Question

During an initial Assessment, an EMS provider detects a bullet wound to the patients chest. The patient is having difficulty breathing. The EMS provider should ______.

1) Stabilize the chest wound and complete the detailed physical examination
2) Apply an occlusive dressing, continue the initial assessment, and transport
3) Stabilize the chest wound and obtain the patient's history
4) Begin ventilations and continue the detailed physical examination

Answer 1

The EMS provider should apply an occlusive dressing, continue the initial assessment, and transport the patient.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is option 2) Apply an occlusive dressing, continue the initial assessment, and transport.

When an EMS provider detects a bullet wound to the patient's chest and the patient is having difficulty breathing, the priority is to apply an occlusive dressing to the wound. This helps seal the wound and prevent air from entering the chest cavity, which can lead to a collapsed lung.

After applying the occlusive dressing, the EMS provider should continue the initial assessment to check for any other injuries and assess the patient's vital signs. Then, they should transport the patient to a medical facility for further evaluation and treatment.