What should be the immediate priority if a student is injured and professional help is not yet available?

• A. Diagnose the injury
• B. Stabilize the injured person and prevent further harm
• C. Schedule a doctor appointment
• D. Stop all activity for the day

Answer: (B)

Stabilizing the injured person and preventing further harm is the immediate priority because the first goal of first aid is to keep the person safe and stop the situation from getting worse while help is on the way. In practice, this means making the scene safe, calling for professional help, and preserving the person’s conditions as best you can. If a spinal injury is possible, keep the head, neck, and body aligned and avoid movement; if there’s severe bleeding, apply direct pressure to control it; and continuously monitor breathing and consciousness.

Diagnosing the injury yourself isn’t appropriate in an emergency, since accurate assessment requires training and could cause more harm. Scheduling a doctor appointment is a follow-up action after stabilization, not the urgent response. Stopping all activity for the day may be wise later, but it doesn’t address the immediate need to keep the person safe and prevent further injury.