Question

You walk into the dining room. The conscious resident has his hands to his throat and is making no sounds. The first thing you will do is:

a. call 911
b. call the nurse
c. start chest compressions
d. ask, "Are you choking?"

Answer 1

First, ask "Are you choking?" and if the person indicates yes, encourage them to cough, give back slaps, and potentially perform the Heimlich maneuver. If the obstruction is not relieved, call 911. For drowning, remove the person from the water before administering CPR.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you walk into the dining room and see a conscious resident with hands to their throat making no sound, you should first ask, "Are you choking?" If they nod yes, they may be experiencing a choking episode, where they cannot speak, cry out or may be making gasping or wheezing sounds due to obstruction of their airway. The first response should be to encourage the person to cough to dislodge the object. If unsuccessful, administer several firm back slaps. If the blockage still persists, you may need to perform the Heimlich maneuver. In a choking situation, it is critical to act promptly. Calling 911 or for medical assistance should be done if you are unable to remove the obstruction or if the person becomes unconscious.

In a situation involving drowning, the immediate goal is to safely remove the person from the water before attempting resuscitation methods like CPR. Correctly administered, CPR can manually compress the blood within the heart to push some of the blood into the pulmonary and systemic circuits. Remember, drowning victims are usually unable to shout for help due to a muscular spasm sealing the airway. In a medical emergency, understanding the right procedures and the sequence in which to perform them can be life-saving.