A patient who is conscious and breathing has been pulled from a stream of cold water. To decrease her loss of heat via the mechanism of conduction, the EMT should immediately:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To decrease heat loss via conduction, the EMT should remove the patient's wet clothing, as wet clothing conducts heat away from the body much faster than dry clothing. Covering with a blanket will help reduce heat loss via other mechanisms (convection and radiation), but will not address the issue of conduction. Positive pressure ventilation and cessation of shivering are not appropriate measures for reducing heat loss via conduction.

A Patient Who Is Conscious and Breathing Has Been Pulled