JBL EMT Practice Exam

A 58-year-old male presents with confusion, right-sided weakness, and slurred speech. His airway is patent, and his breathing is adequate. His wife is present and is very upset. Which of the following has the MOST immediate priority?

1. Administering glucose to rule out hypoglycemia

2. Asking his wife when she noticed the symptoms

3. Documenting all of his current medications

4. Obtaining a complete set of baseline vital signs

The correct answer is: Administering glucose to rule out hypoglycemia

First and foremost, the most immediate priority in this situation is to administer glucose to rule out hypoglycemia. This is because the patient is presenting with confusion, right-sided weakness, and slurred speech, which are all symptoms commonly associated with low blood sugar levels. As such, checking the patient's glucose levels and administering glucose if necessary can help address these symptoms and potentially improve the patient's condition. Option B is incorrect because while it is important to gather information from the family and ask when the symptoms were noticed, this is not the most immediate priority. Option C is also incorrect as documenting the patient's current medications has no immediate impact on their current state. Lastly, option D is incorrect because obtaining a complete set of baseline vital signs, while important, is not as urgent as addressing the patient's potential hypoglycemic state.