What is the best immediate action for an EMT encountering a suspected stroke patient?

Transporting a suspected stroke patient to a hospital is vital because strokes are time-sensitive emergencies that require immediate medical intervention. Rapid transport ensures that the patient receives specialized care, which can significantly affect their recovery and outcome.

In the case of a stroke, every minute matters; brain cells die when blood flow is disrupted, and treatment options, such as thrombolytic therapy, must be initiated within a specific time frame to be effective. Therefore, getting the patient to the hospital as quickly as possible takes precedence over other actions.

While assessing the patient’s airway is important to ensure they are breathing adequately, and calling for advanced medical support may also be an essential part of patient care, these actions would typically occur concurrently with transport in a practical setting. Starting CPR is not indicated unless the patient is unresponsive and not breathing, which is less common in stroke patients who may still have some level of consciousness.