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
Which of the following best describes the correct positioning for a patient with suspected arterial gas embolism prior to hyperbaric treatment?
Answer: Supine, lying flat
Current recommendations support the supine, flat position for AGE patients; Trendelenburg and Durant's maneuver are no longer advised as they may worsen cerebral edema.
In a multiplace chamber fire, the most important initial step after alerting staff is to:
Answer: Emergency decompress and evacuate all occupants
Evacuation of chamber occupants is the top priority in a hyperbaric fire; shutting oxygen and decompressing should occur simultaneously as part of emergency egress.
A patient treated for necrotizing fasciitis complains of acute vision loss in one eye during the final oxygen period. This most likely represents:
Answer: Retinal artery vasoconstriction from oxygen
Transient myopia and occasionally monocular visual changes during HBO are caused by reversible oxygen-induced lens changes and vasoconstriction, not permanent retinal damage.
When a patient's condition deteriorates to cardiac arrest inside a monoplace chamber, the operator must immediately:
Answer: Initiate rapid emergency decompression to allow resuscitation at surface
Effective CPR cannot be performed through a monoplace chamber hull, making rapid emergency decompression necessary to enable hands-on resuscitation at surface.
Which gas law explains why a partially inflated endotracheal tube cuff may cause tracheal damage upon decompression from a hyperbaric chamber?
Answer: Boyle's Law of pressure-volume relationships
Boyle's Law states that gas volume expands inversely with pressure; an air-inflated cuff will expand on decompression and can overinflate, causing mucosal injury or aspiration.
A diver surfaces from a 130-foot dive and presents with confusion, bloody sputum, and absent breath sounds on the right. The most likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Right-sided tension pneumothorax from pulmonary barotrauma
Absent breath sounds, hemoptysis, and neurological changes after rapid ascent are classic signs of pulmonary barotrauma complicated by tension pneumothorax, requiring immediate decompression or needle decompression.
According to NFPA 99, which class of hyperbaric chamber is defined as a chamber intended for use by one patient who is not accompanied by a medical attendant?
Answer: Class B
NFPA 99 defines Class B chambers as single-occupancy units designed for one patient without an inside attendant, which is the standard monoplace configuration.