Question

You begin your shift on the med/surg floor. You begin your rounds and when you walk into a patient's room, you notice the patient has agonal respirations. What should you do if following the concepts of resuscitation?

A. Give the patient oxygen. (Airway, Revive, Care)
B. Check a pulse, and begin compressions if indicated. (Assess, Recognize, Care)
C. Do nothing, the patient is asleep. (Accept, Care, Revive)
D. Begin the Heimlich maneuver. (Assess, Airway, Complete)

Answer 1

When faced with a patient displaying agonal respirations, check for a pulse and begin chest compressions if no pulse is detected and the patient is unresponsive, following the Assess, Recognize, Care approach. This is in line with resuscitation protocols which prioritize chest compressions over administering oxygen or assuming the patient is sleeping. Option B is correct.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you walk into a patient's room and notice the patient has agonal respirations, the correct course of action, following resuscitation concepts, would be to first check for a pulse, and begin chest compressions if there is no pulse and the patient is unresponsive, as indicated by option B: Check a pulse, and begin compressions if indicated. (Assess, Recognize, Care). This approach aligns with the Assess, Recognize, and Care priorities.

Giving oxygen (option A) is not appropriate if the patient is in cardiac arrest. Assuming the patient is asleep without assessing them (option C) could result in missing an emergency situation. The Heimlich maneuver (option D) is intended for choking patients and would not be appropriate for someone displaying agonal respirations unless you have confirmed an obstruction of the airway. CPR should be performed until the patient regains spontaneous contraction or is declared dead by a healthcare professional.