Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The correct management of a patient with extensive partial- and full-thickness burns prioritizes airway and breathing. In such cases, it is essential to assess for any inhalation injury, which can occur in patients who have sustained burns, especially if they were near the flames or smoke.

By assisting the patient’s breathing with a bag-mask device and administering oxygen, you are addressing a critical aspect of care by ensuring that she has adequate oxygenation and ventilation. This is vital, as burns can lead to swelling in the airways or direct injury to the lungs if there was exposure to smoke, both of which can compromise breathing significantly.

Subsequent steps, such as covering the burns with sterile dressing, providing pain relief, and arranging transport to a burn center, are important but should follow ensuring that the patient's airway is protected and her breathing is supported. Immediate airway management is often life-saving and takes precedence in the acute setting of burn injuries.