When a patient is unconscious and non‑responsive, the priority is to protect their airway, breathing, and circulation and to get emergency help immediately.

What “unconscious and non‑responsive” means

  • The person does not wake, open eyes, or follow commands, even when you speak loudly or apply gentle stimulation.
  • They may still be breathing normally, or they may have abnormal/no breathing, which changes what you must do next.

First steps: scene safety and calling for help

  1. Make sure the area is safe for you and the patient (no traffic, fire, live wires, etc.).
  1. Call emergency medical services (such as 112/999/911) or have someone else call while you start first aid.
  1. If possible, put the phone on speaker so you can follow dispatcher instructions.

Quick responsiveness and breathing check

  • Gently shake their shoulder and shout: “Can you hear me?” or “Are you OK?”.
  • If there is no response or only a groan/brief movement, treat them as unconscious.
  • Quickly check if they are breathing normally: look for chest rise, listen for air sounds, and feel for breath on your cheek for about 10 seconds.

If they are not breathing normally

  • Call for an ambulance if not already done, and start CPR following local guidelines.
  • Begin chest compressions in the center of the chest and give rescue breaths if you are trained and willing, continuing until help arrives or the person recovers.
  • An automated external defibrillator (AED), if available, should be used as soon as possible, following the voice prompts.

If they are breathing normally

  • Place them in the recovery (side‑lying) position: lay them on their side with head tilted slightly back to keep the airway open.
  • Support the head and neck and avoid twisting the spine, especially if trauma is suspected.
  • Loosen tight clothing, keep them warm, and regularly re‑check that they are still breathing normally until medical help arrives.

In modern first‑aid teaching, any unresponsive person who is breathing normally should be placed in a lateral recovery position rather than left flat on their back.

Hospital/clinical perspective (brief)

  • In clinical settings, unconscious patients are managed systematically with ABC (airway, breathing, circulation) assessment, rapid stabilization, and investigation of causes (e.g., CT/MRI, blood tests).
  • Scales such as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) or AVPU (Alert, Voice, Pain, Unresponsive) help quantify the level of consciousness and guide treatment intensity.

Important: If you ever encounter someone who is unconscious and non‑responsive, do not delay: ensure safety, call emergency services immediately, and follow their instructions for CPR or the recovery position while you wait for professionals to arrive.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.