patient care report unrezponsive not breathing

by Jammie Harvey 9 min read

First aid for someone who is unresponsive and not …

27 hours ago When a person is unresponsive, their muscles relax and their tongue can block their airway so they can no longer breathe. Tilting their head back opens the airway by pulling the tongue forward. If they are not breathing, their chest and stomach will not be moving and you will not hear or … >> Go To The Portal


If someone is unresponsive, you should shout for help and dial 999. Tell the call handler if you suspect that the victim has COVID-19. Make sure an ambulance is on its way. Check for a response, but do not listen or feel for breathing by placing your ear and cheek close to the patient’s mouth.

Full Answer

What does it mean when a person is unresponsive and not breathing?

Sometimes when a person is unresponsive their breathing may become noisy or irregular, or they may be gasping. This is usually a sign that their heart is not working properly and you should start chest compressions. What should I do if I’m on my own when I find someone unresponsive and not breathing?

What should I do if someone is unresponsive and not breathing?

Take action: If someone is unresponsive and not breathing, give chest compressions. Click on the link below to view the video transcript. Step 1. Someone who is unresponsive won't answer or move if you call their name or tap their shoulders. If it's an adult who is unresponsive, gently shake their shoulders.

Should we use the recovery position in the breathing but unresponsive?

Since it is unlikely that an RCT on using the recovery position in the breathing but unresponsive patient will be carried out, the new data reported by Julliand et al 8 fill an important gap in our knowledge, in paediatric emergency practice. It not only supports what has been recommended recently, 5

What do you do when you find an unresponsive patient?

What to do when u find an unresponsive patient 1 Call the code (and/or 911) 2 Start BLS until either the code team/paramedics arrive and takes over, or you learn that the patient is a DNR. 3 And if it's your patient, you stay with them...unless you're alone and have no one to call for help. ...

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What should you do if a patient is unresponsive and not breathing?

If they are unresponsive and not breathing, push firmly downwards in the middle of their chest at a regular rate. Ideally, you should alternate two rescue breaths with 30 chest compressions for anyone who has been rescued from drowning. This will help build up a supply of oxygen in their blood.

Does unresponsive mean not breathing?

Sometimes when a person is unresponsive their breathing may become noisy, irregular or gasping. This is usually a sign that their heart and lungs are not working properly and you should treat them as an unresponsive person who is not breathing.

What are first 3 step if you find someone unresponsive and not breathing?

What you need to doStep 1 of 5: Open the airway. Place one hand on the person's forehead and gently tilt their head back. ... Step 2 of 5: Check breathing. ... Step 3 of 5: Put them in the recovery position. ... Step 4 of 5: If you suspect spinal injury. ... Step 5 of 5: Call for help.

How do you assess an unresponsive patient?

To determine if the patient is unconscious and unable to follow commands, use the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to test eye opening, best motor response, and best verbal response. An unconscious patient is likely to open her eyes only in response to pain, if at all; obviously, you can't test her best verbal response at all.

What does it mean when a patient is unresponsive?

Medically speaking, when a person is called unresponsive, it means they're at least unconscious, and possibly dead or dying. Definitions of unresponsive. adjective. not responding to some influence or stimulus. Synonyms: refractory.

Why is a patient unresponsive?

Sudden unresponsiveness may be due to a central nervous system infection in which subtle changes of consciousness may have been apparent over the course of hours to days. Bacterial meningitis is characterized by fever, stiff neck and change in mental status.

What do you do when someone is not breathing properly?

If someone is having breathing difficulty, call 911 or your local emergency number right away, then:Check the person's airway, breathing, and pulse. ... Loosen any tight clothing.Help the person use any prescribed medicine (such as an asthma inhaler or home oxygen).More items...•

What care should you provide a patient who is adequately breathing but unresponsive?

If the patient is definitely breathing but is unresponsive, place in the recovery position and monitor until EMS arrives. If a definite pulse is found but no breathing: Begin Rescue Breathing appropriate for the age of the patient (see matrix), reassessing pulse/breathing after approximately 2 minutes.

What to do if someone has stopped breathing?

If the person is not breathing or has trouble breathing:Cover their mouth tightly with your mouth.Pinch the nose closed.Keep the chin lifted and head tilted.Give 2 rescue breaths. Each breath should take about a second and make the chest rise.

What's the difference between unresponsive and unconscious?

Coma is deep unconsciousness from which you cannot be awakened at all–truly “unresponsive.” Emergency medical dispatch protocols usually recognize only two mental states: conscious and unconscious. People who are awake are considered conscious; anyone not awake is unconscious.

What are the five steps of patient assessment?

emergency call; determining scene safety, taking BSI precautions, noting the mechanism of injury or patient's nature of illness, determining the number of patients, and deciding what, if any additional resources are needed including Advanced Life Support.

What should you do if a person is unconscious and not breathing quizlet?

What should you do if a person is unconscious and not breathing? Have him cough forcefully. Begin chest compressions. Perform the Heimlich Maneuver.

Can you be unresponsive and still breathing?

If an unconscious casualty is left on their back, their tongue may fall back and block the airway. An unconscious casualty is still breathing and has a pulse, but may not respond to gentle shouting and stimulation. They look like they are in a deep sleep, but cannot be woken up.

What does awake but unresponsive mean?

Vegetative state (also known as unresponsive wakefulness syndrome) is when a person is awake, but shows no signs of awareness. This is different to a coma, in which the patient is completely unconscious.

What is another word for not breathing?

Asphyxiation, also known as suffocation, means to die from lack of oxygen.

What is a synonym for unresponsive?

insensitive, passive, cold, cool, frigid, unemotional, unfeeling.

What to do if someone is unresponsive?

Someone who is unresponsive won't answer or move if you call their name or tap their shoulders. If it's an adult who is unresponsive, gently shake their shoulders.

How to give compressions to a sprained chest?

Give chest compressions by pushing firmly in the middle of their chest up and down. Push the chest hard and fast at a regular rate.

What is respiratory malfunction?

Respiratory malfunction: e.g., hypoxia or hypercarbia that results from acute or chronic respiratory or musculoskeletal disease.

What is the best treatment for unresponsiveness?

If there is any indication of trauma, the cervical spine should be immobilized. Administration of thiamine, glucose, and naloxone should be strongly considered as rapid empiric treatments for the unresponsive patient.

What is nonconvulsive status epilepticus?

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus is a cause of altered mental status and unresponsiveness that is often overlooked. Such patients may have prolonged periods of unresponsiveness or may manifest periods of intermittent alertness interspersed with stupor. An EEG can help to diagnose unremitting complex partial or atonic seizures that are causing lethargy, stupor, or coma.

What is conversion disorder?

Conversion disorder refers to a syndrome of neurologic symptoms that is judged to be the result of (unconscious) emotional factors. In conversion disorder, sudden or progressive emotional distress may lead to the development of symptoms that resemble neurologic disease. Symptoms of conversion disorder can include unresponsiveness and apparent coma. There is typically an emotional precipitant just prior to the onset of neurologic symptoms, and there is often a history of similar presentations or the presence of sudden or severe physical symptoms in times of great emotional distress. No clear emotional precipitant was noted in the case of Ms. H, though it would be useful to determine what had happened to generate her depressive symptoms 2 weeks prior to her admission.

What is the sight of an awake patient?

The sight of an apparently awake but unresponsive patient challenges the clinical skills of all practitioners. Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies may not be readily obvious, and the clinician may be unsure of what to do next. Debate frequently arises regarding the medical, psychiatric, or neurologic etiologies of the unresponsiveness, and it may be difficult to determine appropriate interventions.

Is malingering a neuropsychiatric disorder?

While technically not a neuropsychiatric syndrome, malingering can also present as a decrease in responsivity. Malingering is defined as the intentional creation of physical symptoms for secondary gain. Therefore, to diagnose malingering, one must establish some benefit (e.g., housing, disability payments, or escape from police) for the production of symptoms. Malingering can be identified through (1) inconsistencies in behavior (identified by monitoring the patient when he or she is unaware of being observed), (2) the patient's avoidance of noxious stimuli, and (3) evidence of malingering obtained through historical information provided by external sources.

Is unresponsiveness voluntary or voluntary?

In addition, the use of unexpected humor, rapid movement toward the patient, or an action that implies a noxious stimulus will be reintroduced can result in a voluntary response from a patient who had seemed unresponsive; such reactions suggest that the unresponsiveness is at least, in part, voluntary. Observation of the patient's response to family members and to other visitors is also useful, as is the initial response to the physician's arrival.

What does it mean when you are unresponsive?

This is usually a sign that their heart and lungs are not working properly and you should treat them as an unresponsive person who is not breathing.

How do you know if a dog is breathing?

If they are breathing, you will see their chest moving and you may hear their breath or feel it on your cheek.

What does it mean when someone is not moving?

If someone is not moving and does not respond when you call them or gently shake their shoulders, they are unresponsive.

Why do people put their head back in the air?

Putting them in this position with their head back helps keep their airway open. It ensures their tongue falls forward and blood and vomit drain out. It is sometimes called the “recovery position”.

Can asthma reoccur after symptom free?

Depends: It may but asthma can reoccur even after being symptom free for along periods of time. Even though you may not need you medicines at present, i would keep your rescue meds available for any unexpected emergency.

Can you call 911 for healthtap?

For these, please consult a doctor (virtually or in person). For potential or actual medical emergencies, immediately call 911 or your local emergency service.

Can you use HealthTap for medical advice?

Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.

What to do if you are unresponsive and not breathing?

CPR involves giving someone a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths to keep their heart and circulation going to try to save their life. One may also ask, what does it mean ...

How to deal with an unresponsive colleague?

Here are five ways to deal with unresponsive colleagues and get what you need. Make it easy for the person to give you a quick answer. Schedule time on their calendar. Propose a course of action you'll take if you don't hear back. Try a different method of communication.

What does it mean when someone is unresponsive?

Beside above, what does it mean when a person is unresponsive? If someone can't or won't respond, we call them unresponsive. Depending on the context, a person's unresponsiveness can be just a bummer or a life-threatening condition. Take this word piece by piece. Un- means "not," as usual. A response is a reaction to something.

What to do if someone is not moving?

If someone is not moving and does not respond when you call them or gently shake their shoulders, they are unresponsive. Check their breathing by tilting their head back and looking and feeling for breaths. Move them onto their side and tilt their head back. Call 999 as soon as possible. Click to see full answer.

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What to do if you find an unresponsive patient?

What to do if finding an unresponsive patient... 1. Call the code (and/or 911) 2. Start BLS until either the code team/paramedics arrive and takes over, or you learn that the patient is a DNR. 3. And if it's your patient, you stay with them...unless you're alone and have no one to call for help.

What happens if a patient isn't a DNR?

If the patient isn't a DNR you begin compressions. We've done slow codes before but it was a code none the less. But that's a whole other topic which I'm sure has been discussed on here in the past.

When should you start chest compressions?

You should have begun chest compressions immediately when a pulse was not found.

Can you stop resuscitation if you are dead?

According to American Heart Association, you can stop or withhold resuscitation efforts if it's obvious the patient is dead (i.e. decapitated, decaying, etc.). Your facility may have a P&P indicating what you should do as well. Otherwise, go through the motions until the MD arrives to call it. 0 Likes.

Do you have to code a patient if they are a full code?

I agree with the person who said dead is dead. If the patient is a full code, they have to be coded anyway for appearance's sake, at least. No pulse and full code - start compressions. You can always do that if you don't do anything else.

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