Question

A 31-year-old male with a history of diabetes had a seizure that stopped prior to EMS arrival. He is unresponsive and has rapid, shallow breathing. His pulse is rapid and weak and his skin is cyanotic. The EMT should:

1) assist the patient's ventilations with a bag-valve mask.
2) place a thin layer of oral glucose between his cheek and gums.
3) administer oxygen by nasal cannula and assess his blood glucose level.
4) position the patient on his side and give oxygen via nonrebreathing mask.

Answer 1

In this situation, the EMT should administer oxygen via nasal cannula and assess the patient's blood glucose level.

Step-by-step explanation:

The EMT should:

3) administer oxygen by nasal cannula and assess his blood glucose level.

In the given scenario, the patient is unresponsive and has rapid, shallow breathing, rapid and weak pulse, and cyanotic skin. These symptoms suggest a medical emergency that requires immediate intervention. Administering oxygen by nasal cannula would help provide the patient with adequate oxygen supply while assessing his blood glucose level would help determine if the seizure was related to his history of diabetes. This information can guide further treatment decisions.