A young boy has an open chest wound to the left lateral area after falling off of his bike onto a metal spike in the ground. His family is present and very upset and crying. As an EMT, you recognize that in this situation, your primary focus is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In this scenario, maintaining oxygenation is the primary focus as an open chest wound could lead to a tension pneumothorax or hemothorax, which can obstruct adequate oxygen flow and cause respiratory distress. Pain management and preventing wound infection are important secondary concerns, while providing emotional support to the patient and family is not the primary focus at the moment.

A Young Boy Has an Open Chest Wound to the Left