Chapter 31 Assisting in Medical Emergency Handout

Before beginning dental treatment, an important way to prevent a dental emergency is to be certain the patient has

completed or updated his or her medical history.

During a medical emergency, the dentist and staff are responsible for providing emergency care until

more qualified personnel arrive.

During an emergency, which dental staff member is most likely to call emergency services and remain on the telephone at all times to obtain appropriate medical assistance?

Business assistant

An emergency telephone number list should

include emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, local police, and firefighters.

Because a medical emergency can happen at any time, it is important for the dental assistant to

be alert and continuously observe the patient to watch for problems.

A(n) _____ is what a patient tells you regarding how he or she feels or what he or she is experiencing; a(n) _____ is what you observe in a patient.

symptom; sign

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is also known as

basic life support.

The 2010 CPR sequence of steps C-A-B stands for

chest compressions, airway, and breathing.

The cells of the brain are damaged irreversibly after _____ without oxygen.

4 to 6 minutes

When the patient's hands go to his throat when spasms of coughing or choking occur, it indicates

aspiration of a foreign object.

The most frequently used drug in a medical emergency is

oxygen.

The percentage of cardiac arrest cases caused by ventricular fibrillation is

80% to 90%

When defibrillation is provided within the first 5 minutes of cardiac arrest, there is about a _____ chance that you can save the victim's life.

50%

The dental assistant's responsibility in a medical emergency is to

do both A and B.

Most emergencies in the dental office occur

during or immediately after administration of local anesthesia.

A reduction of blood flow to the brain that causes the patient to lose consciousness is called

decompression.

If a pregnant patient feels dizzy or lightheaded while in a supine position, the patient should be

turned onto her left side or moved into an upright sitting position.

Any unexplained chest pain should be treated as

a potential acute myocardial infarction.

The condition precipitated by stress and anxiety that can manifest in rapid, shallow breathing, lightheadedness, rapid heartbeat, and a panic-stricken appearance is

hyperventilation.

An allergy is an altered state of reactivity in body tissues in response to specific

antigens.

The two main categories of seizures are

generalized and partial.

Which of the following is not correct regarding administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)?

CPR is an emergency support system that should be initiated only after the arrival of a trained emergency medical service rescuer.

CPR differs slightly in adults versus children and infants because

a child has a smaller body size.

Which of the following is recommended following the occurrence of an emergency in the dental office?

Record full documentation of the details of the emergency.

The rate of compression for an adult, child, and infant is _____ compressions per minute.

100

Erythema is another term for

redness.

A definitive sign or symptom of hyperglycemia is

breath that smells sweet.

Abnormally deep and fast breathing is termed

hyperventilation.

A patient blood pressure reading of 80/46 mm Hg indicates

hypotension.

An adult patient who does not respond to any type of sensory stimulation is

unconscious.

Which of the following drugs in a basic emergency kit is intended to be used to treat bronchospasm with asthma?

Albuterol (Ventolin)

Slurred speech, headache, and numbness on one side of body are most likely indications of a

cerebrovascular accident.

What certification credential does a dental assistant have to possess to meet emergency care standards?

Basic Life Support—Healthcare Provider—CPR

When using an automated external defibrillator (AED), it is important that the operator does not have contact with the patient during

Both B and C

All the following are specific techniques recommended for the performance of chest compressions except

stopping for 30 seconds after each compression.

CPR is not performed until the patient is determined to be

unresponsive.

Which of the following is the correct thing to do if a patient has a generalized seizure while sitting in the dental chair?

Quickly remove all materials from the patient's mouth, and put the dental chair so the patient is in a supine position.

Myocardial infarction is commonly known as

a heart attack.

A patient receiving dental treatment starts complaining of a severe pain in the chest. The medical history indicates the patient has angina. Which medication is the patient is likely to have?

Nitroglycerin

The universal signal for choking is

placing the hands to the throat.

A patient is brought to an upright position rapidly and loses consciousness or a level of consciousness. This is known as

postural hypotension.