What comes first: administering oxygen or repositioning a client with shortness of breath?

• A. Repositioning first
• B. Administer oxygen only after monitoring
• C. Call for help first
• D. Administer oxygen (ABCs—Airway first)

Answer: (D)

When someone is short of breath, the priority is maintaining the airway and ensuring adequate oxygen delivery. Administering oxygen immediately addresses the core problem of impaired gas exchange and tissue oxygenation, which is why it’s chosen first. Repositioning can help by improving airway alignment and making breathing easier, but it does not provide the oxygen the body desperately needs, so delaying oxygen to try to reposition or to monitor first can waste precious time. Calling for help is important, but it shouldn’t delay giving oxygen when it’s available and you’re trained to use it. You can adjust the position to help breathing while you deliver oxygen, but starting oxygen right away is the most effective first step under ABCs—Airway first.