New York State Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B) Practice Exam

What should you do after giving 2 minutes of CPR in an unwitnessed collapse?

1. Call for help

2. Leave to get the AED and activate emergency response

3. Perform rescue breaths

4. Continue CPR without stopping

The correct answer is: Leave to get the AED and activate emergency response

After giving 2 minutes of CPR in an unwitnessed collapse, the best course of action is to leave to get the AED and activate the emergency response system. This approach minimizes the time without defibrillation and ensures that advanced medical support is on the way. When an adult victim collapses unexpectedly, the first crucial step is to call for help and activate emergency medical services. While performing CPR for 2 minutes is essential to maintain circulation, retrieving the AED and initiating advanced support is paramount. This is because early defibrillation significantly increases the chances of survival in cases of cardiac arrest, particularly when the collapse is due to a heart rhythm problem. During those 2 minutes of CPR, it's important to focus on effective chest compressions, and while rescue breaths could be beneficial in certain situations, the immediate priority is to ensure that the AED is used as soon as possible. Continuing CPR without stopping can only be effective to a certain extent if there's no access to an AED or emergency services; it is critical to make sure those resources are activated promptly.