What should be done first when entering a scene where a patient has collapsed?

When approaching a scene where a patient has collapsed, the first action should be to check for responsiveness. This crucial step helps to quickly assess the patient's condition and determine if they are conscious or in need of immediate assistance. Checking responsiveness involves gently shaking the person and asking if they are okay. This can provide vital information about their state of awareness and whether they might need intervention.

If the patient is unresponsive, it establishes the need for immediate actions such as calling for emergency services or performing CPR. However, assessing responsiveness is essential because it dictates the next steps in the emergency response. Knowing whether the individual is responsive or not will inform you about how to proceed and what interventions may be necessary.

While calling for emergency services is an important step and should follow quickly if the patient is unresponsive, it cannot be the first action because determining their responsiveness takes precedence in assessing the situation. Similarly, looking for medical alert tags can provide useful information but should be done after first assessing the patient's responsiveness. Therefore, checking for responsiveness is the initial critical step in any emergency response scenario.