You respond to the scene of a motor vehicle collision involving a small pickup truck that struck the rear of a moving tractor-trailer.The driver of the tractor-trailer is walking around and complains of neck pain.The driver of the pickup truck is conscious,but cannot exit the vehicle because the door is stuck and the steering wheel is displaced onto his lap.The passenger of the pickup truck is sitting upright in the passenger seat,is unconscious,but has radial pulses.Access to the passenger is not obstructed.A fourth patient,who was sitting in the pickup truck bed,is found about 10 feet away and responds to commands appropriately.Assuming your ambulance is the only emergency vehicle on the scene currently,which of the following patients should be packaged for transport first by the next arriving ambulance?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The passenger in the pickup truck's front seat is unconscious, but has radial pulses indicating adequate circulation. This patient should be packaged for transport first to a hospital because it is a potential airway and breathing emergency. The driver of the tractor-trailer is walking around and can wait for transport. The driver of the pickup truck cannot exit the vehicle and may need extrication, but their condition is stable. The passenger ejected from the pickup truck bed has responded to commands appropriately and is therefore considered a lower priority for transport compared to the unconscious passenger in the front seat.

You Respond to the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Collision