AEMCA Practice Exam

What should be done for a patient experiencing severe hypothermia?

1. External heating only

2. Foil rescue blanket and careful use of sectioning

3. Immediate CPR if necessary

4. Encourage movement

The correct answer is: Foil rescue blanket and careful use of sectioning

For a patient experiencing severe hypothermia, utilizing a foil rescue blanket combined with careful use of sectioning is the most appropriate approach. The foil rescue blanket helps to retain body heat by reflecting it back to the patient, which is critical in preventing further heat loss. This type of blanket is lightweight, easy to carry, and effective in emergency situations where insulating a patient from the cold environment is necessary. The careful use of sectioning refers to the process of maintaining the patient's core body temperature. During the rewarming process, care must be taken to avoid rapid rewarming, which can trigger complications like "rewarming shock." Gradual rewarming allows the body to adjust more safely to temperature changes. Other methods, while they may be considered, do not provide the same level of effectiveness for severe hypothermia. For example, external heating only may not address the central body temperature sufficiently and can lead to uneven warming. Immediate CPR may be warranted if the patient is unresponsive or has no pulse, but in the context of treating severe hypothermia, stabilizing the patient's temperature is the priority. Encouraging movement can lead to an increase in core temperature but can also be detrimental as physical exertion may cause further heat loss in a severely hypothermic