FISDAP OPERATIONS

FISDAP OPERATIONS A patient is found unresponsive in his small bathroom. He is not breathing and is sitting in the corner. Two EMTs are able to reach him, but they are unable to stand side by side. He appears to weigh about 150 pounds and there is no evidence that he has been injured. Which of the following would be the quickest and MOST practical way of moving him out of the bathroom? A) Extremity lift B) Long backboard C) Direct ground lift D) Stair chair device - ANSWER A) Extremity lift When moving any patient, you should do so in the safest, most efficient way possible. If a patient is in a narrow space (ie, small bathroom, narrow hallway) and you and your partner cannot stand side by side to perform a direct ground lift, the extremity lift would be the most practical way of moving him or her. One EMT would lift by the arms and the other by the legs; the patient could then be moved to a larger working area. Two EMTs should be able to safely lift a 150-pound patient. A long backboard would clearly not work in the case of a narrow or small space because there would be little room to the patient's left or right to slide the board underneath him or her. A stair chair would also likely not be possible, or practical, because of such a confined space. A 52-year-old woman crashed her minivan into a tree. She is pinned at the legs by the steering wheel and is semiconscious. After gaining access to the patient, you should: A) perform a primary assessment and provide any life-saving care before extrication. B) immediately apply high-flow oxygen to the patient and allow extrication to begin. C) rapidly assess her from head to toe, obtain vital signs, and apply a cervical collar. D) have the fire department disentangle the patient and quickly remove her from the car. - ANSWER A) perform a primary assessment and provide any life-saving care before extrication. Unless there is an immediate threat of fire, explosion, or other danger, you should perform a primary assessment and begin any life-saving care as soon as you have gained access to the patient. If you wait to do this until after the patient has been disentangled, it may be too late; the patient may already be dead. After you have assessed the patient and treated any immediate threats to life, allow extrication to commence. Once the patient has been freed from the vehicle, continue any lifesaving care and perform a rapid head-to -toe assessment to identify and treat other life- threatening injuries. Another EMT can obtain vital signs as you rapidly assess the patient. Prepare for immediate transport after the rapid head-to-toe assessment has been performed and spinal precautions have been taken (if indicated). When arriving at the scene of a motor vehicle crash at night, you determine that the safest place to park the ambulance is in a direction that faces oncoming traffic. What should you do? A) Position road flares around the front of the ambulance. B) Turn all emergency lighting off to avoid blinding the traffic. C) Turn the high-beam headlights on to alert oncoming traffic. D) Turn your headlights off, but keep the emergency lights on. - ANSWER D) Turn your headlights off, but keep the emergency lights on. Emergency operations on the highway at night can be especially dangerous for responders; it is important to position emergency vehicles correctly, while at the same time ensuring visibility for oncoming traffic without blinding them. First of all, road flares near an automobile crash are dangerous because leaking fluids , such as gasoline, may not be immediately apparent; safety triangles are safer. If your emergency vehicle is facing oncoming traffic, you should keep your emergency lights on, but turn your headlights off. Bright lights, such as high-beam headlights, can effectively blind and disorient an oncoming driver, and could cause them to crash into the scene. A 72-year-old woman fell and has a hip injury. She is on the second floor of her home. Which of the following devices should you use to move her down the flight of stairs A) Stair chair B) Long backboard C) Wheeled stretcher D) Scoop stretcher - ANSWER D) Scoop stretcher Of the options listed, the scoop stretcher, also called an orthopaedic stretcher or split litter, would be the most appropriate to use. The scoop stretcher is contoured and allows for the placement of straps to secure the patient; it also allows you to place padding around and under the patient. The long backboard, unlike the scoop stretcher, is flat; therefore, the patient can slide from side to side or top to bottom, even when straps are placed. The wheeled ambulance stretcher is top heavy and is not safe for patient movement down a flight of stairs or across rough terrain. Because the patient has a hip injury, the stair chair would not be appropriate to use.