New York State Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) Practice Exam

In the event of an accident involving an unconscious non-breathing male patient, what should you do initially?

1. Begin CPR immediately

2. Call for additional help

3. Manually stabilize his head and establish an airway

4. Attempt to extricate him from the vehicle

The correct answer is: Manually stabilize his head and establish an airway

In the scenario of an unconscious, non-breathing male patient, the first action should be to manually stabilize his head and establish an airway. This step is crucial because the airway must be clear for any further interventions, such as CPR, to be effective. The ability to breathe is dependent on a patent airway; therefore, ensuring that the airway is open takes priority. By stabilizing the head, you minimize further injury to the spine, particularly if the accident involved a collision where the possibility of head or spinal injuries exists. Establishing a proper airway can involve tilting the head back and lifting the chin or using a jaw-thrust maneuver if spinal injury is suspected. Until the airway is secured, other interventions cannot effectively restore breathing or circulation. Initiating CPR or calling for additional help may follow once the airway is addressed, but they cannot be executed adequately without ensuring the patient can receive oxygen. Extricating the patient from the vehicle would come much later, once the immediate life-threatening concerns regarding airway and stabilization are managed.