Question

You're an off-duty EMT who encounters a patient sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle that ran off the road along an isolated county road. It appears the patient was unrestrained, or not wearing a seat belt, and struck the steering wheel with his chest. On assessment, you notice a paradoxical motion to the patient's chest on inspiration and expiration. When you radio for dispatch of an ambulance, which of the following pieces of information would you be sure to include?

A. The patient is showing signs of an open chest injury.
B. The patient may have an abdominal evisceration.
C. The patient may have a flail chest.
D. The patient is showing signs of abdominal bleeding.

Answer 1

The correct information to provide to medical dispatchers when you notice a paradoxical motion to a patient's chest post-accident is that the patient may have a flail chest.

Step-by-step explanation:

When encountering a patient with a suspected flail chest after a vehicle accident, it is crucial to relay accurate information to medical dispatchers for an appropriate emergency response. The paradoxical motion noted in the patient's chest upon inspiration and expiration is indicative of this condition, which involves a section of the rib cage that is detached from the rest of the chest wall.

Therefore, the correct information to relay would be:
C. The patient may have a flail chest.

A flail chest is a serious injury often caused by direct impact to the thorax, leading to multiple rib fractures, and can be life-threatening due to potential complications such as inadequate ventilation and damage to internal organs.