A 46-year-old male presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of difficulty breathing and inability to speak after eating a piece of steak. He appears in distress, is noticeably cyanotic, and is gesturing to his throat. What is the most appropriate initial intervention by the nurse?
Prepare the patient for immediate intubation.
Perform the Heimlich maneuver to attempt to dislodge the obstruction.
Administer high-flow oxygen via a non-rebreather mask.
The patient is showing signs of a complete airway obstruction, as indicated by abrupt onset of respiratory distress post ingestion, inability to speak (which suggests complete obstruction), and cyanosis. Immediate intervention involves performing the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts) to relieve the obstruction. Intubation would not be possible or recommended with a complete mechanical obstruction, and oxygen supplementation, although important, would not be effective if the airway is completely blocked. A cricothyrotomy is an invasive procedure and would not be the first line of action without attempting the Heimlich maneuver first.
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Respiratory Emergencies
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