If you are ventilating an apneic 50-year-old woman with a bag-valve-mask device, and there is no visible chest rise after squeezing the bag, what should you do?

The most appropriate action in this scenario is to check the airway for obstructions. When using a bag-valve-mask (BVM) device, it is essential to ensure that the airway is patent (open) to allow for effective ventilation. If there is no visible chest rise after squeezing the bag, this indicates that air is not reaching the lungs, which could be due to an obstruction in the airway.

Checking for obstructions helps to identify any potential blockages, such as foreign bodies or swelling, preventing adequate ventilation. It allows the responder to address any issues before proceeding with further ventilation efforts. This action is crucial because failing to ensure a clear airway can lead to ineffective resuscitation and further complications.

Other choices do not address the immediate concern of ensuring an open airway. Continuing to ventilate without any changes does not resolve the underlying issue of potential obstruction. Allowing the patient to completely exhale is not a standard approach in this scenario and could exacerbate the lack of oxygenation. Increasing the flow of oxygen may seem like a viable option, but without a patent airway, additional oxygen won't have the intended effect. Thus, checking the airway for obstructions is the correct and most logical step in this situation.