Final answer:
The most appropriate question to ask someone who suddenly experiences respiratory difficulty, indicating potential choking, is "Are you choking?" This allows immediate determination of the severity of the airway blockage and facilitates prompt response.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient suddenly experiences respiratory difficulty in the cafeteria, the nurse's initial step should be to quickly assess the situation to determine if the victim is experiencing a foreign body airway obstruction, commonly known as choking. The most appropriate initial question to ask in this case is "Are you choking?" This direct question allows the nurse to quickly determine if the patient can speak and hence if the airway is completely blocked. Signs that a person is choking include inability to speak, labored breathing with gasping or wheezing sounds, and clutching at the throat or mouth. Foods that can mold to the shape of the pharynx, such as bananas and marshmallows, are particularly hazardous and may cause airway obstruction in both children and adults.
Recognizing and responding to choking promptly is crucial to prevent asphyxia or suffocation, which can be potentially fatal due to oxygen deprivation. In the event of a choking emergency, procedures like the Heimlich maneuver may be necessary to dislodge the foreign object. As oxygen is vital to life and the body can only survive for a few minutes without it, ensuring that a patient's airway is clear is the first step in many medical emergencies.