Annual Emergencies Checklist

Question 1

5 cardiopulmonary emergencies include

Answer 1

-cardiac arrest
-ventricular tachycardia
-ventricular fibrillation
-Apnea greater than 2 minutes
-Changes in cardiac Rhythm

Question 2

Changes in cardiac rhythm include
(6)

Answer 2

1. Clinically significant Tachycardia
   (>150 BPM)
2. Clinically significant bradycardia
   (<40 BPM)
3. Sinus pause greater than 2 seconds, repeatedly
4. PVC
   ●More than 6 PVCs per minute for 2 minutes or more
   ●More than 6 sequential PVCs repeatedly and no history or such
   ●Persistent Bigeminy or Trigeminy
5. A-fib
6. A-flutter

Question 3

How many BPM is clinically significant Tachycardia?

Answer 3

> 150 Beats Per Minute

Question 4

How many BPM is clinically significant Bradycardia?

Answer 4

<40 Beats Per Minute

Question 5

What 2 aspects qualify a sinus pause as a change in Cardiac Rhythm?

Answer 5

1. Greater than 2 seconds
2. Repeatedly

Question 6

Fill in the blank:
More than _____ PVCs per minute for ____ minutes or more is considered a change in cardiac rhythm.

Answer 6

1. 6 PVCs
2. 2 minutes or more

Question 7

If the patient has no history of PVCs, what qualifies the rhythm to be an emergency?

Answer 7

1. 6 PVC sequentially
2. Persistent Bigeminy
3. Persistent Trigeminy

Question 8

What is a Bigeminy PVC rhythm?

Answer 8

Every other heartbeat is a PVC

Question 9

What is a Trigeminy PVC heartbeat?

Answer 9

Every 3rd heartbeat is a PVC

Question 10

What’s the difference between aflutter and afibrillation?

Answer 10

Aflutter is regular and consistent. Afibrillation is chaotic and unorganized. Both dysthymias both start in the atria.

Question 11

What does afibrillation look like?

Answer 11

chaotic heart rhythm with recognizable QRS complexes

Question 12

What does Aflutter look like?

Answer 12

sawtooth baseline and consistent QRS complexes.

Question 13

How does the tech respond to a cardiopulmonary emergeny?

Answer 13

Ensure it’s not artifact and attempt to wake the patient.

Question 14

If there seems to be a cardiopulmonary emergency and the tech was able to wake the patient, what is the next step?

Answer 14

Continue to monitor the patient and contact the medical director immediately.

Question 15

If there is a cardiopulmonary emergency and the tech could not wake the patient what steps should be taken?

Answer 15

1.Call 911 OR call a code blue
2. Tech performs CPR (WITH AED)

Question 16

What is considered a neurological emergency?
(5)

Answer 16

●change of speech
●disorientation
●Loss of balance
●loss of consciousness
●seizure

Question 17

How should the tech respond to a neulogical emergency if it is NOT a seizure AND the patient is conscious?

Answer 17

● Contact the medical director for further instructions
● Continue to monitor the patient

Question 18

How should the tech respond to a numerological emergency if it is NOT a seizure AND the patient is UNconscious?

Answer 18

●Call hospital code blue or 911
●follow CPR steps (with AED)

Question 19

Pt is having a seizure, 3 steps….

Answer 19

-move pt to side
-keeps PT away from harm
-maintain airway, monitoring O2, give O2 if necessary

Question 20

Patient has a history of seizures, and has a seizure duing a study. How should the tech respond?

Answer 20

● Monitor ♡ and continue study
-Rate
- Rhythm
●Observe and record
-time and length
-type of movements (unilateral or bilateral)
-eye movements

Question 21

What is the difference between unilateral and bilateral movement during a seizure?

Answer 21

Bilateral is both sides of the body and unilateral is one side of the body.

Question 22

If a patient has a history of seizures, and has a seizure during a study, at what point does the situation become an emergency?

Answer 22

The patient has back to back seizures with no recovery between.