Your patient is a young adult male in police custody after he crashed his car into a utility pole. There is minor front-end damage to the vehicle, and the air bags deployed. The patient was not wearing a seat belt and has an abrasion on his forehead. He is awake and oriented to person, time, and place. His speech is slurred and he has an odor of alcohol on his breath. The arresting officer states that he just wants you to check the patient out before he transports him to jail. Which one of the following is most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is displaying signs of alcohol impairment, and the presence of an abrasion on the forehead suggests that he may have sustained a head injury in the crash. Therefore, it is important to contact medical command to ensure that the patient is evaluated for any potentially serious injuries before being transported to jail. It is not appropriate to release the patient to the police or have the patient or officer sign a refusal-of-care form without a thorough evaluation by medical professionals.

Your Patient Is a Young Adult Male in Police Custody