Triage
What is the purpose of triage in emergency nursing?
Answer: To rapidly assess and categorize patients based on the severity of their conditions to prioritize treatment
What is the primary goal of emergency nursing?
Answer: To recognize life-threatening conditions and initiate interventions to prevent further deterioration.
What are heat-related emergencies?
Answer: Conditions arising from exposure to high temperatures, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
What is a penetrating injury?
Answer: An injury caused by an object piercing the skin and entering the body, creating an open wound.
What defines a mass casualty incident (MCI)?
Answer: An event that results in a large number of casualties exceeding the resources available to manage them.
What does ESI-1 indicate in triage?
Answer: ESI-1 indicates that the patient is in imminent danger of dying and requires immediate intervention.
Describe the first action taken upon patient contact.
Name two symptoms of heat exhaustion.
Answer: Fatigue and profuse sweating.
What is the most common cause of penetrating trauma?
Answer: Gunshot wounds.
Explain the role of community emergency response teams (CERTs).
Answer: They assist in emergency preparedness and provide immediate aid to victims before professional responders arrive.
Name a key assessment skill in triage
Answer: Rapidly determining patient acuity.
What are common interventions for airway obstruction?
Answer: Jaw-thrust maneuver, suctioning, and intubation.
What is the treatment for hypothermia?
Answer: Rewarming the patient using passive or active techniques depending on severity.
Name a critical assessment for neck trauma.
Answer: Assess for airway compromise and major vessel injury.
What is the triage process in an MCI?
Answer: Rapid assessment of victims to categorize them based on injury severity and likelihood of survival.
What factors determine a patient's ESI level?
Answer: Stability of vital functions, life threat, urgency of care, and expected resource intensity
How do you assess circulation in trauma patients?
Answer: Assess the quality and rate of peripheral pulses and monitor capillary refill.
Describe the signs of frostbite.
Answer: Assess the quality and rate of peripheral pulses and monitor capillary refill.
How should abdominal wounds be evaluated?
Answer: Inspect for signs of bleeding, tenderness, and signs of peritonitis; imaging may be required.
Describe the color-coding system used in triage.
Answer: Red for life-threatening injuries, yellow for urgent but not life-threatening, green for minor injuries, black for deceased.
Describe the five levels of ESI
Answer: ESI-1: Immediate threat to life; ESI-2: High-risk patient needing urgent care; ESI-3: Stable but requires multiple resources; ESI-4: Stable and needs simple intervention; ESI-5: Stable and needs only a single resource.
Explain the importance of family presence during resuscitation.
What are the key interventions for heatstroke?
Answer: Rapid cooling through immersion in cold water, monitoring vital signs, and providing supportive care.
Describe the emergency management of gunshot wounds.
Answer: Maintain ABCs, control bleeding, and initiate fluid resuscitation; surgery may be needed.
What steps should be taken for decontamination in an MCI?
Answer: Decontaminate at the scene if contamination is suspected, then transport to hospitals for further care.