A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of blunt trauma to the ...

[Yi-Chen]

A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of blunt trauma to the abdomen after a motor vehicle crash. What should the nurse assess first when the patient arrives in the emergency department?
 
  1. airway for patency
  2. abdomen for any abnormalities
  3. cervical spine for tenderness
  4. signs of neurological deficits

Question 2

A patient recovering from a motor vehicle accident tells the nurse that the other car barely hit him and asks why he has so many injuries. How should the nurse respond?
 
  1. The car that hit you transferred a large amount of energy to your body, causing these injuries.
  2. You have other health problems that make the injuries worse.
  3. The driver of the other car intended to hit you.
  4. Because you are older, your injuries will be worse.

[Laurenleakan]

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 1

Assessment of the airway is the highest priority in the trauma patient. Assessment includes determining airway patency. If the patient is unresponsive, manual opening of the airway using a jaw thrust or chin lift maneuver is necessary. Once the airway is opened, the practitioner must identify any potential obstruction from the tongue, loose teeth, foreign bodies, bleeding, secretions, vomitus, or edema. If the patient is responsive and can vocalize, that is a good indication that the airway is clear. All the other responses are important, but certainly the nurse should address the airway initially.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 1
The nurse should explain the transfer of energy to the patient's body that caused the injuries. Referring to the patient's other health problems and age identifies characteristics of the host but does not explain the number or types of injuries. The response that the driver of the other car intended to injure the patient addresses the intention of the trauma but does not explain the number or types of injuries.