Abstract
An emergency medical system (EMS) call is made to a tertiary care emergency department. They are transporting a 28-year-old seat-belted pregnant woman involved in a motor vehicle crash (MVC) following a 30-minute extrication. She is on a longboard with cervical motion restriction devices. The patient’s initial vital signs include heart rate (HR): 132 beats per minute (bpm); respiratory rate (RR): 32 per minute; and blood pressure (BP): 102/66. Oxygen saturation on a nonrebreather mask at 15 L per minute is currently 92%, and she has an altered level of consciousness (LOC), giving her a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 14. A liter of isotonic crystalloid is infusing, and the estimated time of arrival is 5 minutes. You activate the trauma team. What are you thinking? Diane Gurney, President, Central MA Chapter, is Emergency Nursing Education Professional and Consultant, Athol, MA.
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