Environmental Emergencies
Environmental Emergencies
Information Covered:
- Submersion Incidents
- Drowning
- Definition
- Incidence
- Predictors of morbidity and mortality
- Types
- Fresh water
- Salt water
- Pathophysiology
- Unique Signs and Symptoms
- Airway – obstructed with water immediately after rescue
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Assessment Considerations
- Management Considerations
- Drowning
- Temperature-Related Illness
- Incidents
- Temperature-related illness
- Cold-related illness
- Heat-related illness
- How the body loses heat
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation
- Evaporation
- Respiration
- Type of temperature-related illness
- Generalized cold injury (hypothermia)
- Localized cold injury
- Generalized heat injury – may affect full body or muscle groups
- Temperature-related illness
- Pathophysiology
- Cold-related injuries
- Low environmental temperatures generalized exposure
- factors that contribute to risk of cold injury
- clothing of the patient
- age and time of exposure
- alcohol or other medication ingestion
- suicide
- activity level of the victim
- pre-existing injury or illness
- environment factors that contribute to risk of cold injury
- ambient temperature
- wind speed
- moisture
- factors that contribute to risk of cold injury
- Local cold exposure
- local exposure of body appendage to cold – ears, fingers, and toes very susceptible
- ice crystals form
- impairs local blood flow
- temporary or permanent tissue damage – may lead to amputation
- Low environmental temperatures generalized exposure
- Heat-related illness
- Environmental factors that contribute to risk of heat-related illness
- ambient temperature
- humidity
- Patient factors that contribute to risk of heat injury
- no acclimation to heat
- medical illness or injury
- age
- exertion
- alcohol or other medication use
- Patient with moist, pale, cool skin – excessive fluid and salt loss
- Patient with hot, dry skin
- Patient with hot, moist skin
- Environmental factors that contribute to risk of heat-related illness
- Cold-related injuries
- Signs and Symptoms
- Cold-related illness – (generalized) hypothermia
- Decreased level of consciousness
- Impaired motor function
- rigidity
- altered balance
- Shivering
- muscle contractions help to increase body temperature
- temperature will drop quickly when shivering stops
- Slow pulse and breathing in later stages
- Cool abdominal skin below clothing
- Extreme hypothermia
- may have no palpable pulse
- cardiac arrest
- Cold-related illness (localized)
- Frozen extremity
- Loss of color
- Loss of movement
- Pain
- Heat-related illness (moist, pale skin)
- Muscle cramps
- Change in level of consciousness, dizziness
- Weakness
- Weak, rapid pulse
- Nausea and vomiting
- Apply pulse oximetry
- Heat-related illness (hot skin)
- Little or no perspiration – in exertional heat stroke the skin may be sweaty and hot
- Loss of consciousness
- Rapid breathing
- Rapid pulse
- Seizures
- Cold-related illness – (generalized) hypothermia
- Management Considerations
- Cold-related illness – (generalized) hypothermia
- Cold-related illness (localized)
- Heat-related illness, with moist, pale, cool skin
- Remove from hot environment
- Remove clothing
- Splash the patient with cool water
- Heat-related illness with hot skin
- Remove patient from hot environment
- Administer high concentration oxygen
- Assist ventilation if inadequate
- Cool packs to armpits, groin, neck
- Transport immediately
- This is true emergency
- Incidents
- Bites and Envenomations
- Injuries of Concern
- Spider bites
- Snake bites
- Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants, yellow jackets)
- Pathophysiology of Bites and Envenomations
- Spider bites (black widow) -- inject neurotoxins
- Snake bites -- rattlesnake is most common in United States
- Hymenoptera
- Signs and Symptoms
- Spider bite (black widow)
- Rattlesnake bite
- Bee, wasp, and other stings
- Unique Management Considers of Bites and Stings
- Spider bite (black widow)
- Clean wound with soap and water
- Transport immediately with supportive care
- Rattlesnake bite
- Note time of bite to transport
- Slow venous return
- Keep patient calm
- Immobilize extremity
- Position extremity
- Clean bite site with soap and water
- Identify snake if possible
- Bees, wasps, and other stings
- Remove stinger or venom sac
- If anaphylaxis develops follow protocol
- Spider bite (black widow)
- Injuries of Concern
- Diving Emergencies (Dysbarism)
- Mechanism of Injury
- Pathophysiology
- Signs and Symptoms
- Unique Management Considerations
- Electrical
- Electrical
Content Creator: James Stone
CAPCE Course Number: 20-EMTP-F3-2102
Total CE Hours: 1.0
Level: Basic
NJ Course Number: 1412453604385
EMT-CE uses the NEMSES guidelines as the foundation for every course outline.