Your patient is a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right anterior chest. He is unresponsive. Which of the following should you do first?
A) Check for a carotid pulse.
B) Seal the chest wound.
C) Auscultate breath sounds.
D) Check for breathing.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first action in any unresponsive patient is to assess for breathing. In this case, the gunshot wound to the chest is a potential cause of respiratory distress, making assessment of breathing even more critical. Once it is determined if the patient is breathing, further interventions can be taken as needed.

Your Patient Is a 50-Year-Old Man with a Gunshot Wound