- Identify the causes of breathing emergencies
o Partially obstructed airway o Illness o Chronic conditions (emphysema/asthma) o Electrocution o Heart attack o Injury to head, chest, lungs or abdomen o Allergic reactions o Drugs o Poisoning o Emotional distress
- Identify signals of respiratory distress
o Cannot catch breath
o Gasp for air
o Breathing faster or slower than normal
o Wheezing, gurgling, high-pitched sounds
o Skin unusually moist, flushed
o Pale, ashen, cyanotic
o Dizzy, light headed
o Pain in chest, tingling in hands, feet, lips
o Apprehensive/fearful
o Children- agitation, unusually fast or slow breathing, drowsiness, noisy breathing, pale, ashen, flushed or bluish skin, breathing trouble increases, altered level of consciousness, increased heart rate
- Identify conditions that cause respiratory distress
asthma
emphysema
bronchitis
hyperventilation
o Asthma
narrow air passage caused by an allergic reaction
o Emphysema
alveoli cannot exchange CO2 and O2 effectively
o Bronchitis
inflammation of trachea, bronchi, bronchioles
o Anaphylactic shock
severe allergic reaction, air passages swell and restrict breathing
o Hyperventilation
breathing is faster than normal, results from fear or anxiety. Can also be caused by head injuries, severe bleeding, high fever, heart failure, lung disease, diabetic emergencies
- Identify common causes of choking for adults, children and infants
o Trying to swallow large pieces of poorly chewed food
o Drinking alcohol before or during meals, wearing dentures, eating while talking excitedly or laughing and eating too fast, walking, playing or running with food or objects in mouth
- Describe the care for a conscious choking adult, child and infant
o give 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts
o back blows help dislodge the object that is in the airway
o abdominal thrusts create pressure that forces the diaphragm higher into the thoracic cavity (increasing pressure)
- Describe the care for a victim experiencing respiratory distress
o Check scene for safety o Check for consciousness of victim o Call 911 o Care for conditions you have found Loosen clothing Open door or window Interview victim and bystanders Continue to monitor victim Calm and reassure victim Assist victim with prescribed medications Get victim comfortable
- Describe the care for a victim in respiratory arrest
o give rescue breaths
o in children and infants, give smaller, faster breaths (1 breath every 3 seconds)
- Describe when and how to use breathing barriers
o Use them when you need to give rescue breathing to the victim. If you do not have one, then don’t delay care.
- Don’t stop rescue breathing unless
o Scene becomes unsafe
o Victim begins to breathe on their own
o Another trained person takes over for you
o EMS personnel arrive on the scene and take over
o You are too exhausted to continue
- Demonstrate how to provide rescue breathing for a child
give 1 rescue breath every 3 seconds for 2 minutes, recheck for signs of life and a pulse about every 2 minutes. Continue as long as a pulse is present but child isn’t breathing
- Demonstrate how to provide rescue breathing for an infant
give 1 rescue breath every 3 seconds for 2 minutes. Recheck for signs of life and a pulse about every 2 minutes. Continue as long as pulse is present but infant isn’t breathing.
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking adult
check scene, check person. Have someone call 911. Obtain consent. Lean the person forward and give 5 back blows, then 5 abdominal thrusts. Do this until the object is forced out, person can breathe or cough forcefully, person becomes unconscious.
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking child
check scene, check child. Have someone call 911. Obtain consent from parent or guardian, if present, give 5 back blows and 5 back thrusts. Do this until the object is forced out, person can breathe or cough forcefully, person becomes unconscious
- Demonstrate how to provide care for a conscious choking infant
obtain permission to provide care. If infant cannot cough, cry or breathe, have someone else call 911 or the local emergency number. 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts do this until the object is expelled, infant starts to breath, cry or cough forcefully, infant is unconscious
- Airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway, which prevents air from reaching a person’s lungs; the most common cause of respiratory emergencies
- Anatomical airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway by the tongue or swollen tissues of the mouth and throat
- Aspiration
inhalation of blood, vomit or other foreign material into the lungs
- Cyanotic
bluish discoloration of the skin around the mouth or fingertips resulting from a lack of oxygen in the blood
- Mechanical airway obstruction
complete or partial blockage of the airway by a foreign object, such as a piece of food or a small toy, or fluids (vomit, blood)
