Final answer:
The initial care for a 65-year-old male with chest pain and sternum tenderness after a car crash should be to administer high-concentration oxygen. Additional care may involve stabilizing the sternum or administering nitroglycerin based on further assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upon examination of a 65-year-old male who was involved in a two-car vehicle crash and is complaining of chest pain upon breathing and tenderness of the sternum, your initial care would be to administer high-concentration oxygen. The urgency to stabilize the sternum or administer the patient's prescribed nitroglycerin may also arise depending on the assessment, but administering oxygen is a primary intervention to ensure the patient receives adequate oxygen supply to vital organs while the underlying injuries or conditions such as potential myocardial infarction (MI) are further evaluated and treated. It's important to note that CPR is only indicated when the patient is unresponsive and not breathing and should only be performed by someone trained due to the risks of causing further injury. Immediate treatments for MI involve supplemental oxygen, aspirin to help break up clots, and sublingual nitroglycerin to facilitate absorption and relieve chest pain.