UCLA EMT AIRWAY EXAM 2026/2027
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A |
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
Core Domains:
Airway Anatomy and Physiology
Airway Assessment and Recognition of Compromise
Manual Airway Maneuvers and Positioning
Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Airway Adjuncts
Supplemental Oxygen Therapy and Delivery Devices
Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation and Two-Person Technique
Suctioning Techniques and Equipment
Supraglottic Airway Devices and Advanced Airways
Positive Pressure Ventilation and Oxygenation
Airway Management in Special Populations
Pharmacological Adjuncts and Sedation
Regulatory Compliance and Scope of Practice
Introduction:
The UCLA EMT Airway Examination assesses a candidate's comprehensive
knowledge of airway anatomy, assessment, and management essential for
emergency medical technicians. It evaluates foundational understanding of
manual airway maneuvers, airway adjuncts, oxygen delivery devices, bag-
valve-mask ventilation, suctioning, and supraglottic airway devices. The exam
structure includes multiple-choice and scenario-based questions designed to
test real-world application and decision-making in prehospital settings. This
,assessment ensures candidates are fully prepared to recognize and manage
airway compromise, provide effective oxygenation and ventilation, and comply
with Los Angeles County EMS protocols and the National EMS Education
Standards.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. What is the primary purpose of the upper airway?
A. To facilitate gas exchange
B. To conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from foreign material
C. To produce sound
D. To regulate blood pressure
B. To conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from foreign material
RATIONALE: The upper airway, consisting of the nose, mouth, pharynx,
and larynx, serves to conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from
foreign material such as food, liquids, and secretions. While sound
production occurs in the larynx, the primary function is conduction and
protection.
2. Which structure is the narrowest portion of the adult airway?
A. The oropharynx
B. The glottic opening
C. The trachea
D. The nasopharynx
B. The glottic opening
RATIONALE: In adults, the narrowest portion of the airway is at the
glottic opening (the space between the vocal cords). In children, the
narrowest portion is the cricoid ring.
3. What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unresponsive
patient?
,A. Foreign body aspiration
B. The tongue falling back against the posterior pharynx
C. Laryngospasm
D. Swelling from an allergic reaction
B. The tongue falling back against the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: In an unresponsive patient, loss of muscle tone causes the
tongue to fall back and obstruct the airway at the level of the posterior
pharynx. This is the most common and easily correctable cause of airway
obstruction.
4. What is the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver designed to accomplish?
A. To protect the cervical spine
B. To lift the tongue away from the posterior pharynx
C. To open the mouth for suctioning
D. To stimulate breathing
B. To lift the tongue away from the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: The head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver displaces the mandible
and lifts the tongue away from the posterior pharynx, opening the airway. It is
contraindicated if a cervical spine injury is suspected.
5. When should the jaw-thrust maneuver be used instead of the head-tilt,
chin-lift?
A. When the patient has facial trauma
B. When a cervical spine injury is suspected
C. When the patient is obese
D. When the patient has dentures
B. When a cervical spine injury is suspected
RATIONALE: The jaw-thrust maneuver is the preferred technique when a
cervical spine injury is suspected because it opens the airway without
extending the neck. It can be performed with or without head tilt.
, 6. What is the primary purpose of an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?
A. To provide a seal for bag-valve-mask ventilation
B. To keep the tongue from obstructing the posterior pharynx
C. To suction secretions
D. To administer medications
B. To keep the tongue from obstructing the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: An OPA is inserted to hold the tongue away from the
posterior pharynx, preventing airway obstruction. It is used only in
unresponsive patients without a gag reflex.
7. What is the correct method for sizing an oropharyngeal airway?
A. From the tip of the nose to the earlobe
B. From the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
C. From the center of the mouth to the earlobe
D. From the chin to the sternal notch
B. From the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
RATIONALE: An OPA is correctly sized by measuring from the corner of
the patient's mouth to the angle of the jaw. An incorrectly sized OPA can push
the tongue back and worsen obstruction.
8. What is the primary indication for a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?
A. The patient has a gag reflex
B. The patient has facial trauma
C. The patient is in cardiac arrest
D. The patient has a suspected basilar skull fracture
A. The patient has a gag reflex
RATIONALE: An NPA is indicated for patients who have a gag reflex or
who cannot tolerate an OPA. It is contraindicated in patients with severe
facial trauma or suspected basilar skull fracture.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS)
PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A |
INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF.
Core Domains:
Airway Anatomy and Physiology
Airway Assessment and Recognition of Compromise
Manual Airway Maneuvers and Positioning
Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal Airway Adjuncts
Supplemental Oxygen Therapy and Delivery Devices
Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation and Two-Person Technique
Suctioning Techniques and Equipment
Supraglottic Airway Devices and Advanced Airways
Positive Pressure Ventilation and Oxygenation
Airway Management in Special Populations
Pharmacological Adjuncts and Sedation
Regulatory Compliance and Scope of Practice
Introduction:
The UCLA EMT Airway Examination assesses a candidate's comprehensive
knowledge of airway anatomy, assessment, and management essential for
emergency medical technicians. It evaluates foundational understanding of
manual airway maneuvers, airway adjuncts, oxygen delivery devices, bag-
valve-mask ventilation, suctioning, and supraglottic airway devices. The exam
structure includes multiple-choice and scenario-based questions designed to
test real-world application and decision-making in prehospital settings. This
,assessment ensures candidates are fully prepared to recognize and manage
airway compromise, provide effective oxygenation and ventilation, and comply
with Los Angeles County EMS protocols and the National EMS Education
Standards.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. What is the primary purpose of the upper airway?
A. To facilitate gas exchange
B. To conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from foreign material
C. To produce sound
D. To regulate blood pressure
B. To conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from foreign material
RATIONALE: The upper airway, consisting of the nose, mouth, pharynx,
and larynx, serves to conduct air to the lower airway and protect it from
foreign material such as food, liquids, and secretions. While sound
production occurs in the larynx, the primary function is conduction and
protection.
2. Which structure is the narrowest portion of the adult airway?
A. The oropharynx
B. The glottic opening
C. The trachea
D. The nasopharynx
B. The glottic opening
RATIONALE: In adults, the narrowest portion of the airway is at the
glottic opening (the space between the vocal cords). In children, the
narrowest portion is the cricoid ring.
3. What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unresponsive
patient?
,A. Foreign body aspiration
B. The tongue falling back against the posterior pharynx
C. Laryngospasm
D. Swelling from an allergic reaction
B. The tongue falling back against the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: In an unresponsive patient, loss of muscle tone causes the
tongue to fall back and obstruct the airway at the level of the posterior
pharynx. This is the most common and easily correctable cause of airway
obstruction.
4. What is the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver designed to accomplish?
A. To protect the cervical spine
B. To lift the tongue away from the posterior pharynx
C. To open the mouth for suctioning
D. To stimulate breathing
B. To lift the tongue away from the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: The head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver displaces the mandible
and lifts the tongue away from the posterior pharynx, opening the airway. It is
contraindicated if a cervical spine injury is suspected.
5. When should the jaw-thrust maneuver be used instead of the head-tilt,
chin-lift?
A. When the patient has facial trauma
B. When a cervical spine injury is suspected
C. When the patient is obese
D. When the patient has dentures
B. When a cervical spine injury is suspected
RATIONALE: The jaw-thrust maneuver is the preferred technique when a
cervical spine injury is suspected because it opens the airway without
extending the neck. It can be performed with or without head tilt.
, 6. What is the primary purpose of an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?
A. To provide a seal for bag-valve-mask ventilation
B. To keep the tongue from obstructing the posterior pharynx
C. To suction secretions
D. To administer medications
B. To keep the tongue from obstructing the posterior pharynx
RATIONALE: An OPA is inserted to hold the tongue away from the
posterior pharynx, preventing airway obstruction. It is used only in
unresponsive patients without a gag reflex.
7. What is the correct method for sizing an oropharyngeal airway?
A. From the tip of the nose to the earlobe
B. From the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
C. From the center of the mouth to the earlobe
D. From the chin to the sternal notch
B. From the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
RATIONALE: An OPA is correctly sized by measuring from the corner of
the patient's mouth to the angle of the jaw. An incorrectly sized OPA can push
the tongue back and worsen obstruction.
8. What is the primary indication for a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?
A. The patient has a gag reflex
B. The patient has facial trauma
C. The patient is in cardiac arrest
D. The patient has a suspected basilar skull fracture
A. The patient has a gag reflex
RATIONALE: An NPA is indicated for patients who have a gag reflex or
who cannot tolerate an OPA. It is contraindicated in patients with severe
facial trauma or suspected basilar skull fracture.
