After moving an intubated patient down a flight of stairs, you notice difficulty in assisting ventilations. What should you confirm first?

Confirming the tube placement is crucial after moving an intubated patient, especially in scenarios where you encounter difficulty in assisting ventilations. Any movement, such as descending stairs, can sometimes lead to accidental dislodgment or misplacement of the endotracheal tube. Ensuring that the tube is properly positioned in the trachea is the first step to assess if ventilatory support is inadequate.

Once you confirm the tube placement, you can then evaluate other factors, such as the patient's oxygen saturation levels, responsiveness, and breath sounds. However, without confirming proper tube placement, any further assessments may not be effective in addressing the problem at hand, as an incorrectly placed tube can lead to inadequate ventilation and oxygenation. Thus, confirming the tube placement is paramount in this scenario.