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A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of blunt trauma to the abdomen after a mo

colleen

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A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of blunt trauma to the abdomen after a mo

A patient is admitted with a diagnosis of blunt trauma to the abdomen after a motor vehicle collision. Which of the following should the nurse assess first when the patient arrives in the emergency department?
1. airway patency
2. abdomen for any abnormalities
3. cervical spine for tenderness
4. signs of neurological deficits

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robertling

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11 years ago

1 -- Assessment of the airway is the highest priority in the trauma patient. Assessment includes determining airway patency. If the patient is unresponsive, manual opening of the airway using a jaw thrust or chin lift maneuver is necessary. Once the airway is opened, the practitioner must identify any potential obstruction from the tongue, loose teeth, foreign bodies, bleeding, secretions, vomitus, or edema. If the patient is responsive and can vocalize, that is a good indication that the airway is clear. All of the other responses are important, but certainly the nurse should address the airway initially. The nurse should assess the cervical spine area after initial ABC assessment. The nurse is always concerned about the neurological assessment of a patient, but this patient has a blunt trauma injury from a motor vehicle; therefore, this would not be the initial assessment for the patient.

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