EMR Medical Emergencies and Special Populations Flashcards
6 cards from real EMR practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 EMR Medical Emergencies and Special Populations flashcards as text
A pregnant patient complains of severe abdominal pain, rigid abdomen, and vaginal bleeding in the third trimester. What should the EMR suspect?
Answer: Placental abruption
Third-trimester painful vaginal bleeding with a rigid abdomen is a hallmark of placental abruption, a life-threatening emergency.
What is the most common cause of altered mental status in a geriatric patient presenting without obvious trauma?
Answer: Hypoglycemia, infection, or medication effects
In the elderly, acute altered mental status is most commonly caused by hypoglycemia, infection (especially UTI), or adverse medication effects.
A child is unresponsive with agonal respirations after a near-drowning. What is the EMR's immediate priority?
Answer: Begin rescue breathing and CPR
In a drowning victim with respiratory arrest, immediate ventilation and CPR are the highest priority because hypoxia is the primary cause of cardiac arrest.
Which statement about patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in an emergency is correct?
Answer: They may not tolerate physical contact and may have difficulty communicating pain
Patients with ASD may be non-verbal, hypersensitive to touch, and may express pain or distress atypically, requiring modified assessment strategies.
A patient with sickle cell disease reports severe bone pain in a crisis. What is the EMR's primary intervention?
Answer: Position comfortably, administer oxygen, and arrange rapid transport
Sickle cell crisis management includes positioning for comfort, supplemental oxygen to reduce sickling, and rapid transport to definitive care.
Which intervention is appropriate when an EMR encounters an actively seizing patient?
Answer: Protect from injury, time the seizure, and maintain airway
During an active seizure, the EMR should clear the area, protect the patient from injury, time the episode, and be ready to manage the airway once the seizure stops.