What should the medical assistant do after checking for a pulse in an unresponsive patient?

After checking for a pulse in an unresponsive patient, the appropriate next step is to call emergency services. This action is critical because the presence or absence of a pulse informs the medical assistant about the immediate need for further medical intervention. If the patient is unresponsive and has no pulse, rapid activation of emergency services is essential to ensure that the patient receives professional medical care as soon as possible.

Calling emergency services ensures that trained professionals can provide advanced care, which may include interventions that a medical assistant is not qualified to perform. Promptly alerting emergency responders can significantly increase the patient's chances of survival in critical situations.

Moving the patient, beginning CPR, or waiting for help may not be the best immediate actions unless supported by the findings of the pulse check. For instance, if the patient has no pulse, initiating CPR would be the correct immediate response, but it is typically preceded by calling for professional assistance in cases of cardiac arrest. Therefore, ensuring that emergency services are on the way is a fundamental and priority action within the scope of emergency response protocols.