Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

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Prepare for the EMT Trauma Test with detailed flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to help you succeed. Start your path to certification now!

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What is the primary concern when treating an elderly patient with 50% full-thickness burns?

Cover with moist dressings and prevent infection
Cover with dry dressings and prevent heat loss
Cool burns with saline and cover
Remove burned clothing and jewelry

The correct answer is: Cover with moist dressings and prevent infection

When treating an elderly patient with 50% full-thickness burns, the primary concern is covering the burns with moist dressings and preventing infection. Full-thickness burns involve damage to both the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and the layer underneath (dermis), which can compromise the skin's ability to protect against infection. Moist dressings help maintain a clean and moist environment that promotes healing while also reducing the risk of infection. Therefore, ensuring proper wound care by covering the burns with moist dressings is crucial in managing these severe burns in elderly patients. While the other options may be important in certain situations, such as removing burned clothing and jewelry to prevent further injury or cooling burns with saline to help alleviate pain and reduce tissue damage, the highest priority in this case is preventing infection by using moist dressings.