IHSS Safety & Emergency Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An IHSS recipient is choking and cannot cough, speak, or breathe. What is the correct first action?
- Call 911 immediately and wait for help
- Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) (Correct answer)
- Give the recipient water to dislodge the object
- Lay the recipient flat and begin CPR
Correct answer: Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
Abdominal thrusts are the recommended first response for a conscious adult who is choking and cannot clear their airway.
Question 2: When transferring a recipient from bed to wheelchair, the provider notices the floor is wet. What should the provider do first?
- Complete the transfer quickly to minimize exposure
- Dry the floor before proceeding with the transfer (Correct answer)
- Ask the recipient to hold tightly during the transfer
- Proceed normally since wet floors are a minor risk
Correct answer: Dry the floor before proceeding with the transfer
Wet floors are a major fall hazard and must be dried before any transfer to prevent injury to both the recipient and provider.
Question 3: A recipient with dementia becomes agitated and starts hitting the IHSS provider. What is the safest immediate response?
- Restrain the recipient to prevent injury
- Step back, create distance, and speak calmly (Correct answer)
- Raise your voice to establish authority
- Leave the home and call the recipient's family
Correct answer: Step back, create distance, and speak calmly
Creating physical distance and using a calm, low voice is the safest de-escalation technique when a recipient with dementia becomes aggressive.
Question 4: Which item should NEVER be stored near or on top of a recipient's oxygen concentrator?
- A telephone
- Petroleum-based lotions or creams (Correct answer)
- A TV remote control
- A glass of water
Correct answer: Petroleum-based lotions or creams
Petroleum-based products like Vaseline are flammable and can ignite near supplemental oxygen, creating a serious fire hazard.
Question 5: An IHSS provider smells gas in the recipient's home. What is the correct sequence of actions?
- Open windows, then call the gas company from inside
- Do not turn any switches on or off — evacuate immediately, then call 911 (Correct answer)
- Turn on exhaust fans to ventilate the area
- Check the stove and oven to identify the source
Correct answer: Do not turn any switches on or off — evacuate immediately, then call 911
Any electrical switch can create a spark that ignites gas — evacuate without operating any switches and call 911 from outside.
Question 6: A recipient who uses a walker is preparing to descend a small step. How should the IHSS provider position themselves?
- Behind and slightly to one side of the recipient (Correct answer)
- Directly in front of the recipient facing them
- Standing to the side holding the walker
- Several feet away to give the recipient independence
Correct answer: Behind and slightly to one side of the recipient
Standing behind and to the side allows the provider to support and catch the recipient if they lose balance without blocking their path.
Question 7: What does the acronym PASS stand for in fire extinguisher use?
- Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep (Correct answer)
- Press, Activate, Spray, Stop
- Point, Aim, Shoot, Spray
- Pull, Activate, Shoot, Spray
Correct answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
PASS stands for Pull the pin, Aim low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side.
IHSS Safety & Emergency Response 2
An IHSS recipient is choking and cannot cough, speak, or breathe.
What is the correct first action?