Management of Medical Emergencies

The Dental Staff’s Management of Medical Emergencies (ADAA)


Sue Protzman, CDA; Jeff Clark, MS, REMT-P

Continuing Education Units: 5 hours

Intended Audience: Hygienists, Dental Assistants

You will need to register at the Crest/OralB site to take this course, but it's free and offers lots of valuable benefits.

This course is part of the home-study library of the American Dental Assistants Association. To learn more about the ADAA visit www.dentalassistant.org.

You can now download this course in a PDF version and review anytime offline. Then, all you need to do is go online to complete the test!

This continuing education course is intended for hygienists and assistants. This course is designed to improve your ability to plan for, manage and handle office medical emergencies as part of the dental team. Also include a discussion of the importance of a thorough health history in dealing with medical emergencies, background information on emergencies, vitals and what should be included in office emergency equipment. Also provides scenarios of medical emergency situations and how to handle them.

Course Contents

•Introduction
•Glossary
•Preparation for Emergencies
•Health Assessment
•Vital Signs
•Emergency Training
•Office Emergency Plan
•Anxiety Reduction
•Recognition of an Emergency and Initial Emergency Procedures
•Handling Specific Medical Emergencies
    ◦Airway Obstruction
    ◦Asthma/Bronchospasm/COPD
    ◦Cardiac Arrest
    ◦Cerebrovascular Accidents/Transient Ischemic Attacks
    ◦Chest Pain/Angina/Acute Myocardial Infarction
    ◦Heart Failure/Pulmonary Edema
    ◦Hypoglycemia
    ◦Diabetic Ketoacidosis
    ◦Allergy/Anaphylaxis
    ◦Accidental Overdose
    ◦Hyperventilation Syndrome
    ◦Respiratory Arrest
    ◦Seizures
    ◦Syncope
•Emergency Kit
•Emergency Treatment Records and Evaluation
•Legal Aspects
•Summary
•Course Test
•References

•About the AuthorsWhen you complete a continuing education course on the Dental ResourceNet, a form will come up that requests your name, address, etc. If you are a member of the AGD, make sure to fill out the field that asks for your AGD membership number (if you are not an AGD member, leave blank). When you hit submit, a copy of the "proof of completion" is e-mailed directly to the AGD and P&G. For your records, make sure to print a copy of the "proof of completion" certificate.