Some critical patient care instructions may be necessary prior to the 'send' point. What does this imply?

• A. Always wait for sending to begin patient care
• B. Some instructions can be provided before sending
• C. Instructions are not allowed before sending
• D. Send point is the only time to provide care instructions

Answer: (B)

Some critical patient care instructions can be given before the send point to start life-saving actions right away. In emergencies, every moment counts, so a dispatcher can guide bystanders to begin essential steps while units are being dispatched. For example, directing someone to check responsiveness, call for help, start CPR if the person isn’t breathing, apply direct pressure to a severe bleed, or prepare an automated external defibrillator if one is available. Providing these pre-arrival instructions helps initiate care immediately and can improve outcomes without delaying the dispatch process.

Choosing the other options would imply delaying or withholding guidance until after sending, which isn’t aligned with how dispatchers support early intervention and patient survival.