FISDAP Airway Comprehensive
Practice Examination Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
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1. A patient is found unconscious after collapsing. The first airway-
related action should be to:
A. Insert an oropharyngeal airway
B. Apply a nonrebreather mask
C. Assess for normal breathing and immediately address airway
obstruction
D. Begin positive-pressure ventilation without assessment
Answer: C. Assess for normal breathing and immediately address
airway obstruction
Rationale: An unresponsive patient requires an immediate assessment
of airway patency and breathing. The provider should determine
whether the airway is open and whether the patient is breathing
normally before selecting an airway adjunct or ventilation method.
2. Which finding most strongly suggests partial upper-airway
obstruction?
A. High-pitched inspiratory noise
B. Normal speech
C. Warm, dry skin
D. Equal peripheral pulses
,Answer: A. High-pitched inspiratory noise
Rationale: Stridor is a high-pitched sound usually associated with
upper-airway narrowing. It can indicate significant obstruction and
requires prompt assessment and intervention.
3. The head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver is generally used to:
A. Reduce pulmonary edema
B. Open the airway by moving the tongue away from the posterior
pharynx
C. Remove fluid from the lungs
D. Increase blood pressure
Answer: B. Open the airway by moving the tongue away from the
posterior pharynx
Rationale: In an unresponsive patient without suspected spinal trauma,
the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver helps lift the tongue and soft tissues
away from the posterior pharynx, improving airway patency.
4. Which maneuver is preferred for opening the airway when cervical
spine injury is suspected?
A. Head extension
B. Chin compression
C. Jaw-thrust maneuver
D. Neck rotation
Answer: C. Jaw-thrust maneuver
Rationale: When spinal injury is suspected, minimizing cervical
movement is important. The jaw-thrust maneuver can open the airway
while producing less cervical movement than head extension.
, 5. A conscious adult suddenly develops severe airway obstruction and
cannot speak or cough effectively. The appropriate immediate
intervention is:
A. Abdominal thrusts
B. Oxygen by nasal cannula
C. Blind finger sweep
D. Encourage the patient to drink water
Answer: A. Abdominal thrusts
Rationale: A conscious adult with severe foreign-body airway
obstruction who cannot speak, cough effectively, or breathe requires
immediate relief of the obstruction. Abdominal thrusts are commonly
used for adults when appropriate.
6. Which statement about a conscious patient with a mild airway
obstruction is correct?
A. Immediately perform a blind finger sweep
B. Encourage effective coughing
C. Force the patient to lie supine
D. Begin chest compressions
Answer: B. Encourage effective coughing
Rationale: A patient who can cough effectively may be able to clear the
obstruction independently. The rescuer should encourage coughing
while remaining prepared to intervene if the obstruction becomes
severe.
7. Which airway adjunct is most appropriate for an unconscious
patient who has no gag reflex?
A. Oropharyngeal airway
B. Nasal cannula
, C. Nonrebreather mask
D. Nasopharyngeal airway in every case
Answer: A. Oropharyngeal airway
Rationale: An oropharyngeal airway is designed for an unresponsive
patient without an intact gag reflex. It helps prevent the tongue from
obstructing the pharynx.
8. A nasopharyngeal airway is particularly useful when:
A. The patient has an intact gag reflex and needs an airway adjunct
B. The patient has severe midface trauma
C. The patient has a completely obstructed airway
D. The patient has no nasal passage
Answer: A. The patient has an intact gag reflex and needs an airway
adjunct
Rationale: An NPA can be tolerated by many patients who retain a gag
reflex and therefore may not tolerate an OPA. It should not be used
when contraindications such as significant facial or basilar skull
trauma are suspected.
9. Which measurement is most useful when selecting the appropriate
length of an adult nasopharyngeal airway?
A. Foot length
B. Distance from the nose to the earlobe or angle of the jaw
C. Width of the shoulders
D. Diameter of the chest
Answer: B. Distance from the nose to the earlobe or angle of the jaw
Rationale: NPA sizing commonly uses an external facial measurement
from the nostril toward the ear or angle of the jaw. Proper sizing helps
Practice Examination Questions And
Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. A patient is found unconscious after collapsing. The first airway-
related action should be to:
A. Insert an oropharyngeal airway
B. Apply a nonrebreather mask
C. Assess for normal breathing and immediately address airway
obstruction
D. Begin positive-pressure ventilation without assessment
Answer: C. Assess for normal breathing and immediately address
airway obstruction
Rationale: An unresponsive patient requires an immediate assessment
of airway patency and breathing. The provider should determine
whether the airway is open and whether the patient is breathing
normally before selecting an airway adjunct or ventilation method.
2. Which finding most strongly suggests partial upper-airway
obstruction?
A. High-pitched inspiratory noise
B. Normal speech
C. Warm, dry skin
D. Equal peripheral pulses
,Answer: A. High-pitched inspiratory noise
Rationale: Stridor is a high-pitched sound usually associated with
upper-airway narrowing. It can indicate significant obstruction and
requires prompt assessment and intervention.
3. The head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver is generally used to:
A. Reduce pulmonary edema
B. Open the airway by moving the tongue away from the posterior
pharynx
C. Remove fluid from the lungs
D. Increase blood pressure
Answer: B. Open the airway by moving the tongue away from the
posterior pharynx
Rationale: In an unresponsive patient without suspected spinal trauma,
the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver helps lift the tongue and soft tissues
away from the posterior pharynx, improving airway patency.
4. Which maneuver is preferred for opening the airway when cervical
spine injury is suspected?
A. Head extension
B. Chin compression
C. Jaw-thrust maneuver
D. Neck rotation
Answer: C. Jaw-thrust maneuver
Rationale: When spinal injury is suspected, minimizing cervical
movement is important. The jaw-thrust maneuver can open the airway
while producing less cervical movement than head extension.
, 5. A conscious adult suddenly develops severe airway obstruction and
cannot speak or cough effectively. The appropriate immediate
intervention is:
A. Abdominal thrusts
B. Oxygen by nasal cannula
C. Blind finger sweep
D. Encourage the patient to drink water
Answer: A. Abdominal thrusts
Rationale: A conscious adult with severe foreign-body airway
obstruction who cannot speak, cough effectively, or breathe requires
immediate relief of the obstruction. Abdominal thrusts are commonly
used for adults when appropriate.
6. Which statement about a conscious patient with a mild airway
obstruction is correct?
A. Immediately perform a blind finger sweep
B. Encourage effective coughing
C. Force the patient to lie supine
D. Begin chest compressions
Answer: B. Encourage effective coughing
Rationale: A patient who can cough effectively may be able to clear the
obstruction independently. The rescuer should encourage coughing
while remaining prepared to intervene if the obstruction becomes
severe.
7. Which airway adjunct is most appropriate for an unconscious
patient who has no gag reflex?
A. Oropharyngeal airway
B. Nasal cannula
, C. Nonrebreather mask
D. Nasopharyngeal airway in every case
Answer: A. Oropharyngeal airway
Rationale: An oropharyngeal airway is designed for an unresponsive
patient without an intact gag reflex. It helps prevent the tongue from
obstructing the pharynx.
8. A nasopharyngeal airway is particularly useful when:
A. The patient has an intact gag reflex and needs an airway adjunct
B. The patient has severe midface trauma
C. The patient has a completely obstructed airway
D. The patient has no nasal passage
Answer: A. The patient has an intact gag reflex and needs an airway
adjunct
Rationale: An NPA can be tolerated by many patients who retain a gag
reflex and therefore may not tolerate an OPA. It should not be used
when contraindications such as significant facial or basilar skull
trauma are suspected.
9. Which measurement is most useful when selecting the appropriate
length of an adult nasopharyngeal airway?
A. Foot length
B. Distance from the nose to the earlobe or angle of the jaw
C. Width of the shoulders
D. Diameter of the chest
Answer: B. Distance from the nose to the earlobe or angle of the jaw
Rationale: NPA sizing commonly uses an external facial measurement
from the nostril toward the ear or angle of the jaw. Proper sizing helps
