Question

You and your partner arrive on the scene of an assault victim. The patient is a young male with a slash wound on his back and an obvious deformity of his right forearm. He has a GCS of 7. What are your priorities of treatment?

Answer 1

Priorities include addressing the ABCs, protecting the spine, managing bleeding, immobilizing the forearm, and transporting the patient to a medical facility.

Step-by-step explanation:

When arriving on the scene of a patient with an assault wound, the priorities of treatment include:

• Immediate assessment of airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs) to ensure they are not compromised.
• Protection of the spine due to the GCS of 7 indicating a decreased level of consciousness.
• Management of bleeding, especially from the slash wound on the back which could lead to significant blood loss.
• Immobilization of the deformed forearm to prevent further injury.
• Rapid transport to a medical facility where imaging and further assessment can take place.

The patient's low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is a critical issue that needs to be addressed immediately through supportive measures and preparing for potential rapid deterioration in the patient's condition.