Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

After establishing that an adult patient is unresponsive and not breathing, you should:

1. Immediately start CPR

2. Check for a carotid pulse

3. Call for help

4. Start rescue breathing

The correct answer is: Check for a carotid pulse

In the scenario where an adult patient is unresponsive and not breathing, checking for a carotid pulse is a critical step before starting any resuscitation efforts. This assessment helps determine whether the heart is still beating. If a pulse is present, the type of intervention required may differ from a situation where there is no pulse. Understanding the importance of this step is key to effective emergency response. It allows the responder to make informed decisions about further actions, such as initiating CPR or rescue breathing. In cases where the patient is unresponsive and not breathing but still has a pulse, rescue breathing without compressions may be appropriate. While starting CPR immediately is a common approach when the patient shows no pulse, confirming the absence of a pulse can help to tailor the response to the patient’s specific needs. Thus, checking for a carotid pulse ensures that the responder acts based on the full situational assessment. This aligns with the protocol of following up on the situational analysis before proceeding with interventions.