In the case of a young male shot in the abdomen, what should your partner do while you control external bleeding?

In a situation where a young male has sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen, controlling bleeding is critical, but it's also vital to ensure that the patient is adequately breathing. Assisting the patient's ventilations is the correct approach because an abdominal injury can potentially compromise the diaphragm and affect respiratory function.

When injuries occur in the abdominal area, there is the risk of both bleeding and potential involvement of the diaphragm, which plays a key role in the mechanics of breathing. By assisting with ventilations, you are ensuring that the patient receives enough oxygen, which is crucial given the trauma they have experienced.

Focusing on ventilatory support also means that additional assessments, such as performing a secondary assessment or obtaining baseline vital signs, may need to wait until the immediate life-threatening concerns of breathing and circulation have been addressed. Providing supplemental oxygen with a nonrebreathing mask is also important, but in the case of inadequate ventilation, direct assistance in ventilations is prioritized to maintain adequate oxygenation and respiratory function.