Emergency Nursing and Clinical Review Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering emergency nursing assessments, diagnostic criteria, and priority interventions.

Renal Calculi Emergency Management

Focuses on pain management, administration of fluids to facilitate stone passage, identifying stones, and urological consultation; surgical intervention is typically not initial.

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP)

An effective therapy for respiratory failure related to chronic pulmonary disease, asthma, and cardiogenic pulmonary edema that delivers support during inspiration and at end-expiration.

BiPAP Contraindications

Includes patients with an absent gag reflex, excessive oral secretions, or suspected midfacial trauma (e.g., nasal deformity) due to high risk of aspiration or compromised airway.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)

The antibody responsible for Type 1 allergic responses, such as those seen in acute inflammatory reactions to bee stings.

Calcium gluconate gel

The anticipated treatment for hydrofluoric acid burns; it reacts with the acid to create insoluble (non-toxic) calcium fluoride.

Forensic Chain of Custody

The process of maintaining evidence security by limiting access to a minimum number of people, signing/dating tamper-resistant tape immediately, and securing items in a locked box.

Procalcitonin

A peptide precursor of the hormone calcitonin that rises in response to a proinflammatory stimulus, especially of bacterial origin; it is a standard part of a sepsis workup.

Ocular Chemical Burn Priority

The first priority is irrigation until the eye pH tests between $7.0$ and $7.5$, often taking an hour or longer.

Hemodialysis in Lithium Toxicity

The recommended intervention for acute lithium toxicity in patients with renal failure due to the kidneys' inability to clear lithium.

Flail Chest

An injury characterized by bony crepitus, bruising over the chest, and paradoxical chest wall movement; priority intervention is intubation with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP).

Nonmaleficence

The ethical duty to do no harm and not risk harm to others, such as by not administering a medication to which a patient has a known allergy.

Septic Shock in Geriatric Patients

Clinical manifestations include fever or hypothermia, decreased level of consciousness, and respiratory alkalosis; tachycardia may be masked by beta-blockers like metoprolol.

Methotrexate for Ectopic Pregnancy

A cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent used for stable ectopic pregnancy without fetal cardiac activity; it should not be handled by pregnant staff.

EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) Violation

Failure to provide a medical screening examination to determine if a condition is stable or unstable, or transferring a patient without an accepting physician at the receiving facility.

Costochondritis

Inflammation of the cartilage connecting ribs to the sternum, causing chest pain worsened by deep breathing or movement; treated with analgesia and heat.

Diaphragmatic Rupture Assessment

Suspected when gurgling (bowel sounds) is heard over the lung fields, typically the left side, following trauma.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune disorder resulting in demyelination of the axon, causing changes in sensation, vision loss, double vision, weakness, and unsteady gait.

Cyanide Poisoning

A result of the combustion of synthetic materials like plastics; clinical signs include hypoxia, hypotension, and seizures.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Treatment

Initially treated with non-pharmacologic therapies such as light therapy or Vitamin D3 supplements to address decreased production due to inadequate sunlight.

Rhabdomyolysis

A condition caused by prolonged immobilization where muscle breakdown leads to the release of myoglobin, characterized clinically by dark brown urine.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder characterized by RUQ pain radiating to the right scapula/shoulder, bloating, and guarding; pain often increases with deep inspiration (Murphy sign).

Achilles Tendon Rupture

An injury caused by forced plantar flexion or unexpected dorsiflexion, presenting as a sharp "pop" in the heel and inability to stand on the ball of the foot.

START Algorithm: Red Tag

Prioritizes patients requiring immediate care to sustain life, such as a patient with an open chest wound and respiratory distress.

Wolff-Parkinson-White

A form of supraventricular tachycardia featuring abnormal impulses that arise above the ventricles.

Postrenal Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by an obstruction of the urinary tract, such as kidney stones ($nephrolithiasis$) or BPH.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

A set of connecting nuclei in the brain responsible for regulating wakefulness, arousal, and sleep-wake transitions.

Oculocephalic Reflex (Doll's Eyes)

A test for brainstem function in unconscious patients; a positive reflex (eyes deviate opposite the head turn) indicates an intact brainstem.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax

A pneumothorax occurring without trauma, common in tall, thin males or smokers; treated with chest tube insertion.

Status Epilepticus Management

Managed with a benzodiazepine like Lorazepam ($Ativan$); Phenobarbital may be used if first-line drugs fail.

Beck's Triad

A set of three clinical signs for pericardial tamponade: distended jugular veins, muffled heart tones, and hypotension (low blood pressure).

Diabetes Insipidus (DI) Medications

Patients with DI are frequently treated with Desmopressin to replace missing anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) and decrease polyuria.

Delirium

A behavioral health emergency characterized by a rapid onset (hours to days) of hallucinations, disorientation, and memory impairment.

Intussusception

A pediatric condition involving acute colicky pain, "sausage-shaped" abdominal mass, and "currant jelly" stools; treated via air or contrast enema.

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) Priority

The immediate priority intervention is the resumption of chest compressions; Atropine is no longer recommended.

PaCO2 threshold in COPD

In patients with chronic bronchitis, a PaCO2 reading above $60\,mmHg$ or above the patient's baseline is indicative of respiratory failure.

Duodenal Ulcer

A gastrointestinal condition presenting with pain before eating that is typically relieved by antacids or food intake.

Lyme Disease Clinical Sign

A circular, flat, red rash with central clearing (bullseye) often accompanied by joint pain and headache.

Cushing Syndrome

A condition caused by prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids like prednisone, featuring a "moon face," "buffalo hump," and purple striae on the trunk.

tPA Exclusion Criteria (Blood Pressure)

Elevated blood pressure is an absolute contraindication; BP must be less than $185\,mmHg$ systolic and $110\,mmHg$ diastolic.

von Willebrand disease

The most common inherited bleeding disorder.

Inevitable Abortion

A type of spontaneous abortion where the cervical os is open, membranes have ruptured, and the patient has bleeding and cramping.

Pleural Effusion

A collection of fluid in the pleural space common in patients with a history of heart failure or pneumonia, causing dyspnea and cough.

ARDS Alveoli Maintenance

Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) with ventilation is used to help maintain the open state of alveoli that collapse in ARDS.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)

A lab value that becomes elevated in response to ventricular volume expansion, supporting a diagnosis of congestive heart failure.

Testicular Torsion

A urological emergency with sudden, severe unilateral pain and swelling; unlike epididymitis, it has a sudden rather than gradual onset.

Cranial Nerve X (Vagus)

The nerve responsible for the gag reflex, swallowing, and phonation (sound production).

Avulsion Injury

An injury involving full-thickness skin loss with exposure of underlying structures where wound edges cannot be approximated (e.g., degloving).

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Pattern

Neuropathy that typically begins in the lower extremities and ascends in a symmetrical pattern; pain is often worse at night.

Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma

An ocular emergency presenting with haloes around lights, nausea, loss of peripheral vision, and a red, painful eye.

Iritis

Inflammation of the uveal tract characterized by pain on palpation, photophobia, red ring around the iris, and an irregular pupil.

Mallory-Weiss Syndrome

Small tears at the esophageal-gastric junction caused by violent retching and vomiting, often seen in history of alcohol abuse or bulimia.

Cluster Headache

Episodic, strictly unilateral pain (15 to 180 minutes) associated with tearing, nasal congestion, and eyelid drooping.

Wenckebach (Second Degree Type I)

A heart block characterized by a progressively lengthening PR interval until a QRS complex is dropped.

Aortic Dissection Red Flag

Sudden, sharp, stabbing pain in the chest/flank/back and a difference of $20\,mmHg$ in systolic blood pressure between the arms.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome

An incomplete spinal cord lesion causing ipsilateral paralysis and loss of touch/vibration, with contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation.

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Positioning

The extremity should be maintained at the level of the heart; elevation can worsen arterial flow and perfusion.

Cushing's Triad

A late sign of increased intracranial pressure consisting of widening pulse pressure, bradycardia, and abnormal breathing.

Scabies Treatment (Permethrin)

Permethrin cream should be applied from head-to-toe in two separate applications, one week apart.

Labyrinthitis

An inner ear condition presenting with vertigo, tinnitus, and ear pain; treated with hydration, corticosteroids, and antiemetics.