Question

You're called to a home and find an unresponsive male. Family members said he "passed out." You assess the scene to be safe. The next thing you should do is:

A. Get a blood pressure to determine if it's too low and may have caused him to pass out.
B. Get a temperature to determine if he has heat stroke.
C. Check the patient's blood sugar; he might be a diabetic.
D. Simultaneously check for a pulse and breathing.

Answer 1

If you find someone unresponsive, you should immediately check for a pulse and breathing. This is the vital first step in the emergency response protocol before performing other assessments or checking vital signs.

Step-by-step explanation:

Initial Response to an Unresponsive Individual

When encountering an unresponsive male who has "passed out," after ensuring the scene is safe, the next critical step to take is D. Simultaneously check for a pulse and breathing. This is the initial action in the basic life support algorithm provided by the American Heart Association and is essential for determining the need for CPR and subsequent emergency actions.

Measuring blood pressure or temperature, or checking blood sugar are important assessments, but they come after confirming if the patient has a pulse and is breathing. In scenarios such as potential stroke, health care providers later perform neurological examinations, but the immediate priority in any potentially life-threatening situation is to assess and secure the airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs).