Upon arriving at a scene with an unresponsive woman, what is your immediate next step?

The correct immediate next step when arriving at the scene of an unresponsive woman is to check her for breathing and pulse. This assessment helps determine the next appropriate actions to take.

Assessing breathing and pulse is crucial because it informs the responder whether the individual is in cardiac arrest or if they are experiencing another medical issue. If the person is not breathing or does not have a pulse, it indicates that rapid intervention, such as CPR, is necessary. If there is breathing but no pulse, the responder will still need to activate emergency services and provide care accordingly.

Performing chest compressions without checking for breathing or a pulse could delay the necessary care or lead to incorrect assumptions about the person's condition. Calling for backup is also important, but it should come after assessing the situation. Placing the person in a recovery position is appropriate if they are breathing and have a pulse, but this should only be done after confirming their condition. Thus, checking for breathing and pulse is the most immediate and critical step in this scenario.