Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Practice Test

Your patient is a middle-aged male who crashed his motorcycle and is unresponsive. What is the most appropriate next intervention after opening the airway with a modified jaw thrust and noting a respiration rate of 6?

1. Apply a non-rebreather mask

2. Begin ventilation with a BVM

3. Insert an endotracheal tube

4. Perform a needle decompression

The correct answer is: Begin ventilation with a BVM

The most appropriate intervention after opening the airway with a modified jaw thrust and noting a respiration rate of 6 is to begin ventilation with a Bag-Valve-Mask (BVM). This patient is exhibiting severe respiratory distress, indicated by the low respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute, which suggests that he is not ventilating adequately. When a patient is unresponsive and their respiratory rate is critically low, it is essential to ensure that they are receiving adequate ventilation. The BVM provides a way to deliver positive pressure ventilation, which is crucial in maintaining oxygenation and preventing respiratory failure. This method allows for effective gas exchange, as it can help to manually inflate the lungs and deliver oxygen to the body. In this scenario, options like applying a non-rebreather mask would not be effective since the patient is unable to maintain their own airway and is not breathing effectively. Inserting an endotracheal tube, while it may be necessary for definitive airway management, is not the immediate next step if the BVM can be successfully used first to stabilize the patient's condition. Performing a needle decompression is not relevant here unless there is suspicion of a tension pneumothorax, which is not indicated solely based on the given information. Thus, the