A 67-year-old male with asthma has chest tightness and SpO2 76%. What is your first action?

In this scenario, the patient is exhibiting signs of respiratory distress indicated by chest tightness and a significantly low oxygen saturation level of 76%. The immediate priority in managing a patient with such low oxygen saturation is to ensure adequate oxygenation.

Administering oxygen via a non-rebreather mask is the correct first action because it provides the highest concentration of oxygen available, which is crucial for a patient showing signs of hypoxia. Given the patient's distress and the critical threshold of oxygen saturation, rapidly improving his oxygen levels is essential to prevent complications such as organ failure or respiratory deterioration.

While assisting with the prescribed inhaler could be beneficial, the low SpO2 suggests that the patient may require oxygen support before or in addition to bronchodilator treatment. Obtaining full vital signs or assisting with nitroglycerin is less urgent compared to addressing the hypoxia, as those actions do not provide immediate benefit in correcting the low oxygen levels in this context.