Risk Management, Safety, and Emergency Procedures
What this domain tests
Emergency preparedness, injury prevention, and the documentation and reporting that follow an incident - the domain where hesitation costs lives and sloppy paperwork costs cases.
Core rules and concepts
- Every facility needs a written emergency action plan (EAP): assigned roles, AED and first-aid kit locations, an EMS activation script with the exact address and entrance, crowd control, and drills at least annually.
- For an unresponsive person who is not breathing normally: check responsiveness and breathing, activate EMS, start chest compressions at 100–120 per minute, apply the AED as soon as it arrives, and minimize interruptions.
- Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in endurance events; defibrillation within 3–5 minutes markedly improves survival.
- Heat illness: heat exhaustion presents with heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, and nausea, usually with core temperature below 104°F - cool, rest, and give fluids. Exertional heat stroke is core temperature ≥104°F with central nervous system dysfunction - cold-water immersion and EMS immediately; give nothing by mouth if mental status is altered.
- Anaphylaxis: epinephrine auto-injector plus EMS. Asthma: stop exercise and use the reliever inhaler.
- Acute soft tissue injury: relative rest, ice, compression, elevation in the first 24–72 hours.
- Document objectively, factually, and promptly; never speculate about fault or alter a record after the fact; notify per policy and insurer.
Worked example
A runner collapses at mile 10, is unresponsive, and is gasping. Gasping is not normal breathing, so this is a suspected cardiac arrest. Shout for help, activate EMS with the exact location, begin compressions at 100–120 per minute, send a second person for the AED, apply the pads, and follow the prompts until EMS arrives or the person shows signs of life.
Traps that cost marks
Delaying compressions while searching for a pulse; treating heat stroke as simple dehydration and giving oral fluids; writing opinions in an incident report ("he was careless"); having an EAP that has never been drilled; assuming the dispatcher knows which facility entrance to use.