Question

Use the following information to answer question 40 to 44: Paramedics are dispatched for an elderly woman collapsed at a picnic area in a large park at midday. It is mid-July, and the temp is approximately 28 degrees Celsius. The patient's family states that the 72-year-old woman has been at the park for several hours and that she collapsed about 10 mins ago. The patient has a pulse, is breathing, and responds to loud verbal stimuli with inappropriate words.

What is the initial priority management for this patient?
a) Have the patient consume water
b) Move the patient to a cool environment
c) Place the patient in the Trendelenburg position
d) Apply cold packs to the patient's groin and armpits

Answer 1

The initial priority for the patient should be to move her to a cool environment to mitigate any heat-related conditions. Subsequent measures can be taken once she is stabilized and a thorough assessment is conducted.

Step-by-step explanation:

The initial priority management for a 72-year-old woman who collapsed at a park is b) Move the patient to a cool environment. This action has immediate priority because it addresses potential heat-related illnesses by reducing further heat exposure. Given the environmental conditions (the park at midday in mid-July with temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius) and the fact the elderly woman had been outside for several hours, she is likely suffering from a heat-related condition such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Moving her to a cooler environment helps to stop the progression of the condition. Afterward, while monitoring vital signs, paramedics can consider further interventions such as hydration or applying cold packs if appropriate and once the patient is stabilized and assessed for contraindications to these treatments. It's important to note that caution should be taken when hydrating a patient who is not fully alert, as there is a risk of aspiration.

Other emergency medical interventions, such as the use of controlled hypothermia in the emergency department for cardiac arrest patients, are not immediately relevant to this field scenario, but demonstrate the importance of temperature management in different medical contexts.