AP Emergency Procedures & Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient suddenly develops hives, facial swelling, and difficulty breathing shortly after needle insertion. What is the correct immediate action?
- Continue treatment and monitor closely
- Remove all needles and call 911 immediately (Correct answer)
- Apply ice to the affected area and have patient rest
- Administer acupressure to Lung 7 to open the airways
Correct answer: Remove all needles and call 911 immediately
These are signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate needle removal and activation of emergency medical services.
Question 2: Which acupuncture point, if needled too deeply in a thin patient, poses the greatest risk of causing a pneumothorax?
- ST 36 (Zusanli)
- LI 4 (Hegu)
- GB 21 (Jianjing) (Correct answer)
- SP 6 (Sanyinjiao)
Correct answer: GB 21 (Jianjing)
GB 21 overlies the apex of the lung and must be needled shallowly at a posterior oblique angle to avoid pneumothorax.
Question 3: During a treatment a patient becomes unresponsive and pulseless. What is the correct sequence after calling 911?
- Place in recovery position and await EMS
- Begin CPR with 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths (Correct answer)
- Perform abdominal thrusts to clear airway
- Apply stimulation to GV 26 and wait for response
Correct answer: Begin CPR with 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths
The chain of survival requires immediate high-quality CPR (30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio) while awaiting AED and EMS.
Question 4: A patient reports a needle feeling 'stuck' and you cannot withdraw it. This condition is known as:
- Hematoma formation
- Bent needle
- Stuck needle (zhen zhi) (Correct answer)
- Fainting reaction (yun zhen)
Correct answer: Stuck needle (zhen zhi)
A stuck needle (zhen zhi) occurs when surrounding tissue contracts around the needle, preventing withdrawal; relaxation techniques or gentle rotation usually resolves it.
Question 5: When managing a patient with a broken needle, what is the first priority?
- Immediately attempt to extract the fragment with forceps
- Keep the patient calm and immobile to prevent the fragment from migrating (Correct answer)
- Apply pressure over the site and continue treatment
- Discharge the patient and document the incident
Correct answer: Keep the patient calm and immobile to prevent the fragment from migrating
Keeping the patient still prevents muscle movement that could drive the fragment deeper; medical referral for imaging and possible surgical retrieval follows.
Question 6: A patient on warfarin develops a large expanding hematoma at a needle site. Which initial management step is most appropriate?
- Apply heat to disperse the blood
- Apply firm direct pressure and cold compress (Correct answer)
- Needle the surrounding area to move stasis
- Elevate the limb and administer herbal formula
Correct answer: Apply firm direct pressure and cold compress
Direct pressure controls bleeding while cold compress causes vasoconstriction; anticoagulated patients require extra monitoring and possibly medical evaluation.
Question 7: Which acupuncture point is considered the primary first-aid point for resuscitation from fainting or loss of consciousness?
- PC 6 (Neiguan)
- HT 7 (Shenmen)
- GV 26 (Renzhong) (Correct answer)
- KD 1 (Yongquan)
Correct answer: GV 26 (Renzhong)
GV 26 (Renzhong), located in the philtrum, is the classical first-aid point for restoring consciousness through strong stimulation.
AP Emergency Procedures & Response 2
A patient suddenly develops hives, facial swelling, and difficulty breathing shortly after needle insertion.
What is the correct immediate action?