Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

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What is the immediate action to take when discovering an open chest wound?

Prevent air from entering the open wound
Reassess the patient's ventilatory status
Start assisted ventilation
Quickly cover with a porous trauma dressing

The correct answer is: Prevent air from entering the open wound

When discovering an open chest wound, the immediate action to take is to prevent air from entering the wound. This is because an open chest wound can lead to a condition called tension pneumothorax, where air accumulates in the chest cavity under pressure, causing the lung to collapse and putting pressure on the heart and major blood vessels. By preventing air from entering the wound, you can help reduce the risk of tension pneumothorax and other potential complications. Reassessing the patient's ventilatory status and starting assisted ventilation are important steps in providing care for a patient with a chest injury, but preventing air from entering the open wound is the immediate priority. Quickly covering the wound with a porous trauma dressing may not effectively prevent air from entering the wound, which is crucial in this situation.