(ME) Medical Emergencies Module Overview

Medical Emergencies Module Overview

Introduction

image of girl spilling water with wordle as the puddleScenario - Daisy was excited to be babysitting the Johnson family children Friday night. She had just passed her driver's license test and knew that she would need the extra money to pay for gas and the Johnson kids were always fun to watch. Ashley, the youngest daughter, was 3 and a half, and quite a handful. She was always into everything, but Daisy was careful to always have a close eye on her. While Daisy was finishing clearing up the dinner dishes, she noticed that Ashley was no longer watching her favorite TV show. Suddenly realizing that she was missing, Daisy began to search the rest of the house. When she reached the bathroom, she knew something terrible had happened. The sink cabinet was open and Ashley was lying on the bathroom floor complaining of a sore tummy. When Daisy asked her what happened, Ashley looked at her strangely and asked where her Barbie was. What would you do?

Essential Questions

  • What is the most effective way to care for a victim of a sudden illness such as a diabetic emergency, seizure or stroke?
  • How can a person help prevent accidental poisoning?
  • How can temperature related illness be prevented and what is the best way to care for victims of heat and cold related emergencies?

Module Minute

Accidents and sudden illness can strike at anytime and to anyone. They can develop over time, or occur without warning in a moment's notice. They can develop inside the body, as in the case of fainting, diabetic emergencies, seizures, or stroke. Signals of sudden illness include profuse sweating, confusion, changes in consciousness, and weakness. Recognizing these signs will help you determine the necessary care to give the victim until EMS personnel arrive.
Sudden illness may also develop when external substances enter the body and cause severe reactions that require immediate attention. Poisoning, anaphylaxis, bites and stings are the most common of these types of sudden illness. In short, a poison can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, absorption and injection. The National Poison Control Center provides a free phone service for people suspecting poisoning. Trained personnel are able to give directions in the event of an emergency.

Key Terms

  1. Diabetes Mellitus - a metabolic disease causing an inability to regulate the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
  2. Epilepsy- a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures.
  3. Fainting- a temporary loss of consciousness due to a decrease in blood flow to the brain.
  4. Hyperglycemia- abnormally high blood glucose levels.
  5. Hypoglycemia- abnormally low blood glucose levels
  6. Insulin- a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood glucose levels by enabling the body to use sugar for energy.
  7. Seizure- sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain, often causing a person's body to shake rapidly and uncontrollably.
  8. Stroke- a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is disrupted, also called a cerebrovascular accident.
  9. Transient ischemic attack (TIA)- a 'mini stroke' that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is briefly interrupted.
  10. Poison- A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism.
  11. Poison Control Center- 1-800-222-1222 Anywhere in the United States - a free, confidential, health care center that provides a primary resource for poisoning information.
  12. Antivenin- An antitoxin for treating bites from venomous animals as such as snakes and spiders.
  13. Lyme disease- a bacterial infection you get from the bite of an infected tick.
  14. Rabies- a deadly animal disease caused by a virus that is transmitted through saliva of infected mammals.
  15. Frostbite- a medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to freezing.
  16. Heat cramps- painful muscle spasms that result from loss of a large amount of salt and water through exercise.
  17. Heat exhaustion- an illness that can precede heatstroke; often resulting from strenuous work or exercise in a hot environment.
  18. Heat stroke- a life-threatening illness in which body temperature may rise above 106° F in minutes due to the body's cooling mechanisms becoming overwhelmed, causing body systems to begin to fail.
  19. Hypothermia- abnormally low body temperature caused when the body's warming mechanisms fail to maintain normal body temperature and heat is lost faster than it is produced.

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION