A son has called 911 for his father, who is having difficulty breathing. On scene the 81-year-old patient is lethargic and lying on a couch in the living room and is in obvious respiratory distress. He is confused, but has an open airway. His respirations are 30 per minute and his skin is extremely diaphoretic with cyanosis in the fingertips. At this time, the EMT should:

Question

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The patient is in obvious respiratory distress with a high respiratory rate and cyanosis. Positive pressure ventilation should be initiated immediately to improve oxygenation and reduce the possibility of hypoxia causing further complications. Suctioning the airway and assessing breath sounds may also be necessary, but positive pressure ventilation takes priority. Determining the patient's past medical history may be important in the long-term management of the patient but is not urgent at this moment.

A Son Has Called 911 for His Father, Who Is