Patient Safety & Risk Management 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 Patient Safety & Risk Management flashcards as text
Which infection control practice is MOST critical between hyperbaric patient treatments to prevent cross-contamination?
Answer: Thorough cleaning and disinfection of all patient-contact surfaces per facility protocol
Thorough cleaning and disinfection of patient-contact surfaces following facility-approved protocols is the standard infection control practice between hyperbaric treatments.
A pregnant patient is referred for HBO treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning. What is the correct approach regarding pregnancy?
Answer: HBO is indicated because the fetal hemoglobin has higher CO affinity, increasing fetal risk
Pregnancy is an indication (not contraindication) for HBO in CO poisoning because fetal hemoglobin binds CO with greater affinity, putting the fetus at higher risk than the mother.
What is the recommended action if a hyperbaric patient loses consciousness inside a monoplace chamber during treatment?
Answer: Emergency decompress the chamber following established protocols to access the patient
Emergency decompression following established protocols to gain patient access for assessment and intervention is the appropriate response to unconsciousness in a monoplace chamber.
Which symptom cluster is MOST consistent with central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity in a hyperbaric patient?
Answer: Facial twitching, nausea, visual disturbances, and convulsions
The VENTID mnemonic (Visual changes, Ears ringing, Nausea, Twitching, Irritability, Dizziness) describes CNS oxygen toxicity, which can progress to convulsions.
A hyperbaric facility is evaluating a new patient who takes sildenafil (Viagra) for pulmonary hypertension. Why is this medication relevant to HBO safety?
Answer: Sildenafil combined with HBO-induced vasodilation can cause dangerous hypotension
Sildenafil causes systemic vasodilation, and when combined with the vasodilatory effects of HBO, can result in significant hypotension requiring careful monitoring or dose adjustment.
What does the term 'oxygen window' refer to in hyperbaric medicine, and why is it significant for patient safety?
Answer: The partial pressure gradient created when breathing oxygen that facilitates inert gas elimination
The oxygen window is the partial pressure gradient created by breathing 100% oxygen that accelerates inert gas (nitrogen) elimination, which is critical for treating decompression sickness.
A patient with a history of thoracic surgery requests HBO therapy. Which specific post-surgical concern is most relevant to hyperbaric safety?
Answer: Trapped gas in post-surgical spaces can expand during decompression causing barotrauma
Post-surgical air or gas pockets can expand during decompression, potentially causing pneumothorax or other barotrauma complications in patients with thoracic surgical history.