Why Is It Important To Keep A Victim Conscious After A Serious Injury?

There are several reasons why it is important to keep a victim conscious after a serious injury. First, it allows the victim to provide vital information to medical professionals that can help optimize their strategy for helping the patient. Second, it helps ensure that the victim’s airway is clear and functioning properly. Third, it allows people next to the victim to track any changes in mental function. Finally, it allows the victim to generate body heat, which is essential for survival in low-temperature conditions.

In the 1998 war movie Saving Private Ryan, there’s a scene where a soldier (the medic, Irwin Wade) is shot. He lies on the ground, surrounded by his fellow army men, who hold him while he bleeds profusely. They keep urging him to stay awake, reassuring him that he will be taken to a hospital soon, and that he would be alright.

saving private ryan
The heart-wrenching scene where fellow soldiers huddle around the wounded medic (Photo Credit: Saving Private Ryan, the movie)

That’s something you may have seen in a lot of movies, and maybe even in real life. It’s generally believed that it’s important or even essential to keep a severely injured individual conscious, or that they should be prevented from falling asleep. The common belief is that if a severely injured person closes their eyes and dozes off, it means that they are going to die.

However, is that true? If not, why is it generally advised to keep an injured person conscious?

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