Emergency and Disaster Nursing Practice

Vocabulary flashcards focusing on critical terms, assessment frameworks, triage definitions, and environmental and disaster management principles in emergency nursing.

Emergency Severity Index (ESI)

A five-level emergency triage system that categorizes patients based on illness severity and expected resource utilization to determine care priority.

ESI-1

The highest priority ESI category for unstable patients in imminent danger of dying who require immediate evaluation by a healthcare provider and continuous bedside staff.

ESI-2

An ESI triage category for high-risk patients whose vital functions are threatened or who have likely organ or life threats, requiring evaluation within $10\,\text{min}$ and high resource intensity.

ESI-3

An ESI triage level assigned to stable patients with unlikely life threats who require medium to high resource intensity (e.g., multiple diagnostic studies or complex procedures) and evaluation within $1\,\text{hr}$.

ESI-4

An ESI triage level for stable patients with no life threat who require low resource intensity, such as a single simple diagnostic study or simple procedure.

ESI-5

An ESI triage level for stable patients with no life threat requiring low resource intensity limited to physical examination only.

Three-Level Triage System

A traditional triage model that prioritizes patients into Emergent (immediate threat to life or limb), Urgent (quick care required but no immediate life threat), and Non-urgent (can tolerate waiting without risk of deterioration).

Primary Survey

An initial systematic assessment following the ABCDEFG sequence designed to quickly identify and manage life-threatening conditions in emergency patients.

AVPU Scale

A framework used during the primary survey to evaluate level of consciousness: Alert, Responsive to Voice, Responsive to Pain, or Unresponsive.

Jaw-Thrust Maneuver

A manual airway intervention used to open the airway without neck extension, recommended for patients with suspected cervical spine trauma.

Secondary Survey

A comprehensive evaluation conducted after primary life threats are managed, comprising full vital signs, health history (SAMPLE), resuscitation adjuncts (LMNOP), and head-to-toe examination.

SAMPLE History

A mnemonic for health history collection during emergency care: Symptoms, Allergies and tetanus status, Medication history, Past health history, Last meal/oral intake, and Events preceding the incident.

LMNOP Mnemonic

A standard memory tool for secondary survey resuscitation adjuncts: Laboratory tests, Monitor ECG, Nasogastric/orogastric tube, Oxygenation & ventilation assessment, and Pain management.

Battle's Sign

Ecchymosis over the mastoid process behind the ear that indicates a possible basilar skull fracture.

Raccoon Eyes

Bilateral periorbital ecchymosis indicating a potential basilar skull fracture.

Targeted Temperature Management (TTM)

Also known as therapeutic hypothermia, a post-cardiac arrest strategy that cools the body core to $89.6^\text{o}\text{F} - 93.2^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($32^\text{o}\text{C} - 34^\text{o}\text{C}$) to reduce brain injury and improve survival.

Heatstroke

A medical emergency resulting from thermoregulatory failure, marked by core temperature exceeding $105.8^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($41^\text{o}\text{C}$), altered consciousness, hot dry skin, lack of sweating, and risk of circulatory collapse.

Frostbite

Cold-induced localized tissue freezing resulting in waxy pale yellow-to-blue skin, treated by rewarming in circulating water at $98.6^\text{o}\text{F} - 104^\text{o}\text{F}$ without squeezing or massaging.

Hypothermia

A systemic cold emergency characterized by a body core temperature dropping below $95^\text{o}\text{F}$ ($35^\text{o}\text{C}$) due to heat loss exceeding body heat production.

Erythema Migrans

A circular bull's-eye rash larger than $5\,\text{cm}$ associated with Lyme disease, transmitted by a tick attached for at least $36\,\text{hr}$.

Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)

An emergency situation involving numerous casualties that overwhelms local community healthcare facilities and necessitates supplemental external resources.

MCI Triage Tagging

A rapid field classification performed in under $15\,\text{sec}$ per patient using color-coded tags: Green (minor), Yellow (delayed/urgent), Red (immediate life threat), and Black (deceased).