You are called for an elderly woman who has slipped on the ice. On arrival you find her supine on an icy sidewalk and responsive to painful stimuli with decorticate posturing (flexion). She has blood coming from a laceration on the back of her head and is breathing agonally at 4 times a minute. Which one of the following should you do immediately?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is showing signs of severe brain injury and is not breathing appropriately. Immediate intervention to secure the airway is necessary. The jaw-thrust maneuver should be performed to open the airway and assist with breathing. Starting positive pressure ventilation or inserting a nasal airway may cause further harm without securing the airway. Moving the patient should be delayed until the airway is secured and the patient is stabilized.

You Are Called for an Elderly Woman Who Has Slipped