Unconscious means a person is not awake and cannot respond. In first aid, an unconscious person should be treated as an emergency because they may not be able to protect their own airway or breathing.
What does unconscious mean?
If a person is unconscious, they do not wake up when you speak to them or gently try to rouse them. They are not alert and are not responding in a normal way.
For practical first aid on this site, the main action page to follow is Unresponsive.
Is unconscious the same as unresponsive?
Often, yes in first aid practice.
If a person is unconscious, they are unresponsive. A person may also be described as unresponsive before the exact cause is known.
That is why Unresponsive is the more useful main page for checking what to do next.
What should you do if someone is unconscious?
Treat it as an emergency.
- Check for a response.
- Follow the early emergency priorities in Primary Survey or DRSABCD.
- Check whether the person is breathing normally.
- If they are breathing normally, use the Recovery Position if appropriate.
- If they are not breathing normally, start CPR.
Do not give food or drink. Do not leave the person alone.
Why is it serious?
An unconscious person may have a blocked airway, abnormal breathing, or a serious illness or injury. Causes can include head injury, seizure, stroke, low blood sugar, poisoning, severe infection, or lack of oxygen.
You do not need to know the exact cause before acting. The priority is to check breathing, call for help, and follow the basic first aid response.
Where should you read the full response steps?
For the main plain-English first aid guidance, read Unresponsive.
That is the better main entry for:
- checking responsiveness
- deciding between recovery position and CPR
- knowing when to call
000
Quick answer
Unconscious means a person is not awake and cannot respond. On this site it works best as a supporting glossary term, while Unresponsive is the main operational page for the full first aid response pathway.
Australian guidance and review
This page was reviewed against current Australian first aid guidance in August 2026. ANZCOR advises that an unconscious person who is breathing normally should be placed on their side with their airway open, an ambulance called and their condition checked continuously. If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally, follow DRSABCD and begin CPR.
- ANZCOR Guideline 3: Recognition and First Aid Management of the Unconscious Person
- ANZCOR Guideline 8: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
This information is for general first aid education and does not replace emergency advice. In Australia, call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.
