In a chest injury patient, which action is most appropriate immediately after providing supplemental oxygen?

• A. Prepare for immediate transport.
• B. Apply bulky dressings to sternum.
• C. Assess blood pressure with AED.
• D. Determine if he has cardiac problems.

Answer: (A)

After giving supplemental oxygen to a chest injury patient, the next priority is rapid transport to definitive care. Oxygen helps with hypoxia, but chest trauma can hide life-threatening conditions that require hospital evaluation and potential interventions (imaging, chest tube, monitoring, surgery). Getting the patient to a facility quickly minimizes delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Bulky dressings to the sternum aren’t the immediate priority and can hinder breathing unless there’s a specific open chest wound needing intervention. Assessing blood pressure with an AED is only relevant if the patient is in cardiac arrest, not as a routine post-oxygen step. Determining whether the patient has cardiac problems isn’t something you can conclusively establish in the field; the emphasis should be on stabilizing and transporting for definitive care.