Make a Splash with the 2025 Red Cross Lifeguard Practice Test – Dive into Success!

In a situation where you encounter an unresponsive adult who is displaying occasional gasping and has no pulse, the immediate priority is to provide life-saving interventions. The appropriate step involves beginning CPR as quickly as possible, starting with chest compressions. When someone is unresponsive and has no pulse, it indicates cardiac arrest, and immediate resuscitative efforts are crucial.

The action of giving ventilations before chest compressions is generally appropriate in cases of respiratory arrest, but in the setting of an unresponsive adult with no pulse, the focus should be on high-quality chest compressions to circulate blood. Compressions are vital for maintaining blood flow to the brain and vital organs until emergency medical services can arrive.

It's important to note that if you only provide ventilations before initiating compressions, you may delay crucial blood flow to vital organs, reducing the chances of survival. In such a scenario, chest compressions take precedence, followed by ventilations after the initial set of compressions. Thus, beginning CPR with chest compressions while calling for emergency assistance is the most effective approach in this critical situation.