A victim of an automobile accident was lying in pain by the side of the road with a thoracic wound which was making a strange sucking noise with each labored inhalation. A passing off-duty paramedic applied a moist plastic sheet to the wound and the sound stopped. Why was the patient in pain? What would eventually have happened to the lung on the injured side if no care had been administered? Why was it important that the plastic sheet be moist?
You need to do your own homework. Read the chapter on thoracic trauma and figure it out. When you get out into the field no one will be there to spoonfeed you and hold your hand. This is pretty basic stuff.
