NREMT EMT Study Guide 2026/2027 | Complete Exam Prep
| 300 Questions & Answers
Airway, Respiration & Ventilation
1. You are assessing a 55-year-old male who is unresponsive with snoring respirations. What is
your priority action?
A) Apply high-flow oxygen
B) Open the airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver
C) Insert an oropharyngeal airway
D) Check for a carotid pulse
Answer B: Open the airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver
Rationale: Airway patency is the priority. The snoring indicates partial airway obstruction. Open the
airway first, then assess breathing and provide ventilation as needed.
2. A patient is breathing at 6 breaths per minute with shallow respirations. What is the most
appropriate intervention?
A) Apply a non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
B) Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen
C) Place the patient in the recovery position
D) Administer a bronchodilator via nebulizer
Answer B: Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen
Rationale: A rate of 6 breaths/min with shallow effort indicates inadequate ventilation. Positive pressure
ventilation with a BVM is the priority to support respiratory failure.
3. A 42-year-old asthmatic is in respiratory distress with audible wheezing. Her SpO₂ is 88%. What
is the first intervention?
A) Administer albuterol via nebulizer
,B) Apply high-flow oxygen and assist ventilations if needed
C) Position the patient in a prone position
D) Administer oral corticosteroids
Answer B: Apply high-flow oxygen and assist ventilations if needed
Rationale: Hypoxemia (SpO₂ <90%) requires immediate oxygenation. Address the life-threatening
hypoxia before initiating bronchodilator therapy, though both are urgent.
4. During BVM ventilation of an adult, what volume of air should be delivered per breath?
A) 100-200 mL
B) 400-600 mL
C) 800-1000 mL
D) 1200-1500 mL
Answer B: 400-600 mL
Rationale: Each BVM breath should be delivered over 1 second, just enough to cause visible chest rise.
400-600 mL is the target to avoid overventilation and gastric distention.
5. Which of the following is a contraindication to using an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?
A) Unresponsiveness
B) Presence of a gag reflex
C) Snoring respirations
D) Known COPD
Answer B: Presence of a gag reflex
Rationale: An OPA should only be used in unresponsive patients without a gag reflex. In a patient with a
gag reflex, it can induce vomiting and aspiration.
6. A patient has a suspected tension pneumothorax. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A) Apply high-flow oxygen
B) Needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
,C) Insert a chest tube
D) Apply a three-sided occlusive dressing
Answer B: Needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
Rationale: Tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate decompression
with a large-bore needle in the 2nd intercostal space at the midclavicular line.
7. A patient with a tracheostomy tube is in respiratory distress. What should you do first?
A) Remove the tracheostomy tube
B) Suction the tracheostomy tube
C) Apply oxygen via nasal cannula
D) Ventilate with a BVM over the stoma
Answer B: Suction the tracheostomy tube
Rationale: A blocked tracheostomy tube is a common cause of respiratory distress. Suctioning can clear
the obstruction. If no improvement, remove the tube and ventilate over the stoma.
8. What is the correct method for suctioning an adult's airway?
A) Insert the catheter while applying suction
B) Insert the catheter without suction, then apply suction while withdrawing
C) Suction for 30 seconds per pass
D) Suction every 5 minutes
Answer B: Insert the catheter without suction, then apply suction while withdrawing
Rationale: To avoid trauma to the mucosa, insert the catheter without suction. Apply suction during
withdrawal, limiting each pass to 10-15 seconds.
9. A patient is breathing adequately but has a decreased level of consciousness. How should you
position the patient?
A) Supine
B) Recovery position (lateral recumbent)
, C) Prone
D) Trendelenburg
Answer B: Recovery position (lateral recumbent)
Rationale: The recovery position protects the airway by allowing fluids to drain from the mouth and
reducing the risk of aspiration.
10. What device should be used to administer oxygen to a patient with suspected carbon
monoxide poisoning?
A) Nasal cannula at 2 L/min
B) Non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
C) Simple face mask at 10 L/min
D) Venturi mask
Answer B: Non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
Rationale: Carbon monoxide poisoning requires high-flow oxygen (15 L/min via non-rebreather) to
displace CO from hemoglobin.
11. A patient with CHF is in respiratory distress with pink frothy sputum. What is the most likely
cause?
A) Asthma
B) Pulmonary edema
C) Pneumonia
D) Pulmonary embolism
Answer B: Pulmonary edema
Rationale: Pink, frothy sputum is characteristic of pulmonary edema, commonly caused by left-sided
heart failure.
12. What is the preferred initial treatment for a patient with anaphylaxis who is in respiratory
distress?
| 300 Questions & Answers
Airway, Respiration & Ventilation
1. You are assessing a 55-year-old male who is unresponsive with snoring respirations. What is
your priority action?
A) Apply high-flow oxygen
B) Open the airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver
C) Insert an oropharyngeal airway
D) Check for a carotid pulse
Answer B: Open the airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver
Rationale: Airway patency is the priority. The snoring indicates partial airway obstruction. Open the
airway first, then assess breathing and provide ventilation as needed.
2. A patient is breathing at 6 breaths per minute with shallow respirations. What is the most
appropriate intervention?
A) Apply a non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
B) Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen
C) Place the patient in the recovery position
D) Administer a bronchodilator via nebulizer
Answer B: Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask (BVM) and supplemental oxygen
Rationale: A rate of 6 breaths/min with shallow effort indicates inadequate ventilation. Positive pressure
ventilation with a BVM is the priority to support respiratory failure.
3. A 42-year-old asthmatic is in respiratory distress with audible wheezing. Her SpO₂ is 88%. What
is the first intervention?
A) Administer albuterol via nebulizer
,B) Apply high-flow oxygen and assist ventilations if needed
C) Position the patient in a prone position
D) Administer oral corticosteroids
Answer B: Apply high-flow oxygen and assist ventilations if needed
Rationale: Hypoxemia (SpO₂ <90%) requires immediate oxygenation. Address the life-threatening
hypoxia before initiating bronchodilator therapy, though both are urgent.
4. During BVM ventilation of an adult, what volume of air should be delivered per breath?
A) 100-200 mL
B) 400-600 mL
C) 800-1000 mL
D) 1200-1500 mL
Answer B: 400-600 mL
Rationale: Each BVM breath should be delivered over 1 second, just enough to cause visible chest rise.
400-600 mL is the target to avoid overventilation and gastric distention.
5. Which of the following is a contraindication to using an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?
A) Unresponsiveness
B) Presence of a gag reflex
C) Snoring respirations
D) Known COPD
Answer B: Presence of a gag reflex
Rationale: An OPA should only be used in unresponsive patients without a gag reflex. In a patient with a
gag reflex, it can induce vomiting and aspiration.
6. A patient has a suspected tension pneumothorax. What is the most appropriate intervention?
A) Apply high-flow oxygen
B) Needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
,C) Insert a chest tube
D) Apply a three-sided occlusive dressing
Answer B: Needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line
Rationale: Tension pneumothorax is a life-threatening condition requiring immediate decompression
with a large-bore needle in the 2nd intercostal space at the midclavicular line.
7. A patient with a tracheostomy tube is in respiratory distress. What should you do first?
A) Remove the tracheostomy tube
B) Suction the tracheostomy tube
C) Apply oxygen via nasal cannula
D) Ventilate with a BVM over the stoma
Answer B: Suction the tracheostomy tube
Rationale: A blocked tracheostomy tube is a common cause of respiratory distress. Suctioning can clear
the obstruction. If no improvement, remove the tube and ventilate over the stoma.
8. What is the correct method for suctioning an adult's airway?
A) Insert the catheter while applying suction
B) Insert the catheter without suction, then apply suction while withdrawing
C) Suction for 30 seconds per pass
D) Suction every 5 minutes
Answer B: Insert the catheter without suction, then apply suction while withdrawing
Rationale: To avoid trauma to the mucosa, insert the catheter without suction. Apply suction during
withdrawal, limiting each pass to 10-15 seconds.
9. A patient is breathing adequately but has a decreased level of consciousness. How should you
position the patient?
A) Supine
B) Recovery position (lateral recumbent)
, C) Prone
D) Trendelenburg
Answer B: Recovery position (lateral recumbent)
Rationale: The recovery position protects the airway by allowing fluids to drain from the mouth and
reducing the risk of aspiration.
10. What device should be used to administer oxygen to a patient with suspected carbon
monoxide poisoning?
A) Nasal cannula at 2 L/min
B) Non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
C) Simple face mask at 10 L/min
D) Venturi mask
Answer B: Non-rebreather mask at 15 L/min
Rationale: Carbon monoxide poisoning requires high-flow oxygen (15 L/min via non-rebreather) to
displace CO from hemoglobin.
11. A patient with CHF is in respiratory distress with pink frothy sputum. What is the most likely
cause?
A) Asthma
B) Pulmonary edema
C) Pneumonia
D) Pulmonary embolism
Answer B: Pulmonary edema
Rationale: Pink, frothy sputum is characteristic of pulmonary edema, commonly caused by left-sided
heart failure.
12. What is the preferred initial treatment for a patient with anaphylaxis who is in respiratory
distress?
