Final answer:
In a severe trauma situation following a motor vehicle crash, the nurse should first evaluate chest expansion to assess breathing, as it is a critical step after ensuring the airway is clear. Rapid neurological assessments are crucial to identifying the injury and preventing further damage. In cases of critical bleeding, O negative blood is typically transfused as a universal donor when the patient's blood type is unknown.
Step-by-step explanation:
Priority Nursing Actions Following a Motor Vehicle Accident
When a nurse receives a client with multiple injuries following a motor vehicle crash, the first action they should plan to take is to evaluate chest expansion. This is critical as it assesses for any potential life-threatening conditions such as a tension pneumothorax or flail chest that can significantly impair breathing. Assessing chest expansion is a part of the primary survey in trauma care, following the ABCDE approach (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure), where Breathing is the second most crucial life-saving step after securing the Airway.
Importance of Rapid Neurological Assessment
A rapid assessment of neurological function is important in an emergency situation because it helps healthcare providers to quickly determine the extent of a patient's neurological injury, prioritize treatment, and possibly prevent further damage. This quick evaluation can include checking reflexes, sensory responses, motor control, and the patient's response to simple questions, which helps to localize possible injuries in the central nervous system.
Emergency Blood Transfusion in Critical Trauma
Following a motor vehicle accident with severe bleeding, if a patient's blood type cannot be determined in time, O negative blood is typically transfused. This is done because O negative is considered the universal donor type and is most likely to be compatible with all patients, reducing the risk of transfusion reactions in an emergency situation.