You have responded to a home where a man is complaining of chest pain. A woman answers the door and states that her husband, a terminal cancer patient, is experiencing chest pain and dyspnea. She says quietly that he only has a "little while left" and she wants him to be comfortable. Your assessment reveals a 66-year-old male in unstable ventricular tachycardia. He is somewhat coherent and is
adamant about not going to the hospital to die. What is your best course of action?
A) This is a lethal rhythm and requires immediate ACLS. No directives have been produced. Be tactful but treat this patient like any other.
B) Try and convert this rhythm and see what happens. If you can get him back into a perfusing normal sinus rhythm, he can sign a release.
C) Call medical control and ask for advice.
D) Explain to the woman that if she wants him to die at home, not to call 911 and just let nature take its course.
A
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While cleaning a gun, a 44-year-old patient accidentally shot himself in the abdomen. On arrival, you observe the patient on the floor lying on his side with his legs drawn to his chest. Blood is evident on his shirt and pants. Which one of the following indicates the correct sequence of events when caring for this patient?
A) Perform primary and secondary assessments, move to the stretcher for immediate transport, start positive pressure ventilation en route to the hospital B) Perform the primary assessment, administer high-concentration oxygen, perform a rapid secondary assessment, transfer to the stretcher, rapid transport C) Transfer to the ambulance, rapid transport, primary assessment and oxygen therapy performed en route to the hospital D) Transfer to the ambulance, perform the primary assessment and rapid secondary assessment, provide oxygen therapy, rapid transport
The rapid secondary assessment of a male patient who was ejected from a motorcycle indicates instability and pain on palpation to the pelvic area. What is the EMT's primary concern related to this injury?
A) Risk for infection B) Internal blood loss C) Severe pain D) Pelvic or hip fracture