Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

A 22-year-old female was shot by her husband. Law enforcement is at the scene and has the husband in custody. The patient is conscious, but extremely restless, and is pale and diaphoretic. As your partner administers high-flow oxygen, you should:

1. compare her carotid and radial pulses

2. keep her warm by applying blankets

3. look for and control any bleeding

4. take her BP to detect hypotension

The correct answer is: compare her carotid and radial pulses

In this scenario, the patient's presentation of being conscious but extremely restless, pale, and diaphoretic indicates a significant level of distress. These symptoms could be indicative of significant blood loss and hypoperfusion. Given the mechanism of injury (a gunshot wound) and the presentation of the patient, it is crucial to assess the patient's perfusion status by comparing her carotid and radial pulses. Comparing the carotid and radial pulses allows the provider to assess the presence of peripheral perfusion. If there is a significant difference in the strength or quality of these pulses, it could indicate inadequate perfusion to the extremities, suggesting a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention. While keeping the patient warm (Choice B) and looking for and controlling any bleeding (Choice C) are important aspects of trauma care, in this case, the priority is to assess the patient's perfusion status rapidly. It is also essential to monitor for signs of shock, such as hypotension. However, in this situation, checking the blood pressure (Choice D) may not be as rapid and easily performed as quickly comparing the carotid and radial pulses.