Question

A patient fell while hiking, sustaining multiple injuries. The patient had a fractured clavicle, contusion to his knees, a sprained right ankle, and a subdural hematoma. He was placed in an arm sling for the fractured clavicle and admitted, and now he awaits surgery for the hematoma. A splint was placed on the ankle. Which injury is sequenced first?

Answer 1

The subdural hematoma is the most critical injury and is sequenced first for treatment, being life-threatening, followed by the fractured clavicle, knee contusion, and sprained ankle.

Step-by-step explanation:

The injury sequenced first for medical treatment is typically the one that is the most severe and life-threatening. In this scenario, the subdural hematoma is the most critical injury because it involves bleeding in the brain, which can lead to significant complications or death if not promptly addressed. The patient awaiting surgery for the hematoma indicates that it takes precedence over the fractured clavicle, the contusion to the knees, and the sprained right ankle, despite the fact that the clavicle fracture is commonly severe. Therefore, the correct sequencing for these injuries would prioritize the subdural hematoma as the first injury to be addressed.