Question

A 39-year-old male complains of respiratory distress, cough, and a fever. The patient weighs 400 pounds and lives on the second floor of a small house. You determine that transport is indicated. You should next?

1) Manage the best you can with your partner.
2) Get medical direction orders to treat and release.
3) Request additional lifting assistance.
4) Have the patient walk down to the first floor.

Answer 1

When a patient is experiencing respiratory distress and is significantly overweight, the next step after determining that transport is needed is to request additional lifting assistance to ensure safe transport.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a 39-year-old male patient is experiencing respiratory distress, cough, and a fever, and considering the patient's significant weight and living conditions, immediate medical attention and transport are required. The first step after determining that transport is indicated should be to request additional lifting assistance to ensure safe and efficient transport, considering the patient's weight and the fact that they are located on the second floor of a house. Managing the situation alone with just your partner could be unsafe and ineffective due to the patient's size, and asking the patient to walk downstairs might exacerbate the patient's respiratory distress. Medical direction orders to treat and release are not appropriate in this situation, as the patient requires hospital evaluation and potential treatment.