What is the first step after confirming unresponsiveness in a patient?

After confirming unresponsiveness in a patient, the first step is to call for emergency assistance. This is crucial because immediate help is needed to address potential life-threatening conditions. By activating the emergency response system, you ensure that advanced medical personnel are on their way while you might continue to provide care to the patient.

Calling for help is a vital action that allows you to focus on the patient while also making sure that either you or others can start the necessary intervention as soon as possible. This aligns with the chain of survival principles, which emphasize the importance of timely access to advanced medical care.

Other actions, such as beginning CPR or checking for a pulse, are important components of emergency response, but they should occur only after ensuring that emergency services are alerted. Positioning the patient on their side is typically not advised in this scenario due to the potential need for immediate resuscitative efforts. By prioritizing the call for emergency assistance, you are effectively setting in motion the critical steps needed to provide the best possible care for the patient.