On scene, you are by the side of a 3-week-old male who was born prematurely and has an apnea monitor on. His mother states that she was awakened by the alarm and when she went to check on the baby, he was awake and crying. Assessment reveals him to be resting quietly in his mother's arms. The airway is patent and respirations adequate. Vital signs are pulse, 136 beats/min; respirations, 28 breaths/min; and SpO2, 99% on room air. Since the local emergency department was busy when you were there dropping off a patient about an hour ago, it would be appropriate to:

When handling patients with special challenges, EMTs can: Assess the patient: EMTs should be aware of the patient's condition and treat what they find. They should also consider that all conditions exist on a continuum and not assume the patient has the most or least severe traits. Assess the environment: EMTs should document the environment thoroughly and observe the patient's behavior. They should also consider that some geriatric patients may have cognitive disabilities that can make it difficult to communicate effectively. Ask questions and listen attentively: EMTs should allow the... Show more

When handling patients with special challenges, EMTs can:
Assess the patient: EMTs should be aware of the patient's condition and treat what they find. They should also consider that all conditions exist on a continuum and not assume the patient has the most or least severe traits.
Assess the environment: EMTs should document the environment thoroughly and observe the patient's behavior. They should also consider that some geriatric patients may have cognitive disabilities that can make it difficult to communicate effectively.
Ask questions and listen attentively: EMTs should allow the patient to communicate at their own pace and not rush them to complete a sentence or thought.
Obtain information from the patient and caregivers: EMTs should try to obtain an explanation from both the patient and caregiver as to what happened.
Notify the hospital of the patient's special needs: EMTs should retrieve visual aids and glasses, explain and demonstrate all procedures, and allow guide dogs to accompany the patient.
Carefully lead the patient when ambulatory.

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