Question

EMTs are dispatched for a patient whose central venous catheter is malfunctioning. When they arrive and assess the patient, they find bleeding from the tubing attached to the line. What should the EMTs do?

1) Carefully remove the catheter and transport.
2) Apply direct pressure to the tubing and transport.
3) Request an ALS Ambulance to clamp the tubing.
4) Gently manipulate the catheter to reduce the bleeding.

Answer 1

EMTs are dispatched for a patient whose central venous catheter is malfunctioning, the EMTs do 2) Apply direct pressure to the tubing and transport.

Step-by-step explanation:

When EMTs arrive and find bleeding from the tubing attached to a central venous catheter that is malfunctioning, they should apply direct pressure to the tubing and transport the patient. Direct pressure helps to control the bleeding and prevent further blood loss. It is important to apply gentle pressure to the tubing without disrupting the catheter or causing additional harm to the patient.

This approach is the most appropriate because it addresses the immediate concern of bleeding and ensures the patient's safety during transport to a medical facility for proper management of the catheter. Therefore EMTs should apply direct pressure to the tubing and transport the patient when they find bleeding from a malfunctioning central venous catheter. The correct answer is 2) Apply direct pressure to the tubing and transport.