A victim of a motor vehicle crash is being cared for by the rescue team. Assuming that the victim has a spinal cord injury (SCI) what should be the initial priority action?
1. Placing the client on a board
2. Placing a collar on the client before moving
3. Assessing and maintaining the airway
4. Stopping any bleeding
Answer: 3
1. Placing the client on a board is not the top priority; maintaining the airway is.
2. A collar is placed on the client before moving the client to a board and after securing an airway.
3. The first priority is always securing and maintaining the airway.
4. Once the airway is secured, an attempt is made to stop any profuse bleeding.
You might also like to view...
A patient with a spinal cord injury and who smokes is at risk for developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
The nurse provides the patient with antiembolism stockings and encourages her to stop smoking, as it contributes to vasoconstriction in the periphery and thus to DVT. What other measure would be appropriate to help prevent DVT in this patient? A) Administration of atropine sulfate B) Administration of heparin C) Administration of reserpine D) Administration of methyldopa
A patient comes into the emergency department with complaints of chest pains. An ECG reveals an acute myocardial infarction taking place. The nurse would expect the physician to take which action?
a. Send the patient directly to the cardiac unit for follow-up care. b. Give the patient one aspirin and repeat the ECG. c. Administer a thrombolytic agent for lysis of thrombi. d. Administer heparin only to prevent potential bleeding of coronary arteries.
The pulse oximeter connected to a client with viral pneumonia, but who has no other underlying respiratory disease, has had readings between 79% and 88% for the past half hour
Identify the type of oxygen delivery system that is most effective for the nurse to initiate when the client complains of shortness of breath. a. Nonrebreather mask b. Nasal cannula c. Rebreather mask d. High-humidity face tent
A patient with a deep vein thrombosis receiving a heparin infusion and warfarin (Coumadin) therapy develops bleeding gums. What action should the nurse take?
a. Notify the registered nurse. b. Offer the patient a saline mouth rinse. c. Turn off the heparin infusion immediately. d. Tell the patient to gargle with mouthwash.