EMT- Chapter 11- Airway Management
Verified Questions and Answers for
2026/2027
Which airway structure is the first major passage that air enters after passing through the nose
or mouth?
A. Trachea
B. Bronchi
C. Pharynx
D. Alveoli
✓✓ Answer: C. Pharynx
A patient suddenly becomes unable to speak after choking on food. This most likely indicates:
A. Mild airway obstruction
B. Complete airway obstruction
C. Hyperventilation
D. Pulmonary edema
✓✓ Answer: B. Complete airway obstruction
Which airway maneuver should be used for a trauma patient with a suspected cervical spine
injury?
A. Head tilt-chin lift
B. Jaw-thrust maneuver
C. Neck extension
D. Recovery position
✓✓ Answer: B. Jaw-thrust maneuver
The main purpose of opening the airway is to:
A. Improve circulation
B. Allow air to reach the lungs
C. Increase blood pressure
D. Reduce body temperature
✓✓ Answer: B. Allow air to reach the lungs
A conscious patient with noisy breathing should first be assessed for:
1
,A. Airway obstruction
B. Hypertension
C. Bone fractures
D. Fever
✓✓ Answer: A. Airway obstruction
Which airway adjunct is used only in an unconscious patient without a gag reflex?
A. Nasopharyngeal airway
B. Oropharyngeal airway
C. Endotracheal tube
D. Face shield
✓✓ Answer: B. Oropharyngeal airway
The tongue is a common cause of airway obstruction in:
A. Awake patients
B. Sleeping infants only
C. Unconscious patients
D. Walking patients
✓✓ Answer: C. Unconscious patients
When measuring an oropharyngeal airway, the correct length extends from the:
A. Nose to chin
B. Corner of the mouth to the earlobe
C. Chin to forehead
D. Nose to neck
✓✓ Answer: B. Corner of the mouth to the earlobe
Which airway adjunct can be used in a patient with an intact gag reflex?
A. Oropharyngeal airway
B. Nasopharyngeal airway
C. Bite block
D. Tongue depressor
✓✓ Answer: B. Nasopharyngeal airway
The primary reason for selecting the correct airway adjunct size is to:
2
, A. Improve patient comfort only
B. Prevent airway injury and ensure effectiveness
C. Reduce blood pressure
D. Make insertion easier for the rescuer only
✓✓ Answer: B. Prevent airway injury and ensure effectiveness
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious adult?
A. Blood clot
B. Swollen tonsils
C. Tongue relaxation
D. Foreign body
✓✓ Answer: C. Tongue relaxation
Which sign suggests partial airway obstruction?
A. Complete silence
B. Effective coughing
C. No chest movement
D. Cyanosis without breathing
✓✓ Answer: B. Effective coughing
If a patient can cough forcefully after choking, the EMT should:
A. Begin abdominal thrusts immediately
B. Encourage continued coughing
C. Insert an airway adjunct
D. Start CPR immediately
✓✓ Answer: B. Encourage continued coughing
The epiglottis functions by:
A. Producing oxygen
B. Closing over the trachea during swallowing
C. Filtering blood
D. Expanding the lungs
✓✓ Answer: B. Closing over the trachea during swallowing
Which airway structure divides into the right and left main bronchi?
3
Verified Questions and Answers for
2026/2027
Which airway structure is the first major passage that air enters after passing through the nose
or mouth?
A. Trachea
B. Bronchi
C. Pharynx
D. Alveoli
✓✓ Answer: C. Pharynx
A patient suddenly becomes unable to speak after choking on food. This most likely indicates:
A. Mild airway obstruction
B. Complete airway obstruction
C. Hyperventilation
D. Pulmonary edema
✓✓ Answer: B. Complete airway obstruction
Which airway maneuver should be used for a trauma patient with a suspected cervical spine
injury?
A. Head tilt-chin lift
B. Jaw-thrust maneuver
C. Neck extension
D. Recovery position
✓✓ Answer: B. Jaw-thrust maneuver
The main purpose of opening the airway is to:
A. Improve circulation
B. Allow air to reach the lungs
C. Increase blood pressure
D. Reduce body temperature
✓✓ Answer: B. Allow air to reach the lungs
A conscious patient with noisy breathing should first be assessed for:
1
,A. Airway obstruction
B. Hypertension
C. Bone fractures
D. Fever
✓✓ Answer: A. Airway obstruction
Which airway adjunct is used only in an unconscious patient without a gag reflex?
A. Nasopharyngeal airway
B. Oropharyngeal airway
C. Endotracheal tube
D. Face shield
✓✓ Answer: B. Oropharyngeal airway
The tongue is a common cause of airway obstruction in:
A. Awake patients
B. Sleeping infants only
C. Unconscious patients
D. Walking patients
✓✓ Answer: C. Unconscious patients
When measuring an oropharyngeal airway, the correct length extends from the:
A. Nose to chin
B. Corner of the mouth to the earlobe
C. Chin to forehead
D. Nose to neck
✓✓ Answer: B. Corner of the mouth to the earlobe
Which airway adjunct can be used in a patient with an intact gag reflex?
A. Oropharyngeal airway
B. Nasopharyngeal airway
C. Bite block
D. Tongue depressor
✓✓ Answer: B. Nasopharyngeal airway
The primary reason for selecting the correct airway adjunct size is to:
2
, A. Improve patient comfort only
B. Prevent airway injury and ensure effectiveness
C. Reduce blood pressure
D. Make insertion easier for the rescuer only
✓✓ Answer: B. Prevent airway injury and ensure effectiveness
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious adult?
A. Blood clot
B. Swollen tonsils
C. Tongue relaxation
D. Foreign body
✓✓ Answer: C. Tongue relaxation
Which sign suggests partial airway obstruction?
A. Complete silence
B. Effective coughing
C. No chest movement
D. Cyanosis without breathing
✓✓ Answer: B. Effective coughing
If a patient can cough forcefully after choking, the EMT should:
A. Begin abdominal thrusts immediately
B. Encourage continued coughing
C. Insert an airway adjunct
D. Start CPR immediately
✓✓ Answer: B. Encourage continued coughing
The epiglottis functions by:
A. Producing oxygen
B. Closing over the trachea during swallowing
C. Filtering blood
D. Expanding the lungs
✓✓ Answer: B. Closing over the trachea during swallowing
Which airway structure divides into the right and left main bronchi?
3
