What should you check for when assessing a patient who has collapsed?

When assessing a patient who has collapsed, it is crucial to check for responsiveness and any life-threatening bleeding. The rationale behind this approach is that responsiveness indicates the patient's level of consciousness and ability to breathe adequately, while evaluating for life-threatening bleeding is essential because such conditions require immediate intervention to prevent severe consequences, including shock or death.

Checking for responsiveness involves shaking the patient gently and asking if they are okay. This helps determine if the patient is conscious and can potentially follow commands. Life-threatening bleeding should be assessed quickly, as it can lead to rapid loss of blood volume, which is a critical emergency.

In contrast, focusing solely on cardiac impairment or only examining signs of stroke does not provide a comprehensive assessment necessary to ensure the patient’s safety and initiate appropriate care. Similarly, checking for all physical injuries without assessing responsiveness ignores vital indications of the patient's condition that must be understood before further steps can be taken.