In the scenario of a blunt abdominal trauma patient who is unstable with signs of shock and a transport time under 10 minutes, after treating the patient you should:

• A. perform a comprehensive secondary assessment.
• B. begin documenting the call on the patient care form.
• C. forgo the hospital radio report because of his condition.
• D. closely monitor him and reassess him frequently.

Answer: (C)

In this scenario, the priority is rapid transport with ongoing monitoring. An unstable blunt abdominal trauma patient in shock needs to move quickly to definitive care, so you don’t perform a lengthy secondary survey or get bogged down with detailed documentation on scene. After initial treatment, you should keep a close eye on vital signs, level of consciousness, perfusion, and trend any changes, reassessing frequently as you prepare for transport. This vigilant reassessment allows you to detect early deterioration and intervene as needed during the short ride. At the same time, provide a concise, focused radio report to the receiving facility so they’re prepared, and keep documentation brief and relevant to the transport and interventions already performed. The idea isn’t to skip reporting, but to avoid delaying transport or a full secondary assessment in an unstable patient; you prioritize continuous monitoring and rapid transfer.