Question

An elderly woman collapses to the floor in a bingo hall. Your first action should be:

A. Open the airway and give 2 breaths. (mouth to mouth rapid is best)
B. Go grab the defibrillator off the wall in the hallway.
C. Yell out/ call for help while simultaneously assessing for pulse and respirations. (carotid or femoral is best)
D. Check for a carotid or radial pulse.

Answer 1

The first action when an elderly woman collapses in a bingo hall is to yell out/call for help while assessing for pulse and respirations. Opening the airway or using a defibrillator are not the initial steps to take.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct first action when an elderly woman collapses to the floor in a bingo hall would be to yell out/call for help while simultaneously assessing for pulse and respirations. This action is important to quickly determine if the woman is breathing and has a pulse. If she is not breathing or has no pulse, CPR may need to be initiated immediately. Additionally, calling for help will alert others in the vicinity who may be able to provide assistance or access emergency medical services. Opening the airway and giving breaths or grabbing the defibrillator off the wall would not be the first actions to take in this situation, as assessing for pulse and respirations and calling for help are more essential.