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Emergencies and resuscitation

How to help a choking adult

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

If the person can cough, let them cough. If they cannot speak or cough, act now.

Step by step

  1. Ask

    "Are you choking?" A nod and no sound means severe obstruction. [1]

  2. Abdominal thrusts

    Stand behind, fist just above the navel, other hand over it, quick inward and upward thrusts. [1]

  3. Pregnancy or obesity

    Chest thrusts on the breastbone instead. [1]

  4. Repeat

    Until the object comes out or the person becomes unresponsive. [1]

  5. Unresponsive

    Lower to the ground, call for help, start CPR. [1]

  6. Look before breaths

    Remove an object only if you see it; no blind finger sweeps. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in Making Synapses

In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

Making Synapses cases that train this skill

Sources

  1. AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC
  2. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  3. NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)

Facts and steps follow NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines; NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.