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Medical Emergencies in the Imaging Department - Coggle Diagram
Medical Emergencies in the Imaging Department
Seizures
Focal Impaired Awareness Seizures
Signs and Symptoms
: brief loss of consciousness/ staring into space, small muscle spasms, twitching, and the inability to speak
Tonic Clonic Seizures
Signs and Symptoms:
loss of consciousness, stiffened extremities involuntary muscles contraction, drooling, loss of bowels and bladder, loss of muscle control.
Safety Considerations:
Never place your hand or an object in a patient’s mouth. Instead, make notes like where the seizure began, was it one-sided or two-sided, which parts of the body were involved, length of duration and symptoms following the seizure.
Seek medical assistance
if the patient seizes for longer than five minutes, repeated seizures occur, the patient has difficulty breathing, does not return to their normal state, or is injured.
Radiographers role:
prevent injury and maintain safety. Stay with the patient, lay them down, provide a pillow for head support, and turn them on their side to prevent choking or blocking of the airway.
Head Injuries
Radiographers role
: assess the patient at the beginning of the procedure to establish a baseline so you can tell if the patient starts to deteriorate. Signs of a deteriorating head injury include irritability, lethargy, slowing pulse rate or respiratory rate.
Seek medical assistance
if you notice a deteriorating head injury. The procedure should be stopped immediately and try to move the patient as little as possible while you maintain an open airway. Obtain the patient’s vital signs while waiting for help.
Signs and Symptoms:
Varies depending on level of consciousness. Least severe injury= alert and conscious. More serious injury= drowsy but can response with loud speaking or gentle physical contact. Even more serious injury= unconscious and reacts only to painful stimuli. The most serious= patient is comatose and unresponsive to all stimuli.
Shock
Relevance to Imaging Department
: Anaphylactic shock is commonly connected to the administration of iodinated contrast media.
Radiographers role
: Stop the procedure, and try to maintain the patient’s body temperature. call for medical assistance, and measure the patient’s vital signs while waiting for assistance. Constantly monitor patients who have had contrast media injections.
Signs and Symptoms:
restlessness, apprehension or general anxiety, tachycardia, decreasing blood pressure, cold and clammy skin, and pallor.
Diabetic Crisis
Radiographers role
: If a patient is conscious and experiencing hypoglycemia, allow them to have some form of carbohydrates like orange juice, a sugared soft drink, a candy bar, or glucose tablets. If they are experiencing hyperglycemia stop the procedure and seek help.
Signs and Symptoms:
Hypoglycemia- intensely hungry, weak, shaky, excessive sweat, confused, irritable- sometimes to the point of aggression and mild hostility.
Hyperglycemia- excessive thirst and urination, dry mucosa, rapid or deep breathing, drowsiness, and confusion.
Seek medical assistance
if the patient has hyperglycemia or if the patient has hypoglycemia and becomes unconscious.
Cardiac Arrest
Radiographers role
You should be familiar with your facility's protocol for cardiac emergencies. Alert another healthcare professional to call an emergency response and locate the AED, then begin CPR.
Seek medical assistance
immediatley.
Signs and Symptoms:
Patient describes crushing chest pain, or pain radiating down the left arm.
Appropriate Actions
include spending no more than 10 seconds checking for a pulse. If the pulse can't be found, then start chest compressions. 30 compressions should be given at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute with a depth of 2 inches for an adult. This should be followed by establishing an airway and rescue breathing. Do not perform CPR if the patient has a DNR order in their chart.
Relevance to Imaging Department:
The American Medical Association recommends all health professionals be taught CPR skills. Radiographers are encouraged to be familiar with the required skills and to acquire CPR certification.
Respiratory Distress (Asthma)
Radiographers role
Stop the procedure, assist the patient to a sitting position and reassure them. Be clam and try to comfort them to help reduce the severity. If the patient has medications like an inhaler then you should allow them to use it.
Seek medical assistance
If a patient has an astma attack and does not have medication with them to treat it.
Signs and Symptoms:
Asthma attacks are triggered in asthmatic patients exposed to stressful situation. Symptoms include wheezing.
Epistaxis
Radiographers role
Instruct the patient to lean forward and pinch the affected nostril against the midline nasal cartilage with their fingers.
Signs and Symptoms:
Bleeding from the nose
Seek medical assistance
if gentle pressure or the moist compress fail to stop the bleeding after 15 minutes.
Appropriate Actions
include not putting the patient in a recumbent position or tilt their head backward because blood will flow down their throat. A moist compress can also be applied if gentle pressure does not work.
Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke)
Radiographers role
: If any of the symptoms are present it should be reported to a nurse or physician immediately. Instruct the patient not to stand or move until help arrives. If the patient loses consciousness, CPR may be needed.
Seek medical assistance
if you notice any of the signs or symptoms, even if they are temporary.
Signs and Symptoms:
Paralysis on one or both sides, slurred speech or complete loss of speech, extreme dizziness, loss of vision in one eye, and loss of consciousness. Symptoms can be temporary.