Trauma and Injury Scenarios Flashcards

A caller reports a motorcyclist struck a guardrail at highway speed. The patient is unresponsive but breathing. What is the FIRST priority instruction for bystanders?

Answer: Do not move the patient unless there is immediate danger

Spinal precautions require keeping the patient still unless there is an immediate life threat such as fire or traffic.

During a call about a construction worker who fell 20 feet, the caller says the patient is conscious but cannot feel his legs. What should the EMD do?

Answer: Dispatch and instruct callers to keep the patient completely still

Loss of sensation below the injury level signals possible spinal cord damage, requiring strict immobilization.

A caller describes a patient with a large laceration that is 'spurting bright red blood' from the upper thigh. Which pre-arrival instruction is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Instruct caller to apply a tourniquet 2 inches above the wound

Spurting bright red blood from the thigh indicates arterial hemorrhage; a tourniquet is the recommended intervention for extremity arterial bleeding.

A child is reported to have been struck by a vehicle while riding a bicycle. The caller says the child is crying and holding her arm. What additional information is MOST critical for dispatch?

Answer: Whether the child lost consciousness at any point

Loss of consciousness following a vehicle impact indicates potential traumatic brain injury and escalates the response priority.

A caller reports a stabbing victim with a knife still embedded in the abdomen. What pre-arrival instruction should the EMD give?

Answer: Instruct the caller NOT to remove the knife

Impaled objects should never be removed in the field because they may be tamponading a major vessel.

A caller reports a patient crushed under a heavy machine for approximately 30 minutes. Rescuers are about to lift the machine. What hazard should the EMD warn responders about?

Answer: Crush syndrome causing cardiac arrhythmias upon release

Releasing prolonged crush pressure can flood the bloodstream with myoglobin and potassium, causing life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

A caller reports a patient with an open chest wound making a 'sucking' sound with each breath. What pre-arrival instruction is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Instruct caller to cover the wound with a gloved hand or occlusive material

An occlusive dressing or gloved hand over a sucking chest wound helps prevent further air entry into the pleural space.