Key Takeaways
- Stay calm, call for help, stay with the patient, and provide basic care until help arrives
- Use BE FAST to recognize stroke: Balance, Eyes, Face, Arm, Speech, Time
- During seizures: protect from injury, time the seizure, don't restrain or put anything in mouth
- For choking: encourage coughing if possible; perform abdominal thrusts if they can't speak or cough
- Control bleeding with direct pressure and call for help immediately
Last updated: January 2026
Emergency Response Procedures
CNAs must be prepared to respond to various medical emergencies. While CNAs don't provide advanced treatment, they play crucial roles in recognizing emergencies, calling for help, and providing basic care until help arrives.
Recognizing Emergencies
Signs that require immediate response:
| System | Emergency Signs |
|---|---|
| Breathing | No breathing, gasping, severe difficulty |
| Circulation | No pulse, chest pain, uncontrolled bleeding |
| Consciousness | Unresponsive, sudden confusion, seizure |
| Appearance | Blue color (cyanosis), pale/ashen, sweating |
| Other | Signs of stroke, severe allergic reaction, choking |
Basic Emergency Response
For any emergency, follow these general steps:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stay calm - You can't help if you panic |
| 2 | Call for help - Use call light, shout, call code team |
| 3 | Assess the situation - Is it safe? What's wrong? |
| 4 | Stay with patient - Don't leave them alone |
| 5 | Provide basic care - As trained and authorized |
| 6 | Give report - To arriving emergency team |
Cardiac Arrest Response
When a patient is unresponsive and not breathing normally:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check responsiveness - Tap and shout |
| 2 | Call for help - Activate emergency response |
| 3 | Check breathing - Look for normal breathing (not gasping) |
| 4 | Begin CPR - If trained and authorized |
| 5 | Use AED - When available, if trained |
| 6 | Continue until help arrives |
CPR Basics (If Trained)
C-A-B approach:
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| C = Compressions | Push hard, push fast, center of chest |
| A = Airway | Open with head tilt-chin lift |
| B = Breaths | If trained and willing |
Compression guidelines:
- Rate: 100-120 per minute
- Depth: At least 2 inches
- Allow full chest recoil
- Minimize interruptions
Choking Response
For conscious choking adult:
| Sign | Response |
|---|---|
| Can cough/speak | Encourage coughing, don't intervene |
| Cannot cough/speak | Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich) |
Abdominal thrusts:
- Stand behind the person
- Make a fist with one hand
- Place thumb side above navel, below sternum
- Grasp fist with other hand
- Give quick upward thrusts
- Continue until object is expelled or person becomes unresponsive
If person becomes unresponsive:
- Lower to ground
- Call for help if not already done
- Begin CPR (check mouth for object before breaths)
Stroke Recognition - BE FAST
| Letter | Sign |
|---|---|
| B | Balance - Sudden loss of balance |
| E | Eyes - Sudden vision changes |
| F | Face drooping - Ask to smile |
| A | Arm weakness - Can they raise both arms? |
| S | Speech difficulty - Slurred or confused |
| T | Time - Note time symptoms started, call 911 |
CNA response to suspected stroke:
- Call for nurse immediately
- Note time symptoms started
- Keep patient calm and safe
- Don't give food or water
- Document observations
Seizure Response
During a seizure:
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Stay calm | Restrain the person |
| Protect from injury | Put anything in mouth |
| Clear area of hazards | Try to stop the seizure |
| Time the seizure | Leave them alone |
| Turn on side when safe | Give food/water until fully alert |
| Stay with patient | Panic |
After seizure:
- Keep on side (recovery position)
- Check breathing
- Report to nurse immediately
- Document duration and observations
Severe Bleeding
Control bleeding:
- Apply direct pressure with clean cloth
- Maintain pressure - don't remove to check
- Add more cloths if soaking through
- Elevate if possible (if no suspected fracture)
- Call for nurse immediately
- If trained, apply tourniquet for life-threatening limb bleeding
Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)
Signs of severe allergic reaction:
- Swelling of face, lips, tongue
- Difficulty breathing
- Hives or rash
- Rapid heartbeat
- Confusion or dizziness
Response:
- Call for help immediately
- If patient has epinephrine auto-injector, assist if trained
- Keep airway open
- Monitor breathing
- Be prepared for CPR
Fainting (Syncope)
If patient feels faint:
- Help them sit or lie down
- If sitting, have them put head between knees
- Loosen tight clothing
- Ensure fresh air
If patient faints:
- Don't try to catch - guide to floor safely
- Position on back, elevate legs
- Check breathing
- Call for help
- Don't give food/water until fully alert
Test Your Knowledge
What does "BE FAST" help you recognize?
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
What should you do during a seizure?
A
B
C
D
Test Your Knowledge
For an adult who is choking and cannot cough or speak, you should:
A
B
C
D