Question

A woman has a painful, deformed humerus after she fell. The injured arm is cool and pale, and a radial pulse cannot be palpated. The EMT should:

A) allow her to stabilize the arm on her own and transport.
B) splint the arm in the position found and transport at once.
C) realign the arm to its normal anatomic position and splint it.
D) apply gentle traction in order to reestablish distal circulation.

Answer 1

Given the urgent nature of an injury with a cool, pale limb and no palpable pulse, the EMT should splint the arm in the position found and transport the patient immediately to prevent irreversible damage caused by ischemia.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario described, the woman’s arm is cool, pale, and lacks a radial pulse after falling and injuring her humerus. This could indicate a severe injury that may be compromising blood flow to the forearm, a serious condition that may warrant immediate medical intervention. This condition could potentially lead to ischemia and subsequent damage to the forearm muscles if not promptly addressed.

The correct action for an EMT in this situation would be to splint the arm in the position found and transport at once. Trying to realign the arm or applying traction may exacerbate any vascular injury and increase the risk of further damage. Immediate transport to a medical facility is crucial for vascular compromise in an extremity injury.