Question

You are dispatched to the scene of a hunting accident and arrive to find an​ 18-year-old male patient with an arrow through his right​ shoulder, the tip protruding anteriorly. He is conscious and well​ oriented, and has a respiratory rate of 14 and easy with clear bilateral lung​ sounds; his radial pulse is​ 74, and the pulse ox reads 99 percent on ambient air. You note only minimal bleeding from the wound sites. How would you prepare your patient for​ transport? A. Support the arrow in place and place your patient on his right side. B. Support the arrow in place and place your patient on his left side. C. Cut the arrow flush with the skin on his​ posterior, support the arrow​ anteriorly, and place him on his back. D. Transport him in sitting​ position, leaning forward.

Answer 1

Support the arrow in place and place the patient on his right side.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this scenario, the patient has an arrow through his right shoulder with the tip protruding anteriorly. The patient is conscious and well-oriented with no significant bleeding and stable vital signs.

The correct way to prepare the patient for transport is option A: support the arrow in place and place the patient on his right side. Supporting the arrow in place helps prevent movement or further injury during transport, and placing the patient on his right side helps to alleviate pressure on the arrow and reduce the risk of complications.

Transporting the patient in a sitting position or cutting the arrow flush with the skin are not recommended because they may cause further injury or complications.