First Aid Flashcard 1
Rationale
B. Rationale: This boy is most likely having a convulsive seizure, which presents as stiffening and jerking movements of the whole body. Patients with convulsive seizures may also have frothing at the mouth and might even bite their tongue. This medical condition is also referred to as tonic-clonic or grand mal seizures.
Question
A 15-year-old boy suddenly stiffens and develops jerking movements of his body. You notice that he is also frothing at the mouth. The rescuer understands that this boy most likely has:
a. Organophosphate poisoning
b. A convulsive seizure
c. A tetanus infection
d. An acute myocardial infarction
Answer
b. A convulsive seizure
Rationale
C. Rationale: The first thing that the first aid responder should do is to remove all wet clothing because it dissipates body heat. Even if you dry the patient with wet clothing on, it is not enough because this skin is still exposed to clothes that are drenched with the freezing water. After removing the wet clothing, you should dry the patient and wrap him in warm blankets. Hot beverages will bring his temperature up further as the splanchnic circulation is warmed when the hot liquid reaches in the stomach.
Question
A 24-year-old fisherman fell into the ocean but was picked up immediately. You, as one of the first aid crew in the fishing boat, immediately brought the patient into a warm room. What is your first course of action for this patient?
a. Dry the patient with towels.
b. Wrap the patient in warm blankets.
c. Remove all of the patient’s wet clothing.
d. Give the patient a warm beverage.
Answer
c. Remove all of the patient’s wet clothing.
Rationale
B. Rationale: The basic approach of the first aid responder to a patient that has inadvertently ingested a potentially poisonous or toxic substance is to call the National Poison Control Center Hotline at 1-800-222-1222.
Question
A 24-year-old industrial worker has inadvertently ingested kerosene, which he thought was water. After discovering this, he comes straight to you, the trained first aid provider, and seeks your advice. What is the first action the first aid responder does in this situation?
a. Make him vomit the kerosene.
b. Call the poison control center.
c. Bring the patient to the nearest hospital.
d. Have him drink water to dilute the kerosene.
Answer
b. Call the poison control center.
Rationale
B. Rationale: The patient is still conscious, and the core body temperature of 90°F means that the patient has moderate hypothermia. If the patient’s core body temperature is 90–95°F (32–35°C) with intact shivering, it is classified as mild hypothermia. When the body temperature is 75–82°F (24–28°C), patients are likely to be unconscious and hypothermia would be considered severe.
Question
A 30-year-old ranger was stranded in the mountains for 12 hours after he was caught up in a snowstorm. You arrive at the scene to tend to the officer. You find him confused and unable to think clearly, and he appears to be having trouble breathing. You measure his body temperature and find that it is 90°F or 32°C. How would you classify the patient’s hypothermia, given these signs and symptoms?
a. Mild
b. Moderate
c. Severe
d. Very Severe
Answer
b. Moderate
Rationale
A. Rationale: If the patient does not have a pulse and is not breathing, immediately begin high-quality CPR. When the AED arrives, connect him to the machine and defibrillate, but do not wait for the AED to begin compressions. If naloxone is available and protocol allows, have a second rescuer administer that medication as CPR continues.
Question
A 34-year-old colleague at work recently had knee surgery. He had been taking hydrocodone for the pain and has returned to work. You walk into his office and notice he is slumped across his desk. Beside him on the desk is an empty hydrocodone bottle. You check for a pulse but cannot feel one, and he is not breathing. You send a coworker to call EMS and retrieve the AED and naloxone. Your next action should be to:
a. Begin high-quality CPR
b. Monitor the patient until the naloxone arrives
c. Begin rescue breathing
d. Defibrillate with the AED
Answer
a. Begin high-quality CPR
Rationale
D. Rationale: The patient is in cardiac arrest. To provide basic life support, you must activate the emergency response system and start CPR immediately.
Question
A forklift engineer is unresponsive with no pulse after trauma from an accident. There is bleeding from his left groin area. You are the first aid responder in this case. What is your next course of action?
a. Apply pressure on the bleeding site.
b. Clean the affected area to locate the bleeding.
c. Put on gloves and apply pressure to the bleeding site.
d. Activate the emergency response system and start CPR.
Answer
d. Activate the emergency response system and start CPR.
Rationale
B. Rationale: When a patient with hypothermia is left untreated, the thermoregulatory response is affected and shivering mechanisms suddenly stop. The first aid responder must realize that a hypothermic patient whose shivering stops without intervention is in much worse condition and requires immediate treatment.
Question
A hypothermic patient is exposed to cold temperatures for a long time, but eventually, his shivering reflex stops even without any first aid interventions. What could cause the patient’s shivering to stop?
a. His core temperature improves because of the initial shivering mechanism.
b. His thermoregulatory mechanisms have failed.
c. The patient’s insulin stores have all been used up.
d. All of the above mechanisms have caused the patient to stop shivering.
Answer
b. His thermoregulatory mechanisms have failed.
Rationale
D. Rationale: The freezing temperatures that cause frostbite can damage the cells exposed to it. Damage to nerve cells can cause neuropathic pain, described as a sharp pain with pins and needles sensation and hypersensitivity to touch.
Question
A patient with frostbite has sharp pain, a pins and needles sensation, and hypersensitivity to touch. The tissues most likely affected include the:
a. Epidermis
b. Sweat glands
c. Dermis
d. Nerves
Answer
d. Nerves
Rationale
C. Rationale: The patient has lost a significant amount of blood. To help divert blood flow to the heart and brain, have the patient lie down and elevate their legs above the level of the heart.
Question
A trauma patient who is actively bleeding complains of lightheadedness, palpitations, and feeling faint. What will you do next?
a. Apply pressure on the bleeding site and have the patient put his head between his legs.
b. Lay the patient down, stay with the patient and monitor until EMT arrives.
c. Lay the patient down, apply pressure on the bleeding site, and elevate the patient’s legs.
d. Have the patient sit down and apply pressure to the injured site.
Answer
c. Lay the patient down, apply pressure on the bleeding site, and elevate the patient’s legs.
Rationale
A. Rationale: The areas most affected by frostbite are organs or parts of the body with minimal blood supply and most exposed to the elements. These include the fingers, nose, ears, cheeks, and toes.
Question
A woman needs rescuing after being stranded on the highway due to a snowstorm. She attempts to seek help by leaving her car and walking to the nearest place she can find. You are tending to the patient and suspect she has frostbite. Which of the following are most commonly affected by frostbite?
a. Fingers
b. Arm
c. Heart
d. Knees
Answer
a. Fingers