During an ABC check on an unresponsive victim, which action signals you should proceed to breathing assessment?

During an ABC check on an unresponsive victim, which action signals you should proceed to breathing assessment?

• A. listening for breathing sounds
• B. feeling for a pulse
• C. looking for chest movement
• D. opening the airway

Answer: (A)

In an unresponsive person, you determine breathing by using the look–listen–feel method to see if air is moving. Listening for breath sounds signals you are actively assessing respiration and will guide your next steps. If you hear normal breathing, you continue to monitor; if there’s no breathing or only gasping, you proceed with rescue breathing/ CPR as indicated. Feeling for a pulse checks circulation, not breathing, and opening the airway is a preliminary step to help breathing but doesn’t by itself tell you whether the person is actually breathing. Looking for chest movement is part of the breathing check, but listening for breath sounds is the direct cue that breathing assessment is happening.

In an unresponsive person, you determine breathing by using the look–listen–feel method to see if air is moving. Listening for breath sounds signals you are actively assessing respiration and will guide your next steps. If you hear normal breathing, you continue to monitor; if there’s no breathing or only gasping, you proceed with rescue breathing/ CPR as indicated. Feeling for a pulse checks circulation, not breathing, and opening the airway is a preliminary step to help breathing but doesn’t by itself tell you whether the person is actually breathing. Looking for chest movement is part of the breathing check, but listening for breath sounds is the direct cue that breathing assessment is happening.