If a patient is unconscious after a head injury, what is the priority assessment?

In the scenario where a patient is unconscious following a head injury, the priority assessment is to check for responsiveness. This is crucial because assessing responsiveness provides critical information about the patient's level of consciousness, which can indicate how serious the head injury may be. It can also help healthcare providers determine if the patient is at risk for compromised airway and breathing, both of which are immediate concerns that need addressing in an unconscious patient.

Determining responsiveness includes assessing whether the patient responds to verbal or physical stimuli, which can guide subsequent steps in care and help in developing a treatment plan. Understanding a patient's level of consciousness is essential in emergencies involving head injuries since altered consciousness can signal significant brain injury.

While the other options might provide ancillary information or contribute to overall assessment, they do not address the immediate need to evaluate the patient's responsiveness, which is a crucial first step in ensuring the patient's safety and managing potential airway or respiratory issues.