Flight Attendant Procedures Practice Test

When someone is unconscious and there’s a potential spinal injury, the priority is to protect the spine while keeping the airway open. Movement can cause further damage to the spinal cord, so you avoid twisting or bending the neck or spine. The best approach is to keep the passenger still and wait for medical professionals, unless there’s an immediate safety threat that requires moving them. Start by calling for medical assistance right away. While you wait, stabilize the airway with a jaw-thrust maneuver (to minimize neck movement) and monitor breathing. If breathing stops, provide rescue breaths as trained, using a barrier device if available. Keep the head and neck in a neutral alignment and support them to prevent any movement. Do not place the person in any altered position like Trendelenburg, and do not twist the neck to check for nerve damage. The goal is to maintain airway and breathing while preserving spinal alignment until help arrives.