NREMT Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Cognitive ExamTraumaMedium
A 22-year-old male was involved in a diving accident and hit his head on the bottom of a shallow pool. He is conscious but complains of numbness and tingling in both legs. You should immediately:
- AAssist him to a sitting position to assess his ability to move his legs.
- BApply a cervical collar and move him to the stretcher.
- CImmobilize his cervical spine and maintain inline stabilization.
- DPerform a rapid trauma assessment targeting his head and neck.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Immobilize his cervical spine and maintain inline stabilization.
Given the mechanism of injury (diving accident, hitting head) and symptoms (numbness/tingling in legs), a spinal injury, particularly to the cervical spine, is highly suspected. Immediate cervical spine immobilization and inline stabilization are critical to prevent further injury.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Moving a patient with suspected spinal injury can worsen the injury.
- B. Applying a cervical collar is part of immobilization, but moving him to the stretcher without proper full spinal immobilization (e.g., on a backboard) could be dangerous, and inline stabilization must be maintained throughout.
- D. While a rapid trauma assessment is important, cervical spine immobilization takes immediate precedence to prevent further damage.
Spinal Immobilization
The process of restricting movement of the head, neck, and torso to prevent further injury to the spinal cord when a spinal injury is suspected.
- Always maintain manual inline stabilization first.
- Use a cervical collar and a long backboard or vacuum mattress.
- Indications include mechanism of injury, pain, neurological deficits.
Memory trick: Spine Safe: Head Still, Body Straight, Don't Wait!