Patient's requiring rest during a long aeromedical evacuation (AE) flight because of recent surgery should be classified as

• A. Litter
• B. Recovered
• C. Psychiatric
• D. Ambulatory

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that aeromedical evacuation categories depend on mobility and need for continuous medical care during flight. A patient who has just undergone surgery and requires rest is not able to walk or sit unsupported for the duration of a long flight. In AE, those who cannot ambulate are placed on a litter (stretcher) to ensure immobilization and ongoing medical supervision during transport. This is why resting post-surgery patients are classified as litter. Recovered implies the patient can handle transport with little to no medical support and is able to ambulate; not the case here. Psychiatric would apply to primarily mental health needs, and ambulatory means independent walking—neither fits a recent surgery scenario requiring rest.