Which action should be taken first when caring for a patient with an open facial injury to protect yourself?

• A. consider the mechanism of injury
• B. wear gloves and facial protection
• C. closely assess the patient's airway
• D. manually stabilize the patient's head

Answer: (B)

Protecting yourself comes first by donning personal protective equipment. An open facial injury can spill blood and fluids toward your eyes, nose, and mouth, so wearing gloves and facial protection (such as goggles or a face shield) creates a barrier against exposure to bloodborne pathogens and contaminants. With this protection in place, you can safely proceed to assess and manage the patient — for example, checking the airway and controlling bleeding — without compromising your safety. While other actions are important in ongoing care, this protective step is the essential first move.