If you find an unconscious patient in your waiting room, what should you do first?

• A. Call emergency services
• B. Check breathing
• C. Administer CPR
• D. Elevate the patient's legs

Answer: (B)

The first action to take when encountering an unconscious patient is to check for breathing. This step is crucial because it helps to assess the patient's current condition and determine whether they are in need of immediate medical intervention. If the patient is not breathing, this indicates a severe medical emergency that requires prompt action, such as calling for emergency services and starting CPR. Checking for breathing also helps to avoid unnecessary interventions that might not be appropriate if the patient is breathing normally.

In contrast, calling emergency services, while important, should follow assessing the patient's airway and breathing status. Administering CPR without confirming that the patient is not breathing may lead to unnecessary trauma or complications. Elevating the patient's legs might be relevant in certain situations to improve circulation; however, it is not appropriate if the patient is unconscious and not breathing, as this could hinder immediate access for resuscitation techniques. Thus, assessing breathing is the vital first step in the chain of survival for an unconscious individual.