A 19-year-old man in a custody suite is intoxicated with alcohol and has a head injury. He is drowsy and the custody sergeant asks for 'fitness to detain'. What is the safest medical advice?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. He needs medical assessment for head injury and cannot be assumed to be merely drunk
- Step 1: Intoxication can mask the signs of intracranial injury.
- Step 2: NICE head injury guidance applies, and regular observation or hospital assessment is needed.
Answer
He needs medical assessment for head injury and cannot be assumed to be merely drunk.
Why not the others: He should be sedated with diazepam to keep him calm until he sobers up: Sedation obscures neurological assessment. He is clearly just drunk and can sleep it off in a cell without regular checks: Missing a head injury can be fatal. He should be discharged to walk home alone: Discharge while drowsy is unsafe.
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