What should a paramedic do for an unconscious patient with noisy, snoring respirations after eliminating cervical spine injury?

For an unconscious patient presenting with noisy, snoring respirations, repositioning the patient's head is the most appropriate action. Snoring respirations typically indicate a partial obstruction of the upper airway, often due to the tongue falling back into the throat when the patient is supine. By repositioning the head, especially in a manner that extends the neck slightly or tilts it backward, the paramedic can help reopen the airway and reduce or eliminate the obstruction. This allows for better airflow into the lungs, which is critical in unconscious patients who are unable to maintain their own airway.

Other actions, while potentially beneficial in different contexts, do not address the immediate issue of the airway obstruction as effectively. For instance, auscultating the chest may provide information about lung sounds but will not assist in resolving the airway issue. Assessing the carotid pulse is important to determine circulation but does not address the problem of noisy respirations. Positioning the patient laterally could be considered to prevent aspiration or improve airway management in cases where you anticipate a need for that, or if the airway could become more compromised, however, the immediate focus should be on correcting the airway obstruction, which is best done through head repositioning.