A middle-aged male patient has been stabbed once in the righ…

A middle-aged male patient has been stabbed once in the right anterior chest. His airway is patent, respirations tachypneic, pulse weak and rapid, and skin cool and diaphoretic. Breath sounds are clear on the left and severely diminished on the right. JVD and tracheal deviation are present. His SpO2 is 93% on supplemental oxygen via BVM. The vital signs are pulse, 140 beats/min; respirations, 28 breaths/min; and blood pressure, 100/78 mmHg. Your next action should be to:

A construction worker was accidentally shot with a nail gun….

A construction worker was accidentally shot with a nail gun. The nail penetrated the skull approximately 1/2 inch through the temporal region. Before your arrival, coworkers pulled the nail free. Based on the mechanism of injury, which sign provides the strongest evidence that the meningeal layers have been breached?

At the scene of a motor vehicle accident, a car has extensiv…

At the scene of a motor vehicle accident, a car has extensive front-end damage and a deformed steering wheel. The restrained male driver, who was self-extricated, is in the care of EMRs, who have applied a cervical collar and continue to maintain spine motion restriction precautions. The patient’s airway is patent and respirations adequate. His radial pulse is rapid and weak, and his skin is cool and diaphoretic. The EMRs report the following vital signs: pulse, 136 beats/min; respirations, 20 breaths/min; blood pressure, 100/68 mmHg; and SpO2, 95% with supplemental O2 being administered via NRB. The right forearm is deformed, and the head, chest, and upper back are uninjured according to your assessment. Your next action would be to: