ESI Practice Cases Questions + Answers Graded A+

"I was taking my contacts out last night, and I think I scratched my cornea," reports a 27-year-old female. "I'm wearing these sunglasses because the light really bothers my eyes." Her right eye is red and tearing. She rates her pain as 6/10. Vital signs are within normal limits. - ESI level 5: No resources. This patient will need an eye exam and will be discharged to home with prescriptions and an appointment to follow up with an ophthalmologist. EMS presents to the ED with an 18-year-old female with a suspected medication overdose. Her college roommates found her lethargic and "not acting right," so they called 911. The patient has a history of depression. On exam, you notice multiple superficial lacerations to both wrists. Her respiratory rate is 10, and her SpO2 on room air is 86 percent. - ESI level 1: Requires immediate lifesaving intervention. The patient's respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and inability to protect her own airway indicate the need for immediate endotracheal intubation. EMS arrived with an unresponsive 19-year-old male with a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Prior to intubation, his Glasgow Coma Scale score was 3. - ESI level 1: Requires immediate lifesaving intervention. The patient is unresponsive and will require immediate lifesaving interventions to maintain airway, breathing, circulation, and neuro status; specifically, the patient will require immediate confirmation of endotracheal tube placement. "I ran out of my blood pressure medicine, and my doctor is on vacation. Can someone here write me a prescription?" requests a 56-year-old male with a history of HTN. Vital signs: BP 128/84, HR 76, RR 16, T 97°F. - ESI level 5: No resources. The patient needs a prescription refill and has no other medical complaints. His blood pressure is controlled with his current medication. If at triage his blood pressure was 188/124 and he complained of a headache, then he would meet the criteria for a high-risk situation and be assigned to ESI level 2. If this patient's BP was elevated and the patient had no complaints, he or she would remain an ESI level 5. The blood pressure would be repeated and would most likely not be treated in the ED or treated with PO medications.A 41-year-old male involved in a bicycle accident walks into the emergency department with his right arm in a sling. He tells you that he fell off his bike and landed on his right arm. His is complaining of pain in the wrist area and has a 2-centimeter laceration on his left elbow. "My helmet saved me," he tells you. - ESI level 3: Two or more resources.