Respiratory Emergencies
What is the best way to determine that you are getting adequate ventilation with a bag-valve mask? A) Look for chest rise and fall. B) Push the full amount of the air in the bag into the patient. C) Ensure the pulse oximeter reads 95 to 100%. D) Hyperventilate the patient until the oxygen saturation reaches 100%.
A) Look for chest rise and fall.
Assuming your protocol allows the administration of nitroglycerin when certain conditions exist, what is the maximum number of tablets to be administered in the prehospital setting? A) 2 B) 3 C) 4 D) 1
B) 3
You are on the scene of a 68-year-old male patient complaining of severe chest pain for the last 20 minutes. He has a previous history of myocardial infarction and states it feels "just like the last time." You have applied oxygen and assisted him in administering aspirin and nitroglycerin with no reduction in the chest pain. Your nearest facility is 5 minutes away, a Level III Trauma Center is 10 minutes away, and a hospital with cardiac catheterization capabilities is 20 minutes away. The patient is requesting to be transported to his cardiologist's hospital, which is 30 minutes away. Which hospital is the best destination? A) The nearest facility B) The trauma center C) The hospital the patient requests D) The nearest hospital with cardiac catheterization
D) The nearest hospital with cardiac catheterization
There are two types of seizures; if your patient is having a seizure that affects only one body part and does not cause her to lose consciousness, it is called a: A) tonic-clonic seizure. B) generalized seizure. C) postictal seizure. D) partial seizure.
D) partial seizure.
Which of the following is the name given to the condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs? A) Congestive heart failure B) Pulmonary edema C) Pedal edema D) Dyspnea
B) Pulmonary edema
You are ventilating a 6-year-old child and note that his heart rate has decreased from 70 to 54. Which of the following is not appropriate? A) Notify medical control that the patient's condition has improved. B) Check the flow of oxygen reaching the bag-valve mask device. C) Increase the force of ventilations. D) Insert an oropharyngeal airway and continue ventilating.
A) Notify medical control that the patient's condition has improved.
Which of the following is the EMT's role in caring for a patient presenting with symptoms of anxiety, irritability, a short temper, and chest pain with shortness of breath? A) Treat the patient as though he were having a heart problem. B) Provide automatic external defibrillation. C) Make an interpretation of the patient's cardiac rhythm. D) Determine the cause of the patient's chest pain.
A) Treat the patient as though he were having a heart problem.
Which of the following should NOT be done during defibrillation? A) Pressing the defibrillation pads firmly to the chest to ensure good contact B) Continued ventilation during the analysis phase to prevent hypoxia C) Shaving the chest before placing the defibrillation pads to improve contact D) Performing CPR while the AED is being attached
B) Continued ventilation during the analysis phase to prevent hypoxia
Many diabetics today have an insulin pump. Which of the following statements about insulin pumps is NOT true? A) They are about the size of a deck of cards. B) They are usually worn on the belt. C) They have a catheter that enters into the abdomen or thigh. D) They are usually worn around the ankle.
D) They are usually worn around the ankle.
What condition is when there is an infection in one or both lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi? A) Pneumonia B) Pulmonary edema C) Asthma D) Pulmonary embolism
A) Pneumonia
Your patient is a 24-year-old woman with asthma who is struggling to breathe and is very agitated. She has cyanosis of her lips and nail beds, and is cool and clammy to the touch. When you attempt to assist her ventilations with a bag-valve mask device, she becomes combative and repeatedly pushes the mask away from her face. Which of the following is the best option? A) Use a nasal cannula to administer supplemental oxygen. B) Have your partner restrain the patient's hands so that you can ventilate her. C) Begin transport immediately and contact medical control for advice. D) Wait for the patient's level of consciousness to decrease so that she can no longer resist your attempts to ventilate.
C) Begin transport immediately and contact medical control for advice.
In which of the following situations would the administration of aspirin to a cardiac patient be prohibited? A) The patient does not currently take aspirin. B) The patient has a gastrointestinal ulcer. C) The patient has a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mmHg. D) The patient feels dizzy.
B) The patient has a gastrointestinal ulcer.
In which of the following ways does cardiac arrest in children differ from cardiac arrest in adults? A) Cardiac arrest in children is more likely to be due to respiratory failure. B) Ventricular fibrillation is common in children. C) Ventricular fibrillation is not common in adults. D) Cardiac arrest in adults is more likely to be due to respiratory failure.
A) Cardiac arrest in children is more likely to be due to respiratory failure.
Normal consciousness is regulated by a series of neurologic circuits in the brain that compose the reticular activating system (RAS). The RAS has simple requirements to function properly. Which one of the following items is NOT one of those requirements? A) Oxygen B) Glucose C) Water D) Sodium
D) Sodium
Which of the following respiratory rates is considered an abnormal respiratory rate for an adult? A) 20 breaths/min B) 12 breaths/min C) 16 breaths/min D) 8 breaths/min
D) 8 breaths/min
Your patient is a 60-year-old female with a sudden onset of severe difficulty breathing. She has no prior history of respiratory problems. Which of the following should be done before applying oxygen by nonrebreather mask? A) Listen to the patient's breath sounds. B) Obtain a history of the present illness. C) Check the patient's oxygen saturation level. D) None of the above
D) None of the above
Which of the following statements regarding angina pectoris is true? A) It can be brought on by exertion or stress. B) It is generally relieved by over-the-counter medications. C) It results in death of a smaller portion of myocardium than does a heart attack. D) It generally lasts 30 to 60 minutes.
A) It can be brought on by exertion or stress.
Which of the following BEST describes an appropriate shock sequence for the patient in ventricular tachycardia? A) Shock, 2 minutes of CPR, reanalyze, shock again if indicated B) Shock, shock, shock, pulse check, 2 minutes of CPR, shock, shock, shock C) Shock, pulse check, shock, pulse check, shock, pulse check D) Shock, shock, shock, shock
A) Shock, 2 minutes of CPR, reanalyze, shock again if indicated
The signs and symptoms of a transient ischemic attack (TIA) may last up to: A) 1 hour. B) 30 minutes. C) 24 hours. D) 6 hours.
C) 24 hours.
Which of the following BEST describes status epilepticus? A) A seizure involving convulsions on only one side of the body B) A seizure that occurs without a known cause C) A period of drowsiness following tonic-clonic seizures D) Two or more seizures with tonic-clonic activity without an intervening period of consciousness
D) Two or more seizures with tonic-clonic activity without an intervening period of consciousness
You are on the scene of a 5-year-old patient who is in respiratory distress. The mother states that the patient has been making a "seal bark"-sounding cough for the past 24 hours. The child is very scared. The patient has stable vital signs. He is leaning forward in the tripod position and is drooling profusely. After performing your primary assessment, what is your best treatment option? A) Provide high-concentration oxygen and have the parent hold the mask to the patient's face. B) Provide oxygen by BVM. C) Use a tongue depressor to examine the patient's mouth to determine whether the patient has strep throat or croup. D) Calm the child as much as possible and provide high-concentration oxygen.
D) Calm the child as much as possible and provide high-concentration oxygen.
You respond to the scene of a 56-year-old obese female complaining of respiratory distress. She states that she has been feeling weak and a "little sick" for the past two days, but the respiratory distress has been getting progressively worse for the past several hours. She states she has "heart problems," suffers from high blood pressure, and takes a "water pill." She is afebrile and has coarse crackles bilaterally. What is most likely the cause of her respiratory distress? A) Dysrhythmia B) Acute myocardial infarction C) Aortic aneurysm D) Congestive heart failure
D) Congestive heart failure
You are the first on the scene of a 72-year-old patient in cardiac arrest. You have your medical supply kit, oxygen, and an AED. At least 4 to 5 minutes of high-quality CPR has been provided by the police officer who arrived before you. You have confirmed an open airway, apnea, and pulselessness. Which of the following should you do next? A) Perform one-rescuer CPR until additional personnel arrive. B) Apply the defibrillator pads and shock as indicated. C) Perform bag-valve mask ventilations with supplemental oxygen for 30 seconds before applying the defibrillator pads. D) Contact medical direction before taking any action
B) Apply the defibrillator pads and shock as indicated.
Your patient is a 70-year-old man whose wife called EMS because her husband began exhibiting unusual behavior. Upon your arrival you introduce yourself to the patient, who responds, "Not until nine o'clock." This phenomenon is BEST described as: A) receptive aphasia. B) disorientation to time. C) unresponsive to verbal stimuli. D) expressive aphasia.
A) receptive aphasia.
You are on-scene with a 48-year-old unresponsive male patient. Bystanders state he complained of chest pain and then suddenly collapsed. Vital signs are blood pressure 68/42, pulse 36, and respiratory rate 3. He is unresponsive to painful stimuli. After performing the primary assessment and treating all life threats, what is your next intervention? A) Insert an oral airway. B) Administer high-concentration oxygen at 15 lpm by bag-valve mask. C) Package the patient for rapid transport. D) Apply the AED.
C) Package the patient for rapid transport.