NREMT Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Cognitive ExamEMS OperationsEasy
An EMT is dispatched to a construction site where a worker has fallen from a scaffold and is unresponsive. Upon arrival, the scene appears stable, and no immediate hazards are identified. What is the EMT's IMMEDIATE next priority after ensuring scene safety?
- AContact medical direction for orders.
- BInitiate primary assessment of the patient.
- CPrepare the stretcher for transport.
- DObtain a detailed history from bystanders.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Initiate primary assessment of the patient.
After ensuring scene safety, the EMT's immediate priority is to assess the patient's life-threatening conditions through the primary assessment. This step is crucial for identifying and managing critical issues before proceeding with further care.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Contacting medical direction is typically done after initial assessment and stabilization, or for specific interventions.
- C. Preparing for transport is a later step, after initial assessment, stabilization, and possibly packaging.
- D. Obtaining a detailed history is part of the secondary assessment, which comes after the primary assessment.
Primary Assessment
The systematic process of identifying and correcting life-threatening conditions in a patient.
- Performed immediately after scene safety.
- Focuses on airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs).
- Determines patient's priority for transport.
Memory trick: Safety First, Then Primary, Secondarily Look, Finally Transport.