Acute Caremiddle twist
A 19-year-old man walks into a small country hospital 40 minutes after being bitten on the right calf by a snake he disturbed while moving hay bales. A bystander wound a crepe bandage around the bite site alone; the rest of the leg is bare and there is no splint. He walked from the car to the triage desk. He feels well, pulse is 88/min, blood pressure 124/76 mmHg, and neurological examination is normal. Retrieval to a regional centre has already been requested. Which one of the following should be done first?