IHSS Health, Safety, and Emergencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An IHSS recipient begins choking on food and cannot cough, speak, or breathe. What is the correct first action?
- Call 911 immediately before doing anything else
- Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) (Correct answer)
- Give the recipient water to help dislodge the food
- Tilt the recipient's head back and give rescue breaths
Correct answer: Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
For a conscious adult who is choking and cannot breathe or speak, the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) should be performed immediately to dislodge the obstruction.
Question 2: A recipient's medication causes dizziness. As an IHSS provider, what is the safest approach when assisting them to the bathroom?
- Have the recipient hold the wall while walking independently
- Walk closely beside the recipient and offer a steadying arm (Correct answer)
- Have the recipient use a wheelchair even if they normally walk
- Wait until the dizziness fully passes before assisting
Correct answer: Walk closely beside the recipient and offer a steadying arm
Walking closely beside the recipient and offering a steadying arm provides immediate physical support while preserving the recipient's independence and dignity.
Question 3: You notice a strong smell of gas in a recipient's home. What should you do first?
- Open windows and doors, then light a candle to check for leaks
- Turn off all gas appliances and call the gas company from inside
- Get the recipient out of the home immediately without using light switches (Correct answer)
- Call 911 from the home's landline before evacuating
Correct answer: Get the recipient out of the home immediately without using light switches
Electrical sparks from light switches or phones can ignite gas, so the priority is to evacuate without activating any electrical devices, then call for help from outside.
Question 4: A recipient with diabetes tells you they feel shaky, sweaty, and confused. Which action is most appropriate?
- Give them a sugary drink or glucose tablets if they can swallow safely (Correct answer)
- Call 911 immediately and do not give anything by mouth
- Have them lie down and wait to see if symptoms improve
- Check their blood pressure before deciding on next steps
Correct answer: Give them a sugary drink or glucose tablets if they can swallow safely
These are classic signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar); if the recipient is conscious and can swallow, giving a fast-acting sugar source is the appropriate first response.
Question 5: During a power outage, a recipient depends on an electric hospital bed and an electric wheelchair. What is the provider's primary concern?
- Finding a generator to restore power as quickly as possible
- Ensuring the recipient can be repositioned manually to prevent pressure sores (Correct answer)
- Contacting the equipment supplier to report the malfunction
- Documenting the outage in the provider's personal log
Correct answer: Ensuring the recipient can be repositioned manually to prevent pressure sores
Without power, electric repositioning is unavailable, so the provider must manually reposition the recipient regularly to prevent pressure injuries.
Question 6: An IHSS provider finds a recipient unresponsive and not breathing normally. After calling 911, what should the provider do next?
- Place the recipient in the recovery position and wait for paramedics
- Begin CPR immediately if trained and an AED is available nearby (Correct answer)
- Elevate the recipient's legs to improve blood flow to the brain
- Loosen any tight clothing and monitor the recipient's pulse
Correct answer: Begin CPR immediately if trained and an AED is available nearby
After calling 911, a trained provider should begin CPR and use an AED if available, as early CPR significantly improves survival outcomes for cardiac arrest.
Question 7: A recipient refuses to take a prescribed medication. As their IHSS provider, what is the correct response?
- Crush the medication and mix it into the recipient's food without telling them
- Respect the refusal, document it, and report it to the appropriate supervisor or care coordinator (Correct answer)
- Insist the recipient take the medication because it is prescribed by a doctor
- Call the prescribing physician immediately to report the refusal
Correct answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and report it to the appropriate supervisor or care coordinator
Recipients have the right to refuse medication; the provider must respect that right, document the refusal, and report it through appropriate channels.
IHSS Health, Safety, and Emergencies 2
An IHSS recipient begins choking on food and cannot cough, speak, or breathe.
What is the correct first action?