Question

A patient was pulled from a house fire, and has burns involving arms, chest, and back. You should FIRST ________.

1) Determine the percentage of burn area and apply moist dressing
2) Remove burned clothes that adhere to the skin
3) Assess for airway and respiratory distress
4) Cover the burn area with a sterile sheet and treat for shock

Answer 1

In a medical emergency scenario involving burns, the FIRST step is to prioritize **3) Assess for airway and respiratory distress**. Ensuring the patient's airway is open and that they are breathing takes precedence in such situations. Once the airway is assessed and managed, further steps, such as addressing burn percentages and treating shock, can be taken.

Answer 2

First, you should assess for airway and respiratory distress when a patient is pulled from a house fire. Ensuring the patient can breathe is the highest priority before addressing burn areas and preventing infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient has been pulled from a house fire and has burns involving the arms, chest, and back, the first step should be to assess for airway and respiratory distress. This is crucial because securing the airway and ensuring the patient can breathe are the most immediate life-saving priorities in such a situation.

Subsequently, actions like determining the percentage of burn area and applying appropriate dressings, removing non-adherent burned clothing, and covering the burn area can follow. Keeping burns clean and preventing infection are also essential considerations. For serious burns such as third and fourth-degree burns, medical attention is required due to the extent of tissue damage, which can lead to serious complications like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and infection. Appropriate first aid including treating for shock may be necessary as well, once the airway and breathing have been stabilized.