EMT CH 10

A 19-year-old female is found unconscious by her roommate. Your primary assessment reveals that her breathing is inadequate. As you insert an oropharyngeal airway, she begins to gag violently. You should: A. continue to insert the airway as you suction her oropharynx. B. insert the airway no further but leave it in place as a bite block. C. remove the airway and be prepared to suction her oropharynx. D. select a smaller oropharyngeal airway and attempt to insert it.

A man was found unresponsive in his bed at home. There is no evidence of injury and the patient's medical history is not known. The patient's face is cyanotic, yet the pulse oximeter reads 98%. Which of the following would MOST likely explain this? A. Severe pulmonary edema B. Carbon monoxide poisoning C. Increased body temperature D. His extremities are cold

A patient who is suspected of being hypoxic and is breathing adequately should be given supplemental oxygen with a: A. nasal cannula. B. nonrebreathing mask. C. mouth-to-mask device. D. bag-valve mask.

During your assessment of a patient with respiratory distress, you hear wheezing when listening to breath sounds. This indicates: A. fluid in the alveoli. B. swelling of the upper airway. C. secretions in the airway. D. a lower airway obstruction.

How does CPAP improve oxygenation and ventilation in patients with certain respiratory problems? A. It decreases intrathoracic pressure, which allows more room for lung expansion. B. It forces the alveoli open and pushes oxygen across the alveolar membrane. C. It prevents alveolar collapse by pushing air into the lungs during inhalation. D. It pushes thick, infected pulmonary secretions into isolated areas of the lung.

In which of the following patients would the head tilt-chin lift maneuver be the MOST appropriate method of opening the airway? A. A 50-year-old male who is unconscious following head trauma B. A 45-year-old male who is semiconscious after falling 20 feet C. A 24-year-old male who is found unconscious at the base of a tree D. A 37-year-old female who is found unconscious in her bed

Irregular respirations characterized by an increasing rate and depth of breathing followed by periods of apnea are called: A. agonal respirations. B. ataxic respirations. C. Cheyne-Stokes respirations. D. eupneic respirations.

The nasopharyngeal airway is MOST beneficial because it: A. is generally well tolerated in conscious patients with an intact gag reflex. B. can effectively stabilize fractured nasal bones if it is inserted properly. C. can maintain a patent airway in a semiconscious patient with a gag reflex. D. effectively maintains the airway of a patient in cardiopulmonary arrest.

The physical act of moving air into and out of the lungs is called: A. oxygenation. B. respiration. C. diffusion. D. ventilation.

What occurs when a patient is breathing very rapidly and shallowly? A. The majority of tidal volume reaches the lungs and diffuses across the alveolar-capillary membrane. B. Air is forcefully drawn into the lungs due to the negative pressure created by the rapid respirations. C. Minute volume increases because of a marked increase in both tidal volume and respiratory rate. D. Air moves primarily in the anatomic dead space and does not participate in pulmonary gas exchange.

When testing a mechanical suctioning unit, you should turn on the device, clamp the tubing, and ensure that it generates a vacuum pressure of more than: A. 300 mm Hg. B. 200 mm Hg. C. 400 mm Hg. D. 100 mm Hg.

Which of the following is the MOST reliable indicator of adequately performed bag-valve mask ventilations in an apneic adult with a pulse? A. Adequate rise of the chest when squeezing the bag B. Consistently increasing heart rate C. Decreased compliance when squeezing the bag D. Twenty breaths/min being delivered to the adult

Which of the following patients is breathing adequately? A. A conscious male with respirations of 18 breaths/min and reduced tidal volume B. A conscious female with facial cyanosis and rapid, shallow respirations C. A conscious male with respirations of 19 breaths/min and pink skin D. An unconscious 52-year-old female with snoring respirations and cool, pale skin

Which of the following patients should you place in the recovery position? A. A 24-year-old unconscious female who overdosed and has a reduced tidal volume B. A 19-year-old conscious male with a closed head injury and normal respirations C. A 40-year-old conscious female with a possible neck injury and regular respirations D. A 31-year-old semiconscious male with low blood sugar and adequate breathing

Which of the following statements regarding breathing adequacy is correct? A. Patients breathing shallowly may require assisted ventilation despite a normal respiratory rate. B. The single most reliable sign of breathing adequacy in the adult is his or her respiratory rate. C. A patient with slow respirations and adequate depth will experience an increase in minute volume. D. Patients with a grossly irregular breathing pattern usually do not require assisted ventilation.

Which of the following statements regarding normal gas exchange in the lungs is correct? A. Blood that returns to the lungs from the body has low levels of carbon dioxide. B. The actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the capillaries. C. Oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse across the alveolar walls and capillaries. D. The oxygen content in the alveoli is highest during the exhalation phase.

Which of the following statements regarding oxygen is correct? A. Oxygen is flammable and may explode if under high pressure. B. Oxygen is most safely administered in an enclosed environment. C. Oxygen cylinders must always remain in an upright position. D. Oxygen supports the combustion process and may cause a fire.

Which of the following structures is NOT found in the upper airway? A. Pharynx B. Larynx C. Oropharynx D. Bronchus

You are performing mouth-to-mask ventilations with oxygen connected and set at a flow rate of 15 L/min. What percentage of oxygen is your patient receiving? A. 55% B. 65% C. 45% D. 75%

You are ventilating a patient with a stoma; however, air is escaping from the mouth and nose. To prevent this, you should: A. ventilate with less pressure. B. thoroughly suction the stoma. C. seal the mouth and nose. D. thrust the jaw forward.

You attempt to ventilate the patient with a BVM and notice resistance. The chest does not rise during your ventilation. What should you do? A. Reposition the airway by hyperextending the head to allow for better anatomic position, then attempt to ventilate. B. Assume there is a foreign body airway obstruction and immediately begin chest compressions. C. Assume there is a foreign body airway obstruction and provide forceful ventilations. D. Reposition the airway by bringing the head back to a neutral position, then reopen the airway and attempt to ventilate.

Which of the following indicates that your artificial ventilations are inadequate? A. Minimal or no chest rise and fall B. Increased levels on pulse oximetry C. Heart rate returning to normal range D. Warm, pink skin

How can gastric distention be prevented when performing artificial ventilations? A. Provide rapid, forceful breaths during artificial ventilation over 1 second. B. Provide slow, gentle breaths during artificial ventilation over 1 second. C. Provide rapid, forceful breaths during artificial ventilation over 3 seconds. D. Provide slow, gentle breaths during artificial ventilation over 3 seconds.

Which of the following is contraindicated in a patient who has sustained a head injury? A. Insertion of an oral airway B. Jaw-thrust maneuver C. Mouth-to-mask ventilation D. Insertion of a nasal airway

While you are performing artificial ventilations on this patient, he vomits. What should you do? A. Roll the patient onto his side to allow for drainage of emesis. B. Continue ventilations with increased force to prevent aspiration. C. Immediately stop ventilations and begin chest compressions. D. Stop ventilations and wait for advanced life support to arrive.

Your partner applies a pulse oximeter to the patient. While ventilating, you note adequate chest rise and fall and improved skin color; however, the oxygen saturation reads 88%. Which of the following is a potential cause of an inaccurate pulse oximetry reading? A. Hypertension B. Peripheral vasoconstriction C. Jaundice D. Diabetes

Explain the effects of hypoxia on cellular metabolism.

You are providing artificial ventilations to your patient with a BVM attached to oxygen. What is the difference between ventilation and oxygenation?

While en route to the hospital, the patient begins shallow breathing at a rate of 6 breaths/min. He remains unresponsive. What should you do?

You and your partner arrive at a local restaurant where you find an unresponsive 62-year-old man lying on the floor. Witnesses report the patient collapsed to the ground without any warning. You perform a primary assessment and note the patient has a carotid pulse, but is unresponsive and not breathing. He appears cyanotic and there are no signs of traumatic injury. What is the first intervention that should take place? A. Apply oxygen with a nonrebreathing mask and assess vital signs. B. Prepare for immediate transport to a hospital. C. Insert an oral airway and begin ventilations with a BVM. D. Check the patient for any medical alert tags.