What is the initial action when a patient becomes unresponsive?

The initial action when a patient becomes unresponsive is to lower the patient to a firm surface and check for breaths. This step is critical because it allows you to assess the patient's condition thoroughly before taking further actions. Ensuring the individual is on a firm surface is essential for effective CPR if needed and for maintaining an open airway.

Once the patient is placed on a firm surface, checking for breathing is paramount. It is essential to determine whether the individual is in need of immediate medical assistance or resuscitation efforts. If the patient is breathing, you would monitor their condition until emergency services arrive. If the patient is not breathing or only gasping, this indicates a need for immediate CPR, which involves starting chest compressions.

The other choices, while they may be part of the overall emergency response, do not address the immediate need for assessing the patient's breathing and ensuring their stability in the initial moments after they become unresponsive. Calling for emergency assistance is important, but it would typically follow the assessment of breathing. Similarly, starting chest compressions or performing abdominal thrusts are actions based on the assessment results and the specific condition of the patient, not immediate responses upon discovering unresponsiveness.