Chapter 16 : Emergency Response Flashcards
a serious, unexpected event that demands immediate attention
Emergency
a group of individuals from multiple disciplines who work together to assess and stabilize a trauma patient
Trauma team
an emergency of huge magnitude that creates an unforeseen, serious, and immediate threat to public health.
Disaster
In the case of a disaster or multiple victims needing attention, the process of identifying the victims, performing initial examinations, and assigning priorities for further care.
Triage
a team that is trained to intervene and assist caregivers before a patient’s condition deteriorates to the point that a conventional code is required.
Rapid Response Team
a progressive and irreversible condition characterized by diminished inspiratory and expiratory capacity of the lungs.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
mechanical respirator; device to assist respiration or to provide intensive positive-pressure breathing.
Ventilator
an opening through the neck into the trachea through which an indwelling tube may be inserted to ventilate the patient’s lungs
Tracheostomy
passage of a tube into a body aperture, specifically the insertion of a breathing tube through the mouth or nose into the trachea to ensure a patient’s airway for the delivery of anesthetic gases, oxygen or both.
Intubation
immediately, at once, from the Latin, statim.
STAT
Is a special unit of the hospital equipped to care for person who arrive in the need of immediate care
Emergency Departments (ED)
How can some patients misuse the ED
- seek care for minor illness, rather than having a primary-care provider
- seek narcotics for recreation/abuse
Specialized care facilities usually within a hospital designed to cope with life-threatening injuries
Trauma Units
What are the levels of the trauma units
- Level l
- Level ll
- Level lll
What trauma unit is the most comprehensive, specialized care 24/7
Level l
Stuffed around the clock with physicians, surgeons, and support personnel who are highly trained
Level l
Call someone in since someone’s not always there
Level ll
Smaller community hospitals that usually have an ED physician and radiographer on call at night
Level lll
Can be stabilized within the first hour after the accident
- every minute is precious
- first hour best survival rate
Golden Hour
The role of the radiographer in trauma radiography may be to?
- take radiographs in the ED x-ray room
- operate the CT scanner
- take radiographs with mobile equipment in the trauma bay while the patient is also being tested and treated by other members of the trauma team
What does the radiographer need to do when there are multiple patients that need imaging at the same time
Priorities
- do not be hesitate to call for assistance.
Who is given the highest priority in multiple emergences?
The highest priority is assigned to patients whose vital signs are unstable and whose immediate care depends on the results of the examination, such as those in severe respiratory distress
When there is two cases of apparently equal urgency what do you do?
Start with the patient who can be examined in the shortest amount of time because this decision will result in the shortest total waiting period.
This specific order should be done at once because the patients well-being may be compromised by any delay
an order designated STAT is to be done at once
