Emergency Procedures & Response Flashcards
7 cards from real CHS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Emergency Procedures & Response flashcards as text
A patient in a monoplace chamber indicates ear pain at 20 fsw and cannot equalize. The correct procedure is to:
Answer: Hold depth, coach equalization, and decompress if unsuccessful
The chamber should be held at current depth while equalization maneuvers are coached; if unsuccessful, decompression to surface is required to prevent tympanic membrane rupture.
Which of the following items is considered an absolute contraindication to entering a hyperbaric chamber as a patient?
Answer: Untreated tension pneumothorax
An untreated tension pneumothorax is an absolute contraindication because compression will worsen it and decompression will cause catastrophic expansion.
During decompression, a multiplace chamber patient reports joint pain in the right knee. This presentation most likely indicates:
Answer: Type I decompression sickness
Joint pain (the 'bends') appearing during or after decompression is the hallmark symptom of Type I decompression sickness, affecting musculoskeletal and lymphatic systems.
The primary purpose of the oxygen air break during hyperbaric oxygen therapy is to:
Answer: Reduce the risk of central nervous system oxygen toxicity
Periodic air breaks interrupt continuous oxygen exposure and significantly reduce the cumulative risk of CNS oxygen toxicity seizures.
In a hyperbaric emergency requiring CPR inside a multiplace chamber, rescuers must know that:
Answer: External defibrillation is contraindicated in oxygen-enriched environments
Defibrillation in an oxygen-enriched hyperbaric environment poses an extreme fire and explosion hazard and must not be performed inside the chamber.
A hyperbaric technician notices smoke inside an occupied monoplace chamber. After activating the fire alarm, the NEXT step is:
Answer: Begin emergency decompression immediately
Smoke inside an occupied chamber is an immediate life threat; emergency decompression must begin at once to evacuate the patient.
A patient treated for carbon monoxide poisoning in a hyperbaric chamber develops neurological symptoms 3 days after discharge. This phenomenon is called:
Answer: Delayed neurological syndrome
Delayed neurological syndrome (DNS) is a well-recognized complication of CO poisoning that can appear days to weeks after apparent recovery, even after successful HBO treatment.