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Combative head injury transport — DipIMC MCQ

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ModerateRetrieval and Transport MedicineCombative head injury transportDipIMC

A man with suspected severe head injury is combative, hypoxic and repeatedly removes oxygen. Critical care support is 8 minutes away. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

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Correct answer: B — Request critical care assistance for controlled sedation and airway management

Option B is correct because Agitation after head injury may reflect hypoxia or brain injury, and safe sedation requires appropriate expertise. Option A is less appropriate because oxygen may be supportive, but it does not address the defining time-critical problem first; option D is less appropriate because vascular access is useful, but it should not delay the immediate priority. Option E is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option C is less appropriate because delay would increase clinical risk. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: JRCALC Guidelines; NICE Major Trauma NG39; ATACC