Module 12: Emergency Procedures

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to introduce the student to the concepts and procedures related to emergency procedures, signs and symptoms of distress, and the role of the Nurse Assistant in Long Term Care (LTC) in the response to immediate and temporary intervention in emergency situations.

Module 12 Vocabulary Study Tool: https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/4854f59a-aaed-4555-bb54-068d3f2cec2e

Performance Standards (Objectives): Define key terminology:

1. Abdominal thrusts

2. Advance directive

3. Agitation

4. Airway

5. Aphasia

6. Aspirate

7. Automated External Device (AED)

8. Barrier device

9. Bradypnea

10. Breathing

11. Cardiac arrest

12. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

13. Compressions, Airway, Breathing (CAB)-formerly (ABC)

14. Cyanosis

15. Defibrillator

16. Diaphoresis

17. Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)

18. Dyspnea

19. Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

20. Heimlich maneuver

21. Hemiplegia

22. Hemorrhage

23. Hyperventilation

24. Hypoglycemia

25. Hypoventilation

26. Hypoxia

27. Pallor

28. Pocket mask

29. Recovery position

30. Respiratory arrest

31. Respiratory distress

32. Stat

33. Syncope

34. Tachypnea

35. Unconscious

Patient, resident, and client are synonymous terms referring to the person receiving care

CNA Module 12 Emergency Procedures Vocabulary Sentences

Practice Sentences for Adult English Learners

1. When a resident is choking on food, the nursing assistant should perform abdominal thrusts to manually force air from the lungs and remove the blockage from the trachea.
2. The family provided an advance directive that clearly states the resident’s wishes for medical treatment if she becomes unable to make decisions herself.
3. The resident with dementia showed signs of agitation when he became restless and exhibited disturbed behaviors due to anxiety about the unfamiliar environment.
4. The nursing assistant must keep the resident’s airway clear to ensure air can move freely into and out of the lungs.
5. After the stroke, the resident developed aphasia and lost the ability to communicate through speech, writing, or signs.
6. The resident began to aspirate when fluid accidentally entered her lungs during swallowing, causing her to cough violently.
7. The facility’s Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that can automatically diagnose life-threatening heart rhythms and deliver electric shocks to restore normal heartbeat.
8. The nursing assistant used a barrier device during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to prevent the transmission of germs between herself and the resident.
9. The resident’s bradypnea concerned the nurse because his breathing rate was only 8 respirations per minute, which is slower than normal.
10. Normal breathing involves the regular movement of air into and out of the lungs to supply oxygen to the body.
11. The emergency team responded immediately when the resident went into cardiac arrest and his heart stopped beating completely.
12. The nursing assistant was trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to reestablish effective circulation and breathing during cardiac emergencies.
13. The new CPR guidelines follow CAB sequence—Compressions, Airway, Breathing—which was formerly taught as ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
14. The resident’s lips and fingernails showed cyanosis, appearing blue due to insufficient oxygen in her blood.
15. The emergency team used a defibrillator to deliver controlled electrical energy to the resident’s heart to correct the dangerous irregular rhythm.
16. During the medical emergency, the resident experienced diaphoresis and was sweating excessively due to stress and physical distress.
17. The resident’s chart indicated Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) status, meaning no extraordinary life-saving measures should be taken when death approaches.
18. The resident complained of dyspnea and said she was having difficulty breathing and felt short of breath.
19. The nursing assistant called Emergency Medical Services (EMS) by dialing 911 when the resident’s condition became life-threatening.
20. The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency technique using abdominal thrusts to remove objects blocking a person’s airway.
21. Following the stroke, the resident developed hemiplegia and experienced paralysis on the entire left side of his body.
22. The nursing assistant applied direct pressure to control the hemorrhage and stop the excessive bleeding from the resident’s wound.
23. During the panic attack, the resident experienced hyperventilation with breathing that was much more rapid and deeper than normal.
24. The diabetic resident showed signs of hypoglycemia when her blood sugar dropped dangerously low, causing confusion and weakness.
25. The resident’s hypoventilation was a concern because her breathing was slower and more shallow than normal, not providing adequate oxygen.
26. The resident’s hypoxia was evident when oxygen levels in her body became dangerously low, affecting her mental alertness.
27. The resident’s pallor was noticeable as her face became very pale and lost its normal color during the medical emergency.
28. The nursing assistant used a pocket mask as a protective barrier device to safely provide rescue breaths during the emergency.
29. After ensuring the unconscious resident was breathing, the nursing assistant placed her in the recovery position on her side to keep the airway open.
30. When the resident went into respiratory arrest, her breathing stopped completely and emergency intervention was needed immediately.
31. The signs of respiratory distress included difficult, labored, and painful breathing that required immediate medical attention.
32. The doctor’s order marked STAT meant the medication needed to be given to the resident immediately without delay.
33. The resident experienced syncope and suddenly lost consciousness, falling to the floor due to decreased blood flow to the brain.
34. The resident’s tachypnea was concerning because her breathing rate increased to 30 respirations per minute, much faster than normal.
35. The unconscious resident lacked sensory awareness and was completely unaware of her surroundings and what was happening around her.

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Study Tip: Practice using these vocabulary words in different sentences and scenarios you might encounter as a CNA. Understanding both the definition and proper usage will help you succeed on the California CNA exam.

Module 12: 5 CNA Emergency Procedures Dialogues for English Learners

Dialogue 1: Respiratory Emergency

Setting: Long-term care facility

Maria (New CNA): Nurse Johnson, I’m worried about Mr. Peterson in room 15. He has dyspnea and looks very pale.

Nurse Johnson: What exactly are you observing, Maria?

Maria: He’s breathing very fast – I think it’s tachypnea. His skin has pallor, and he seems to be in respiratory distress.

Nurse Johnson: Good observations. Is his airway clear?

Maria: Yes, but he’s making wheezing sounds when he breathes. Should I get the pocket mask ready?

Nurse Johnson: Not yet. First, let’s assess if he’s getting enough oxygen. Watch for cyanosis around his lips. If his oxygen levels drop further, we may need to call EMS.

Maria: I understand. What if he stops breathing completely?

Nurse Johnson: If he has respiratory arrest, we’ll need to start CPR immediately. Remember, it’s now CAB – compressions, airway, breathing.

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Dialogue 2: Cardiac Emergency

Setting: Dining room at assisted living facility

David (CNA): Help! Mrs. Garcia just collapsed!

Supervisor: Stay calm, David. Is she conscious?

David: No, she’s unconscious. I can’t feel a pulse!

Supervisor: This looks like cardiac arrest. Start compressions immediately while I get the AED.

David: Should I check for an advance directive or DNR first?

Supervisor: Good thinking, but we need to act now. Check her chart later. Keep doing compressions – 30 compressions, then 2 breaths.

David: The automated external device is here. What’s next?

Supervisor: Attach the pads and follow the voice prompts. The defibrillator will analyze her heart rhythm.

David: I called EMS too. They should be here soon.

Supervisor: Excellent work. Continue CPR until they arrive.

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Dialogue 3: Choking Emergency

Setting: Cafeteria

Lisa (CNA Student): Mr. Thompson is choking on his food! He can’t speak!

Experienced CNA Tom: Can he cough or make any sounds?

Lisa: No, he’s grabbing his throat and turning blue!

Tom: That’s cyanosis – his airway is completely blocked. We need to do abdominal thrusts right away.

Lisa: You mean the Heimlich maneuver?

Tom: Yes, same thing. Stand behind him, make a fist below his ribcage, and thrust upward.

Lisa: It worked! He’s coughing now.

Tom: Good. Make sure he didn’t aspirate any food particles into his lungs. We should have the nurse check him for any complications.

Lisa: Should we call the doctor?

Tom: Yes, and document everything. Choking incidents need to be reported stat.

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Dialogue 4: Stroke Recognition

Setting: Patient room

Jennifer (CNA): Something’s wrong with Mrs. Kim. She’s acting confused and has agitation.

Charge Nurse: What specific changes do you notice?

Jennifer: She can’t speak clearly – I think she has aphasia. Also, she can’t move her right arm or leg.

Charge Nurse: That sounds like hemiplegia. When did this start?

Jennifer: About 10 minutes ago. She was fine during breakfast.

Charge Nurse: We need to act fast. Check her vital signs. Is she showing any diaphoresis?

Jennifer: Yes, she’s sweating a lot. Her breathing seems normal though – no bradypnea or hyperventilation.

Charge Nurse: Call EMS immediately. This could be a stroke. Time is critical.

Jennifer: Should I put her in the recovery position?

Charge Nurse: Only if she becomes unconscious. For now, keep her comfortable and monitor her breathing.

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Dialogue 5: Blood Sugar Emergency

Setting: Activity room

Carlos (New CNA): Help! Mr. Davis suddenly became very confused and is shaking.

Senior CNA Amy: Is he diabetic?

Carlos: Yes, he has diabetes. He’s sweating heavily – showing diaphoresis.

Amy: This could be hypoglycemia – low blood sugar. How is his breathing?

Carlos: It seems normal – not hypoventilation or tachypnea.

Amy: Good. We need to check his blood sugar immediately. If it’s low, he needs glucose right away.

Carlos: What if he becomes unconscious?

Amy: If he has syncope or becomes unresponsive, we’ll need to call EMS. Never give an unconscious person anything by mouth – they could aspirate.

Carlos: His blood sugar is 45. That’s very low.

Amy: Give him some juice if he can swallow safely. If not, we need to use the emergency glucagon and call for help.

Carlos: Should I prepare for a possible emergency?

Amy: Yes, have the barrier device ready just in case we need to help with his breathing. Monitor him closely for any signs of hypoxia.

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Key Terms Practice

After reading these dialogues, students should be able to define and use these emergency procedure terms:

• Airway, Breathing, CAB (Compressions, Airway, Breathing)
• Cardiac arrest, CPR, AED, Defibrillator
• Respiratory arrest, Respiratory distress, Dyspnea
• Cyanosis, Pallor, Diaphoresis
• Unconscious, Syncope, Hypoxia
• Abdominal thrusts, Heimlich maneuver, Aspirate
• DNR, Advance directive, EMS
• Tachypnea, Bradypnea, Hyperventilation, Hypoventilation
• Aphasia, Hemiplegia, Agitation
• Hypoglycemia, Recovery position, Barrier device