National League for Nursing (NLN PAX) Practice Exam

The immediate remedy for someone who is choking on a piece of food is to apply quick, hard pressures to their abdomen just beneath the diaphragm. This technique is known as the Heimlich maneuver, which is a first-aid procedure designed to expel an obstruction from the airway by creating an artificial cough.

When performed correctly, the abdominal thrusts increase pressure in the chest cavity, forcing air out of the lungs and helping to dislodge the object stuck in the airway. It is critical to act quickly when someone is choking, as this can prevent the situation from becoming life-threatening.

While encouraging someone to cough can be beneficial if they are able to do so, and calling for emergency help is necessary in certain situations, these actions are not the immediate remedy required to resolve the choking itself. The use of fingers or blunt objects to attempt to remove something from the back of the mouth can be dangerous and is not recommended, as it may push the obstruction further down the airway instead of removing it.