CSN Emergency Response & First Aid Flashcards

A student accidentally ingests an unknown chemical from the science lab. The school nurse should FIRST:

Answer: Call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) for guidance

Poison Control provides real-time expert guidance on managing ingestions and should be called before any intervention is attempted.

During a lockdown drill, a student with a known anxiety disorder begins hyperventilating. The nurse's FIRST intervention is:

Answer: Guide the student in slow, controlled diaphragmatic breathing while maintaining lockdown

Coaching slow diaphragmatic breathing addresses hyperventilation while keeping the student and nurse safe within the lockdown protocol.

A student with hemophilia sustains a knee injury with visible swelling. The school nurse should:

Answer: Apply R.I.C.E. and contact the student's parent and hematologist promptly

Students with hemophilia require prompt parental and specialist notification for joint bleeds, which can cause permanent joint damage without factor replacement.

A student collapses on the athletic field and has no pulse. The AED is 2 minutes away. The school nurse should:

Answer: Begin high-quality CPR immediately while someone retrieves the AED

High-quality CPR must begin immediately to maintain perfusion; the AED is brought to the nurse, not the other way around.

The school nurse is updating the school's emergency action plan for a student with a food allergy. Which element is MOST critical to include?

Answer: The specific trigger foods, symptoms of reaction, and step-by-step emergency treatment including epinephrine location

An effective allergy emergency action plan must specify triggers, recognize symptoms, and detail exactly what to do including where epinephrine is stored.

A student presents with signs of heat stroke: hot dry skin, temperature of 104°F, and altered mental status. The MOST important immediate intervention is:

Answer: Begin rapid cooling by removing clothing and applying cool water or ice packs to pulse points, and call 911

Heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency; rapid cooling and EMS activation are the immediate priorities, and oral fluids are contraindicated in an altered-consciousness patient.