After opening the airway, the next step in patient management is to:

After ensuring that the airway is open, the next critical step in patient management is to assess the adequacy of respirations. This assessment involves checking whether the patient is breathing adequately or if there are signs of respiratory distress. Determining the adequacy of respirations helps guide subsequent interventions and ensures that the patient receives the appropriate level of care.

Assessing respirations allows you to evaluate the quality and quantity of breaths. If the patient is not breathing effectively or at all, it will inform the need for further interventions, such as bag-valve-mask ventilation or other methods of oxygenation and ventilation.

While options like inserting an endotracheal tube or applying bag-valve-mask ventilation may become necessary based on the findings, they are premature if the adequacy of respirations has not yet been established. Moreover, mouth-to-mouth ventilation may not be appropriate in many scenarios, especially in a clinical or emergency setting. Thus, prioritizing the assessment of respirations after opening the airway is crucial for effective patient management.