A 31-year-old female with a history of diabetes collapses and is unresponsive. Her respirations are very slow. Which action should you perform first?

• A. Administer oxygen
• B. Assist ventilations
• C. Administer glucose
• D. Place her in recovery position

Answer: (B)

When someone is unresponsive with very slow breathing, the priority is to support ventilation. Slow or inadequate breathing means the body isn’t getting enough air to the lungs, so simply giving oxygen isn’t enough—the breaths you provide help move air in and out, improving oxygen delivery and CO2 removal. That’s why assisting ventilations with a bag-valve mask (often delivering high-flow oxygen) is the best first step. Once the airway is supported and effective breaths are being given, you can reassess for pulse and consider other steps (glucose if hypoglycemia is suspected and the patient can safely take it, or recovery positioning once ventilation is adequate). Placing the patient in a recovery position is not the first action here because it doesn't address the insufficient ventilation.