A 69-year-old male called 911 because of the sudden onset of pain and numbness to his left leg. He states that he has a history of blood clots that form in the leg and the pain feels exactly as it did the last time that this occurred. He denies any trauma to the extremity. You perform the primary assessment and find him to be alert and oriented with no life-threatening conditions to the airway, breathing, or circulation. When performing the secondary assessment on this patient, which one of the following is most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the patient has a history of blood clots in the leg and is experiencing pain and numbness in the leg, a physical exam of the leg is most appropriate during the secondary assessment. This can help identify any signs of an active blood clot that may require emergency intervention. A rapid head-to-toe exam may still be performed, but assessing the leg would be a priority. Immediate transport may not be necessary if the patient is stable and there are other assessments that need to be performed. Placement of a nasal airway would not be indicated unless there were signs of airway obstruction.

A 69-Year-Old Male Called 911 Because of the Sudden Onset