Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

An unresponsive patient with multi-systems trauma has slow, shallow breathing; weak radial pulses; and severe bleeding from a lower extremity wound. You should direct your partner to:

1. Apply oxygen via nonrebreathing mask while you control the bleeding

2. Assist the patient's ventilations while you control the bleeding

3. Prepare the long spine board and straps for rapid spinal immobilization

4. Radio for a paramedic ambulance to respond to the scene

The correct answer is: Assist the patient's ventilations while you control the bleeding

In this scenario, the correct course of action is to assist the patient's ventilations while you control the bleeding. The patient is unresponsive with slow, shallow breathing, weak pulses, and severe bleeding, indicating that they are in hypovolemic shock from blood loss. By assisting the patient's ventilations, you can help improve oxygenation to vital organs and tissues while your partner controls the bleeding to prevent further blood loss. Options A, C, and D are not the most critical interventions in this situation. Applying oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask, preparing the long spine board, and radioing for a paramedic ambulance are important tasks, but the immediate priority is to address the airway and breathing issues by assisting the patient's ventilations. Once the patient's airway and breathing are stabilized, you can then proceed with other interventions as needed.