EMTP AIRWAYS QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS
Most of the complication caused by intubation-induced hypoxia:
A. are subtle and occur gradually.
B. are easily reversible.
C. are dramatic and occur immediately.
D. can be predicted with pulse oximetry. ANSW✅✅A. are subtle and occur gradually.
Needle cricothyrotomy is contraindicated in patients with:
A. a suspected injury to the cervical spine.
B. obstruction above the catheter insertion site.
C. massive maxillofacial trauma and trismus.
D. uncontrolled oropharyngeal bleeding. ANSW✅✅B. obstruction above the catheter insertion
site.
Neuromuscular blocking agents:
A. are most commonly used as the sole agent to facilitate placement of an ET tube.
B. convert a breathing patient with a marginal airway into an apneic patient with no airway.
C. induce total body paralysis within 10 to 15 minutes following administration via IV push.
D. have a negative effect on both cardiac and smooth muscle and commonly cause dysrhythmias.
ANSW✅✅B. convert a breathing patient with a marginal airway into an apneic patient with no
airway.
Normally, an adult male will require an ET tube that ranges from:
A. 6.5 to 7.0 mm.
,B. 7.0 to 7.5 mm.
C. 7.5 to 8.5 mm.
D. 8.5 to 9.0 mm. ANSW✅✅C. 7.5 to 8.5 mm.
Paralytic medications exert their effect by:
A. blocking the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine from the sympathetic nervous system.
B. blocking the function of the autonomic nervous system and impeding the action of
acetylcholinesterase.
C. competitively binding to the motor neurons in the brain, thus blocking their ability to send
messages.
D. functioning at the neuromuscular junction and relaxing the muscle by impeding the action of
acetylcholine. ANSW✅✅D. functioning at the neuromuscular junction and relaxing the muscle by
impeding the action of acetylcholine.
Paramedics must use extreme caution when accessing the airway via the cricothyroid membrane
because:
A. the cricothyroid membrane is highly vascular and tends to bleed profusely when it is incised.
B. the cricothyroid membrane is bordered laterally and inferiorly by the highly vascular thyroid
gland.
C. cricothyrotomy is associated with a high incidence of inadvertent laceration of a carotid artery.
D. the thyroid cartilage is smaller than the cricoid cartilage and makes the cricothyroid membrane
difficult to locate. ANSW✅✅B. the cricothyroid membrane is bordered laterally and inferiorly by
the highly vascular thyroid gland.
Patients with laryngectomies commonly develop mucus plugs in their stoma because:
A. they are at higher risk for pneumonia.
B. the diameter of their stoma is small.
C. they do not posses an efficient cough.
D. their swallowing mechanism is suppressed. ANSW✅✅C. they do not posses an efficient cough.
Product literature states that the LMA should only be used in patients who are:
, A. responsive.
B. conscious.
C. fasting.
D. in critical condition. ANSW✅✅C. fasting.
Proper insertion of the needle into the cricothyroid membrane involves which angle towards the
patient's feet?
A. 45 degrees
B. 60 degrees
C. 90 degrees
D. 30 degrees ANSW✅✅A. 45 degrees
Regardless of the internal diameter, all ET tubes have:
A. a 15/22-mm proximal adaptor.
B. black millimeter markings on the side.
C. a pilot balloon on the proximal end.
D. an inflatable cuff at the distal tip. ANSW✅✅A. a 15/22-mm proximal adaptor.
Several cycles of basic life support maneuvers have failed to relieve a severe airway obstruction in an
unresponsive 44-year-old woman. You should:
A. place the patient's head in a neutral position and perform an emergency cricothyrotomy.
B. perform direct laryngoscopy and attempt to remove the obstruction with Magill forceps.
C. intubate the patient and attempt to push the foreign body into one of the mainstem bronchi.
D. continue basic life support maneuvers and transport the patient to the hospital immediately.
ANSW✅✅B. perform direct laryngoscopy and attempt to remove the obstruction with Magill
forceps.
Signs of clinical improvement during CPAP therapy include:
CORRECT ANSWERS
Most of the complication caused by intubation-induced hypoxia:
A. are subtle and occur gradually.
B. are easily reversible.
C. are dramatic and occur immediately.
D. can be predicted with pulse oximetry. ANSW✅✅A. are subtle and occur gradually.
Needle cricothyrotomy is contraindicated in patients with:
A. a suspected injury to the cervical spine.
B. obstruction above the catheter insertion site.
C. massive maxillofacial trauma and trismus.
D. uncontrolled oropharyngeal bleeding. ANSW✅✅B. obstruction above the catheter insertion
site.
Neuromuscular blocking agents:
A. are most commonly used as the sole agent to facilitate placement of an ET tube.
B. convert a breathing patient with a marginal airway into an apneic patient with no airway.
C. induce total body paralysis within 10 to 15 minutes following administration via IV push.
D. have a negative effect on both cardiac and smooth muscle and commonly cause dysrhythmias.
ANSW✅✅B. convert a breathing patient with a marginal airway into an apneic patient with no
airway.
Normally, an adult male will require an ET tube that ranges from:
A. 6.5 to 7.0 mm.
,B. 7.0 to 7.5 mm.
C. 7.5 to 8.5 mm.
D. 8.5 to 9.0 mm. ANSW✅✅C. 7.5 to 8.5 mm.
Paralytic medications exert their effect by:
A. blocking the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine from the sympathetic nervous system.
B. blocking the function of the autonomic nervous system and impeding the action of
acetylcholinesterase.
C. competitively binding to the motor neurons in the brain, thus blocking their ability to send
messages.
D. functioning at the neuromuscular junction and relaxing the muscle by impeding the action of
acetylcholine. ANSW✅✅D. functioning at the neuromuscular junction and relaxing the muscle by
impeding the action of acetylcholine.
Paramedics must use extreme caution when accessing the airway via the cricothyroid membrane
because:
A. the cricothyroid membrane is highly vascular and tends to bleed profusely when it is incised.
B. the cricothyroid membrane is bordered laterally and inferiorly by the highly vascular thyroid
gland.
C. cricothyrotomy is associated with a high incidence of inadvertent laceration of a carotid artery.
D. the thyroid cartilage is smaller than the cricoid cartilage and makes the cricothyroid membrane
difficult to locate. ANSW✅✅B. the cricothyroid membrane is bordered laterally and inferiorly by
the highly vascular thyroid gland.
Patients with laryngectomies commonly develop mucus plugs in their stoma because:
A. they are at higher risk for pneumonia.
B. the diameter of their stoma is small.
C. they do not posses an efficient cough.
D. their swallowing mechanism is suppressed. ANSW✅✅C. they do not posses an efficient cough.
Product literature states that the LMA should only be used in patients who are:
, A. responsive.
B. conscious.
C. fasting.
D. in critical condition. ANSW✅✅C. fasting.
Proper insertion of the needle into the cricothyroid membrane involves which angle towards the
patient's feet?
A. 45 degrees
B. 60 degrees
C. 90 degrees
D. 30 degrees ANSW✅✅A. 45 degrees
Regardless of the internal diameter, all ET tubes have:
A. a 15/22-mm proximal adaptor.
B. black millimeter markings on the side.
C. a pilot balloon on the proximal end.
D. an inflatable cuff at the distal tip. ANSW✅✅A. a 15/22-mm proximal adaptor.
Several cycles of basic life support maneuvers have failed to relieve a severe airway obstruction in an
unresponsive 44-year-old woman. You should:
A. place the patient's head in a neutral position and perform an emergency cricothyrotomy.
B. perform direct laryngoscopy and attempt to remove the obstruction with Magill forceps.
C. intubate the patient and attempt to push the foreign body into one of the mainstem bronchi.
D. continue basic life support maneuvers and transport the patient to the hospital immediately.
ANSW✅✅B. perform direct laryngoscopy and attempt to remove the obstruction with Magill
forceps.
Signs of clinical improvement during CPAP therapy include:
