Question

When checking breath sounds in a trauma patient, what should the EMT assess for first?

A. Rate and tidal volume
B. Presence and equality
C. Amount of dead space air and residual air
D. Wheezing and stridor

Answer 1

When checking breath sounds in a trauma patient, the EMT should assess for presence and equality first.

Step-by-step explanation:

When checking breath sounds in a trauma patient, the EMT should assess for presence and equality first. Presence refers to the ability to hear breath sounds in all fields of the chest, while equality means that the breath sounds are symmetrical on both sides. These assessments help determine if there are any abnormalities or injuries affecting the patient's breathing.