A patient is found unresponsive in his small bathroom. He is not breathing and is sitting
in the corner. Two EMTs are able to reach him, but they are
... [Show More] unable to stand side by
side. He appears to weigh about 150 pounds and there is no evidence that he has been
injured. Which of the following would be the quickest and MOST practical way of moving
him out of the bathroom?
A) Extremity lift
B) Long backboard
C) Direct ground lift
D) Stair chair device - Correct answer-A) Extremity lift
When moving any patient, you should do so in the safest, most efficient way possible. If
a patient is in a narrow space (ie, small bathroom, narrow hallway)
and you and your partner cannot stand side by side to perform a direct ground lift, the
extremity lift would be the most practical way of moving him or her.
One EMT would lift by the arms and the other by the legs; the patient could then be
moved to a larger working area. Two EMTs should be able to safely lift a
150-pound patient. A long backboard would clearly not work in the case of a narrow or
small space because there would be little room to the patient's left or
right to slide the board underneath him or her. A stair chair would also likely not be
possible, or practical, because of such a confined space.
A 52-year-old woman crashed her minivan into a tree. She is pinned at the legs by the
steering wheel and is semiconscious. After gaining
access to the patient, you should:
A) perform a primary assessment and provide any life-saving care before extrication.
B) immediately apply high-flow oxygen to the patient and allow extrication to begin.
C) rapidly assess her from head to toe, obtain vital signs, and apply a cervical collar.
D) have the fire department disentangle the patient and quickly remove her from the
car. - Correct answer-A) perform a primary assessment and provide any life-saving care
before extrication.
Unless there is an immediate threat of fire, explosion, or other danger, you should
perform a primary assessment and begin any life-saving care as soon as
you have gained access to the patient. If you wait to do this until after the patient has
been disentangled, it may be too late; the patient may already be dead.
After you have assessed the patient and treated any immediate threats to life, allow
extrication to commence. Once the patient has been freed from the
vehicle, continue any lifesaving care and perform a rapid head-to -toe assessment to
identify and treat other life- threatening injuries. Another EMT can
obtain vital signs as you rapidly assess the patient. Prepare for immediate transport
after the rapid head-to-toe assessment has been performed and spinal [Show Less]