Question

Which of the following steps should be taken for a patient who faints and slumps to the floor?

A. Place the patient in the sitting position
B. Roll the patient onto his right side
C. Keep the patient's head and shoulder flat and raise the legs
D. Place a pillow under the patient's head and shoulders, keeping the feet and legs flat

Answer 1

The correct action for a patient who faints is to keep their head and shoulders flat while raising their legs to help blood flow to the brain.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient faints and slumps to the floor, the appropriate step to take is to keep the patient's head and shoulders flat and raise their legs. This position is preferred because it can help increase blood flow to the brain, which may have decreased, causing the fainting episode.

Placing the patient in a sitting position is not recommended due to the risk of falling again if the patient faints. Rolling the patient onto his right side is also not appropriate in this case unless the patient is vomiting or there are concerns about airway obstruction. Placing a pillow under the head and shoulders could potentially restrict blood flow and is not advised unless specifically needed for an injury.