As you approach a young male involved in an industrial accident, you note that his eyes are closed and that he is not moving. You can see several large contusions to his arms, a laceration to his forehead with minimal bleeding, and a closed deformity to his right leg. You should:

• A. assess his pulse for rate, regularity, and quality.
• B. apply high-flow oxygen and assess his injuries.
• C. open his airway and assess his breathing status.
• D. perform an immediate head-to-toe assessment.

Answer: (C)

In trauma care, securing the airway and confirming adequate breathing comes first. This patient is unresponsive (eyes closed, not moving), so the immediate concern is whether the airway is open and whether he is ventilating. Open the airway with a jaw-thrust maneuver to minimize neck movement (protecting a potential cervical spine injury) and quickly assess breathing by watching for chest rise, listening for breath sounds, and feeling for air. If he’s not breathing or is gasping, give rescue breaths and provide oxygen as you arrange for advanced help. Oxygen is important, but it does not fix an obstructed airway or absent ventilation. A head-to-toe assessment and further injury management follow once airway and breathing are stabilized.