Sudden Illness Exam – American Red Cross Module 5 Study Guide
of life-threatening sudden ill- nesses?
1. What are examples of
life-threatening sudden ill-
nesses?
2. What are common symptoms
, Sudden Illness Exam – American Red Cross Module 5 Study Guide
- Heart attack, - Trouble breathing,
- Asthma attack, - Pain, such as chest pain, abdominal pain or a headache,
- Anaphylaxis, - Changes in level of responsiveness, such as being confused or
- Diabetic emergency, unaware of one's surroundings, or becoming unresponsive,
- Seizures, - Extreme fatigue,
- Shock, - Light-headedness or dizziness,
- Opioid overdose, - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach cramps,
- Stroke, - A fever,
- High fever in young children and infants, - Pale, ashen (gray) or very flushed skin, which may be exces-
- Vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in young sively sweaty or dry, or excessively hot or cold,
children and infants - Problems seeing or speaking (e.g., blurred vision or slurred
speech),
Signs and symptoms of sudden illness vary - Numbness, weakness or paralysis,
widely, depending on the cause of the illness - Seizures.
and may include:
3. How can you look for changes To look for changes in skin color, it can be helpful to look
in skin color? at less pigmented areas of the skin, such as lips or mucous
, Sudden Illness Exam – American Red Cross Module 5 Study Guide
membranes. In addition, a person with a sudden illness will
just not "look right" and will have other signs and symptoms
of sudden illness, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea,
and so on.
1. Assist the person with their medication.
4. General Care Steps for Sud-
den Illness For some sudden illnesses, you can assist the person with their
medications. To assist the person with their medication:
- Explain to the person or a family member what you are going
to do,
- Otter to get their medication,
- Ask them to confirm that you have the right medication,
- Assemble the medication device, if necessary,
- Give them the medication to self-administer.
2. Position the person as appropriate.
- Unresponsive person who is breathing or a person who re-
sponds but is not fully awake: Place the person in a recovery
position,
- Responsive person: Place the person in a position of comfort,
- A person who is actively seizing: Monitor the person until the
seizing has stopped. Turn them onto their side into a recovery
position if it is possible to do so without injury. If they become
unresponsive, position them in the recovery position.
3. Keep the person from getting cold or overheated and monitor
and reassure them until EMS arrives, if you had to call them.
Yes.
5. Can you assist a person with
medications?
of life-threatening sudden ill- nesses?
1. What are examples of
life-threatening sudden ill-
nesses?
2. What are common symptoms
, Sudden Illness Exam – American Red Cross Module 5 Study Guide
- Heart attack, - Trouble breathing,
- Asthma attack, - Pain, such as chest pain, abdominal pain or a headache,
- Anaphylaxis, - Changes in level of responsiveness, such as being confused or
- Diabetic emergency, unaware of one's surroundings, or becoming unresponsive,
- Seizures, - Extreme fatigue,
- Shock, - Light-headedness or dizziness,
- Opioid overdose, - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach cramps,
- Stroke, - A fever,
- High fever in young children and infants, - Pale, ashen (gray) or very flushed skin, which may be exces-
- Vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in young sively sweaty or dry, or excessively hot or cold,
children and infants - Problems seeing or speaking (e.g., blurred vision or slurred
speech),
Signs and symptoms of sudden illness vary - Numbness, weakness or paralysis,
widely, depending on the cause of the illness - Seizures.
and may include:
3. How can you look for changes To look for changes in skin color, it can be helpful to look
in skin color? at less pigmented areas of the skin, such as lips or mucous
, Sudden Illness Exam – American Red Cross Module 5 Study Guide
membranes. In addition, a person with a sudden illness will
just not "look right" and will have other signs and symptoms
of sudden illness, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea,
and so on.
1. Assist the person with their medication.
4. General Care Steps for Sud-
den Illness For some sudden illnesses, you can assist the person with their
medications. To assist the person with their medication:
- Explain to the person or a family member what you are going
to do,
- Otter to get their medication,
- Ask them to confirm that you have the right medication,
- Assemble the medication device, if necessary,
- Give them the medication to self-administer.
2. Position the person as appropriate.
- Unresponsive person who is breathing or a person who re-
sponds but is not fully awake: Place the person in a recovery
position,
- Responsive person: Place the person in a position of comfort,
- A person who is actively seizing: Monitor the person until the
seizing has stopped. Turn them onto their side into a recovery
position if it is possible to do so without injury. If they become
unresponsive, position them in the recovery position.
3. Keep the person from getting cold or overheated and monitor
and reassure them until EMS arrives, if you had to call them.
Yes.
5. Can you assist a person with
medications?
