MED SURG- First Aid, Emergency Care,
and Disaster Management Ch: 63
General Principles of Emergency Care - Answers -• Cardinal rule: remain calm
• Priority is to preserve life and minimize effects of injuries
• Manner in which you conduct yourself also can soothe and reassure the victim
• Assessment and intervention must be done quickly and efficiently to identify and treat
priority needs immediately
• Survey the scene
• Primary survey
• Secondary survey
• Guidelines for first aid treatment
survey the scene - Answers -• First step in initiating first aid
• Determine if the area is safe for you, the victims, and bystanders
• Determine how many are injured
• Determine how are they injured
• Determine who is around that can help
• Identify yourself as a nurse
• Obtain their consent to provide care
• Activate emergency response system
Primary Survey - Answers -Initial assessment to determine the presence of a life-
threatening injury.
Check for the following:
• ABC's
• Disability
• Exposure
• Facilitation of family
Secondary Survey - Answers -head-to-toe physical assessment; additional assessment
of victim to detect significant changes and other findings that might have been missed
during Primary Survey
Guidelines for first aid treatment of Emergency Pt - Answers -1) protect the airway
2) splint injured parts in position they are found
3) prevent chilling but do not add excessive heat
4) do not remove penetrating objects
5) NPO to an unconscious pt or to pt with potentially serious injuries
6) stay with the injured person until medical care or transportation arrives
, Nursing assessment in emergencies - Answers -Health hx / physical exam may be
conducted almost simultaneously in emergencies;
depending on the nature of injury outside the healthcare setting -assessment focuses
on specific injury.
SAMPLE - Answers -Symptoms
Allergies
Medications (current)
Past illness/ Pregnancy
Last oral intake
Events related to injury
** acronym used to help collect limited data in emergency situation
Health History - Answers -- Reason for seeking care:
(nature of problem, s/s, circumstance injury/ illness occurred, If pt is unconscious, how
long?)
- Medical treatment:
(Any treatment given? if so- effect of tx; If injury -has a victim been moved? )
- Past health history:
(Health problems, medical alert tags, current medications, allergies, evidence of
alcohol/drugs)
Physical examination - Answers -• ABC's (airway, breathing, circulation)
• Skin (color, temperature, obvious injury)
• Head ( level of consciousness)
• Eyes (opening, pupil size, equality, response to light)
• Neck (stiffness, pain, ability to swallow)
• Chest (symmetry of movement, dyspnea, respiratory rate and effort)
• Abdomen (contour, rigidity, distention, pain, tenderness)
• Extremities (deformity, movement, sensation, peripheral pulses)
Cardiopulmonary arrest - Answers -The absence of a heartbeat and respirations
Hypoxia - Answers -Low oxygen saturation of the body, not enough oxygen in the blood
*Deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues
and Disaster Management Ch: 63
General Principles of Emergency Care - Answers -• Cardinal rule: remain calm
• Priority is to preserve life and minimize effects of injuries
• Manner in which you conduct yourself also can soothe and reassure the victim
• Assessment and intervention must be done quickly and efficiently to identify and treat
priority needs immediately
• Survey the scene
• Primary survey
• Secondary survey
• Guidelines for first aid treatment
survey the scene - Answers -• First step in initiating first aid
• Determine if the area is safe for you, the victims, and bystanders
• Determine how many are injured
• Determine how are they injured
• Determine who is around that can help
• Identify yourself as a nurse
• Obtain their consent to provide care
• Activate emergency response system
Primary Survey - Answers -Initial assessment to determine the presence of a life-
threatening injury.
Check for the following:
• ABC's
• Disability
• Exposure
• Facilitation of family
Secondary Survey - Answers -head-to-toe physical assessment; additional assessment
of victim to detect significant changes and other findings that might have been missed
during Primary Survey
Guidelines for first aid treatment of Emergency Pt - Answers -1) protect the airway
2) splint injured parts in position they are found
3) prevent chilling but do not add excessive heat
4) do not remove penetrating objects
5) NPO to an unconscious pt or to pt with potentially serious injuries
6) stay with the injured person until medical care or transportation arrives
, Nursing assessment in emergencies - Answers -Health hx / physical exam may be
conducted almost simultaneously in emergencies;
depending on the nature of injury outside the healthcare setting -assessment focuses
on specific injury.
SAMPLE - Answers -Symptoms
Allergies
Medications (current)
Past illness/ Pregnancy
Last oral intake
Events related to injury
** acronym used to help collect limited data in emergency situation
Health History - Answers -- Reason for seeking care:
(nature of problem, s/s, circumstance injury/ illness occurred, If pt is unconscious, how
long?)
- Medical treatment:
(Any treatment given? if so- effect of tx; If injury -has a victim been moved? )
- Past health history:
(Health problems, medical alert tags, current medications, allergies, evidence of
alcohol/drugs)
Physical examination - Answers -• ABC's (airway, breathing, circulation)
• Skin (color, temperature, obvious injury)
• Head ( level of consciousness)
• Eyes (opening, pupil size, equality, response to light)
• Neck (stiffness, pain, ability to swallow)
• Chest (symmetry of movement, dyspnea, respiratory rate and effort)
• Abdomen (contour, rigidity, distention, pain, tenderness)
• Extremities (deformity, movement, sensation, peripheral pulses)
Cardiopulmonary arrest - Answers -The absence of a heartbeat and respirations
Hypoxia - Answers -Low oxygen saturation of the body, not enough oxygen in the blood
*Deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching body tissues
