If you encounter a 14-year-old shooting victim who is pulseless and apneic, what is your immediate action?

In a situation involving a 14-year-old shooting victim who is pulseless and apneic, the immediate action should focus on the priority of patient care. While protecting against scene intrusion can be important for overall safety and ensuring that you can attend to the patient without interference, the most critical first step is to perform CPR.

When a patient is pulseless and apneic, this indicates a cardiac arrest, and immediate resuscitation efforts are necessary to increase the chances of survival. Performing CPR provides artificial circulation and can help sustain vital organs until advanced medical personnel arrive. Therefore, the correct action in this emergency scenario is to initiate CPR right away.

Other considerations, like searching for patient identification or checking for other victims, are important but should be conducted once the immediate life-saving measures are underway or when it is safe to do so. The priority in emergency situations is to address life-threatening conditions first.