-year-old fireman who has heatstroke after struggling to control the fire in a burning building. The patient is suddenly unresponsive with no spontaneous breathing or pulse. What is your next course of action?
a. Activate the emergency response system.
b. Begin high-quality CPR.
c. Attach the patient to a defibrillator.
d. Give epinephrine via intravenous injection.
Answer
b. Begin high-quality CPR.
Rationale
C. Rationale: Mydriasis is defined as abnormally dilated pupils, which is a common symptom of certain toxidromes. Miosis is also a common symptom of toxidromes, defined as abnormally constricted pupils.
Question
You are tending to a man who seems to be confused. After interviewing his companion, he was reported to have ingested an unknown amount of the street drug, ecstasy. While performing your physical examination of the patient, you notice that he has mydriasis. What is the definition of mydriasis?
a. Cross-eyed
b. Pinpoint pupils
c. Dilated pupils
d. Blindness
Answer
c. Dilated pupils
Rationale
D. Rationale: Rubbing the affected frostbitten toes will induce more trauma to the tissues. It is better to warm the affected area with warm water no higher than 104°F or 40°C.
Question
You bring a person with mild hypothermia and mild frostbite of the first two toes inside for immediate treatment. Which of the following interventions should be avoided when treating this case?
a. Soak the affected frostbitten toes in warm water
b. Cover the patient with blankets
c. Give the patient hot beverages such as tea
d. Rub the affected frostbitten toes to warm
Answer
d. Rub the affected frostbitten toes to warm
Rationale
C. Rationale: If insulin is lacking, energy from carbohydrates will not be used because it cannot enter the cells. The body will then rely on the breakdown of fat to get energy. The by-product of this process is ketones. Ketones are harmful to the body and are one of the causes of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Question
You have a friend diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. It is a medical condition where the pancreas cannot manufacture enough insulin for the body. If left untreated, the body may look for sources other than glucose for energy production. When a patient lacks insulin, the tissue that will be broken down to create energy for the body is:
a. Muscle
b. Liver
c. Fat
d. Brain
Answer
c. Fat