Emergency Response & Acute Care

A serious, unexpected event that demands immediate attention.

Emergency

An order designated to be completed at once, where any delay may compromise the patient's well-being.

STAT

An emergency of huge magnitude that creates an unforeseen, serious, or immediate threat to public health.

Disaster

A facility's standardized procedure or communication code used to summon immediate medical assistance.

Emergency call system

A designated group of healthcare workers, typically including physicians, nurses, and therapists, who respond to life-threatening facility emergencies.

Emergency response team (or code team)

The facility emergency communication code indicating a fire.

CODE RED

The facility emergency communication code indicating a cardiac or respiratory arrest.

CODE BLUE

The facility emergency communication code indicating a hazardous material spill or release.

CODE ORANGE

The facility emergency communication code indicating a combative or aggressive person.

CODE GRAY

The facility emergency communication code indicating a weapon or hostage situation.

CODE SILVER

The facility emergency communication code indicating an infant or child abduction.

CODE AMBER

The facility announcement indicating that an emergency situation has been fully resolved.

CODE CLEAR

A mobile unit positioned in strategic facility locations containing emergency medications and life-support equipment.

Emergency cart (or crash cart)

A basic life support system implemented to manually ventilate the lungs and circulate blood during respiratory or cardiac arrest.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

An easy-to-use device designed to deliver an electrical shock to correct an ineffective, chaotic cardiac rhythm.

Automatic external defibrillator (AED)

Objective evidence of an illness or medical condition that can be observed by others

Sign

Subjective evidence of an illness or medical condition experienced and described exclusively by the patient

Symptom

A life-threatening clinical event where a foreign object blocks the airway, preventing coughing, speaking, or breathing.

Airway obstruction (or choking)

A reactive airway condition characterized by clinical manifestations such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Reactive airway disease

A critical condition occurring when a substance like a blood clot, fat, or air travels through the vascular system and blocks a pulmonary vessel.

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

A group of cardiac clinical symptoms that characteristically signal a myocardial infarction or acute heart attack.

Acute coronary syndrome

Episodes of chest pain brought on by exertion or stress, typically relieved by rest or sublingual nitroglycerin.

Angina pectoris

4 Levels of consciousness (LOCs)

1. alert/conscious

2. drowsy/responsive

3. unconscious/reactive to pain

4. comatose

A standardized neurological assessment scale with a maximum score of 15 used to objectively track a patient's level of consciousness.

Glasgow Coma Scale

The specialized movement method used to turn or reposition a patient with a suspected spinal injury without twisting the spine.

Log-rolling

An accumulation of blood within the pleural space of the chest cavity.

Hemothorax

An accumulation of air within the pleural space of the chest cavity.

Pneumothorax

A severe chest injury resulting from multiple rib fractures that causes a segment of the chest wall to become unstable.

Flail chest

A life-threatening condition caused by rapid hemorrhage or fluid accumulation into the pericardial sac surrounding the heart.

Cardiac tamponade

A severe fracture where broken bone fragments tear through the surrounding tissue and protrude through the skin.

Compound fracture

A fracture that does not cause a break or open wound in the overlying skin surface.

Closed fracture

A postoperative complication where surgical sutures pull apart, which can progress to tissue or organ protrusion.

Wound dehiscence

A severe complication of complete abdominal wound dehiscence where internal organs protrude through the open wound.

Evisceration

A general medical term describing a life-threatening failure of the circulatory system to support adequate vital tissue oxygen perfusion and metabolic waste removal.

Shock

A form of shock triggered by blood loss

Hypovolemic shock

A severe form of shock brought on by a massive, overwhelming systemic infection.

Septic shock

A form of shock caused by nervous system injuries that results in a sudden loss of arterial resistance, causing blood to pool in peripheral vessels.

Neurogenic shock

A form of shock resulting directly from cardiac failure or severe interference with vital heart functions.

Cardiogenic shock

A severe, rapid, and potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction triggered by exposure to a foreign substance to which a patient is sensitized.

Anaphylaxis (or allergic shock)

The medical term for fainting, representing a mild form of shock typically managed by placing the patient supine with feet elevated.

Syncope

A medical condition caused by a kidney or pituitary disorder, characterized by extreme polyuria and severe thirst.

Diabetes insipidus

An insulin-dependent form of diabetes where the patient is highly susceptible to slipping into a diabetic coma.

Type I Diabetes Mellitus

A form of diabetes frequently associated with obesity that is managed primarily with oral hyperglycemic medications.

Type II Diabetes Mellitus

A dangerous condition seen in neglected Type II diabetes mellitus triggered by severe dehydration and extreme hyperglycemia.

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic (HHNK) syndrome

A condition of dangerously low blood sugar occurring when insulin is active without adequate food intake, causing sudden weakness, sweating, and tremors.

Hypoglycemia

A clinical crisis marked by a slow onset, labored breathing, dry skin, and fruity-smelling breath caused by inadequate insulin levels.

Diabetic coma

A clinical crisis marked by a sudden onset, shallow breathing, profuse perspiration, and lightheadedness caused by excessive insulin levels.

Insulin shock

An interruption of blood flow to the brain via hemorrhage or vascular occlusion, frequently called a stroke.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

FAST

1. Facial droop

2. Arm weakness

3. Speech difficulty

4. Time to call 911

An episode of localized or generalized brain disturbance that can cause trembling, shaking, violent spasms, or altered consciousness.

Seizure

A severe form of a major motor seizure characterized by dramatic, violent body tremors and generalized muscle spasms.

Tonic-clonic (or grand mal) seizure

A temporary episode of dizziness brought on when an individual transitions too quickly from a recumbent to an upright sitting position.

Orthostatic hypotension

A sensation of severe dizziness or spinning frequently caused by an inner-ear disturbance or central nervous system lesion.

Vertigo

The medical term for a nosebleed, managed by applying continuous pressure to the nasal septum.

Epistaxis

What are the 3 types of disasters?

1. Natural

2. Accidential

3. Manmade

When there is an airway obstruction for an ADULT, what do we do?

Perform abdominal thrusts

When there is an airway obstruction for an SMALL CHILD, what do we do?

Alternate back blows with chest thrusts

How far should personnel be when using a defibrillator?

2 feet away

What is the 1st radiographic image for trauma patients?

Cross table C-spine or CT

How many people are required to image long bone fractures

two people

4 early signs of shock

1. Pallor

2. Increased heart rate

3. Increased respiration

4. Restlessness or confusion

Abnormal paleness or loss of color from the skin

Pallor

What are the 5 types of shock

1. Hypovolemic Shock

2. Septic shock

3. Neurogenic shock

4. Cardiogenic shock

5. Allergic shock or anaphylaxis

If dyspnea is noted, you elevate the ____.

Head

Treatment for vasovagal reactions

Place patient in supine with feet elevated 20 degrees, and head elevated if breathing is a problem

Treatment for moderate contrast reactions

Antihistamine / Bronchodilator

Treatment for severe (anaphylactic) reactions

Maintain airway, call code, and give epinephrine

Symptoms that may be included in a stroke

Dizziness, headache, difficulty in vision, temporary loss of consciousness

Brief loss of consciousness

Absent seizure

How to position patient post seizure

Turn patient to lateral recumbent

Your patient collapses on the floor in front of you. After shaking him or her and calling his or her name without any response, you decide to activate the code system. Which standardized code would be the most appropriate code for you to call?

Code blue

Which of the following treatments is appropriate when a patient is experiencing syncope?

1. The administration of sweet fruit juice

2. Assist the patient to lie down and elevate the feet

3. Use of an AED

4. Call a code and begin CPR

Assist the patient to lie down and elevate the feet

During trauma radiography, care must be taken to:

1. cause no further harm to the patient

2. proceed with imaging as slowly as possible

3. obtain textbook quality images by moving the patient into standard positions

4. manipulate the patient into position as quickly as possible

Cause no further harm to the patient

While you are positioning Margaret Dunne for an upright chest radiograph, she collapses against you and slips to the floor. The first thing you should do is:

1. call a code.

2. “shake and shout.”

3. get the emergency drug box.

4. start CPR.

Shake and shout

When a diabetic patient has taken the usual dose of insulin, but has not eaten, he or she may feel faint and weak and may show signs of sweating and tremors. The term for this condition is:

hypoglycemia

When a patient experiences a seizure, your priority is to:

1. keep patient safe

2. call for help.

3. finish the examination.

4. restrain the patient.

Keep patient safe