Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

A construction worker has fallen from a two-story building and appears to have a broken pelvis. He is conscious but in significant pain. What immediate action should be taken?

1. Immobilize the patient on a long spine board and provide pelvic binding.

2. Administer pain relief and wait for advanced life support (ALS) arrival.

3. Place the patient in a sitting position to ease the pain.

4. Stabilize the injury with an air splint and prepare for transport.

The correct answer is: Immobilize the patient on a long spine board and provide pelvic binding.

In this scenario, the correct immediate action to take is to immobilize the patient on a long spine board and provide pelvic binding. This is crucial because the patient has fallen from a height and is exhibiting signs of a potential serious injury, such as a broken pelvis. Immobilizing the patient on a long spine board helps prevent further movement that could worsen the injury or cause additional damage to the spine. Providing pelvic binding specifically helps stabilize the pelvis and reduce the risk of internal bleeding or further complications. Administering pain relief alone, as mentioned in option B, is not sufficient as the primary concern should be immobilization and stabilization of the suspected pelvic injury. Placing the patient in a sitting position, as suggested in option C, could exacerbate the existing injury, and stabilizing the injury with an air splint, as in option D, may not adequately address the potential severity of a broken pelvis. Therefore, the best course of action in this case is to immobilize the patient on a long spine board and provide pelvic binding until advanced medical care arrives.