Choking Quick Reference

Choking Quick Reference

Conscious Victim

1. Assess for airway obstruction. ■ Adult or child: Ask victim if he or she is choking; can he or she speak or make any sounds? ■ Infant: Cannot cry or ineffective cough 2. Attempt to relieve obstruction. ■ Adult or child: Abdominal thrusts until obstruction is relieved or victim becomes unresponsive (see step 3 below) ■ Pregnant or obese Pts: Chest thrusts until the obstruction is relieved or Pt becomes unresponsive (see step 3 below) ■ Infant: Five back blows and five chest thrusts until obstruction is relieved or victim becomes unresponsive (see step 3 below)

Unresponsive Victim

1. Determine unresponsiveness. ■ Adult: Get help or call 911 before any intervention. ■ Child or infant: Get help or call 911 after 1 min. 2. Open airway: Head-tilt, chin-lift. If trauma suspected, use jaw-thrust method. 3. Assess breathing and attempt to ventilate. If unsuccessful, reposition airway and reattempt ventilation. If still unsuccessful, begin CPR (for all ages). 4. Inspect mouth and remove obstruction. ■ Adult, child, and infant: Use tongue-jaw lift while opening the airway during CPR and perform finger sweep only to remove visible foreign body. 5. Repeat the following steps: Inspect, sweep, ventilate, and CPR until obstruction relieved. Note: If Pt resumes breathing, place into recovery position and reassess ABCs every min.