Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Trauma Practice Test

Opening the airway in an unconscious patient is the first step to ensure patency. The head tilt-chin lift moves the tongue and soft tissues away from the back of the throat, opening the airway by aligning the passage for air. This quick maneuver clear the common cause of obstruction in someone who is unresponsive, allowing air to flow into the lungs and making it possible to assess breathing effectively.

If there’s no suspicion of spinal injury, this is the fastest and most reliable way to ensure the airway remains open. If spinal injury is suspected, a jaw-thrust would be used instead to minimize neck movement.

Palpating the throat isn’t a dependable method for confirming airway patency, and checking for breathing sounds or simply watching for chest rise and fall doesn’t directly ensure the airway is open; those steps assess ventilation after the airway is opened.