After witnessing a vehicle strike a pedestrian at a low speed, what is the nurse's priority action?

• A. Stay with the person and encourage the person to remain still.
• B. Move the person to a safer location to assess injuries.
• C. Check distal pulses immediately and begin rapid assessment.
• D. Leave the scene to call for help.

Answer: (A)

The priority is to prevent further injury by immobilizing the casualty when blunt trauma is involved. Even at a slow collision, there could be a spinal injury, and moving the person can convert a potential problem into a serious one. Staying with the person and keeping them still minimizes movement of the spine, provides reassurance, and buys time for trained help to arrive and assess and stabilize safely. While calling for help and assessing for other injuries are important, those steps should follow immobilization because preserving spinal alignment takes precedence.