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During the rapid head-to-toe assessment of a patient with multiple injuries, you expose the chest and find an open wound with blood bubbling from it. You should:
apply high-flow supplemental oxygen.
place a porous dressing over the wound.
prevent air from entering the wound.
stop your assessment and transport.
The correct answer is: apply high-flow supplemental oxygen.
When a patient has an open chest wound with blood bubbling from it, it indicates a potential tension pneumothorax, a life-threatening condition where air accumulates in the chest cavity, causing lung collapse and potentially restricting blood flow back to the heart. Applying high-flow supplemental oxygen can help improve the patient's oxygenation and alleviate some of the physiological stress caused by the pneumothorax. This action can be crucial in managing the patient's condition until definitive treatment can be provided. Placing a porous dressing over the wound or preventing air from entering the wound is not the most appropriate immediate action to take in this situation. Managing the underlying tension pneumothorax with high-flow supplemental oxygen is a higher priority. Stopping the assessment and transport at the sight of an open chest wound with bubbling blood is not recommended as addressing the tension pneumothorax with high-flow supplemental oxygen can significantly impact the patient's outcome.