1) When arrive on scene, a family member directs you to a bedroom where a 62-year-old male patient is
in respiratory distress. During the scene size-up, which finding would most strongly suggest that the
patient suffers from a chronic respiratory disease?
A) Furnace turned on high with the humidifier running
B) Bottles of aspirin and nitroglycerin on the nightstand
C) Patient in a chair in tripod position and has a barrel-shaped chest
D) Smell of cigarettes in house and the patient is obese
Ans: C) Patient in a chair in tripod position and has a barrel-shaped chest
2) What is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in infants and children?
A) Heart birth defect
B) Accidental overdose
C) Respiratory compromise
D) Abuse and neglect
,Ans: C) Respiratory compromise
3) When assessing a 3-year-old male patient in respiratory distress, the EMT should recognize "see-saw"
breathing when he observes:
A) Alternate breathing through the nose and mouth
B) Movement of the chest and abdomen in opposite directions
C) Retraction of the muscles between the ribs
D) Up-and-down motion of the head as the patient breathes
Ans: B) Movement of the chest and abdomen in opposite directions
4) When a child starts to become hypoxic, the pulse will initially:
A) Decrease
B) Not change
C) Become irregular
D) Increase
Ans: D) Increase
5) The mother of a 5-year-old female patient states that her daughter has been "sick" with a sore throat
and fever for several days. The mother became concerned tonight and called 911 because the child was
"making funny noises" and could not breathe well. Your assessment reveals a lethargic, well-developed
child sitting upright and with high-pitched tracheal noises when she breathes in. What should be the
priority action for the EMT?
A) Placing an oropharyngeal airway
B) Administering supplemental oxygen if indicated
,C) Inspecting the airway with a tongue depressor
D) Performing abdominal thrusts
Ans: B) Administering supplemental oxygen if indicated
6) An alert and oriented 45-year-old female patient complains of shortness of breath. Although her
respiratory volume and rate are satisfactory, you note cyanosis in her fingertips and you cannot get the
pulse oximeter to show a reading. What should be your next action?
A) Administer supplemental oxygen
B) Assist respirations with the bag-valve mask
C) Place a nasopharyngeal airway and assist respirations
D) Move the patient to the stretcher for immediate and rapid transport
Ans: A) Administer supplemental oxygen
7) A 67-year-old male patient complains of shortness of breath. The patient cannot remember how
many times he used his inhaler prior to your arrival, but he knows it has been multiple times. He is
tachypneic and tachycardic. After administering oxygen, what should be your next action?
A) Call medical direction for advice
B) Assist the patient in the self-administration of his inhaler
C) Transport the patient to the hospital
D) Auscultate the patient's lung sounds and administer the inhaler if you hear wheezing
Ans: A) Call medical direction for advice
8) A confused, lethargic, and nonverbal 50-year-old female patient has altered mental status. You are
told she has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The primary assessment reveals
, a respiration rate of 6 breaths/min and cool, clammy skin with cyanosis around the lips. What should be
your priority management?
A) Administer oxygen by nasal cannula at 15 lpm
B) Assist respirations with positive pressure ventilation
C) Administer oxygen by nonrebreather mask at 15 lpm
D) Sit the patient up, assess lung sounds, and obtain a blood pressure
Ans: B) Assist respirations with positive pressure ventilation
9) What is the typical resting respiratory rate for an elderly patient?
A) 10 breaths/min
B) 15 breaths/min
C) 20 breaths/min
D) 30 breaths/min
Ans: C) 20 breaths/min
10) As compared to an adult, how would you describe the respiratory rate of an infant?
A) Faster than an adult's rate
B) Slower than an adult's rate
C) Same as an adult's rate
D) Normally slower than an adult's rate, unless dyspnea is present
Ans: A) Faster than an adult's rate
11) Which of these is considered an early sign of inadequate breathing in children?
in respiratory distress. During the scene size-up, which finding would most strongly suggest that the
patient suffers from a chronic respiratory disease?
A) Furnace turned on high with the humidifier running
B) Bottles of aspirin and nitroglycerin on the nightstand
C) Patient in a chair in tripod position and has a barrel-shaped chest
D) Smell of cigarettes in house and the patient is obese
Ans: C) Patient in a chair in tripod position and has a barrel-shaped chest
2) What is the most common cause of cardiac arrest in infants and children?
A) Heart birth defect
B) Accidental overdose
C) Respiratory compromise
D) Abuse and neglect
,Ans: C) Respiratory compromise
3) When assessing a 3-year-old male patient in respiratory distress, the EMT should recognize "see-saw"
breathing when he observes:
A) Alternate breathing through the nose and mouth
B) Movement of the chest and abdomen in opposite directions
C) Retraction of the muscles between the ribs
D) Up-and-down motion of the head as the patient breathes
Ans: B) Movement of the chest and abdomen in opposite directions
4) When a child starts to become hypoxic, the pulse will initially:
A) Decrease
B) Not change
C) Become irregular
D) Increase
Ans: D) Increase
5) The mother of a 5-year-old female patient states that her daughter has been "sick" with a sore throat
and fever for several days. The mother became concerned tonight and called 911 because the child was
"making funny noises" and could not breathe well. Your assessment reveals a lethargic, well-developed
child sitting upright and with high-pitched tracheal noises when she breathes in. What should be the
priority action for the EMT?
A) Placing an oropharyngeal airway
B) Administering supplemental oxygen if indicated
,C) Inspecting the airway with a tongue depressor
D) Performing abdominal thrusts
Ans: B) Administering supplemental oxygen if indicated
6) An alert and oriented 45-year-old female patient complains of shortness of breath. Although her
respiratory volume and rate are satisfactory, you note cyanosis in her fingertips and you cannot get the
pulse oximeter to show a reading. What should be your next action?
A) Administer supplemental oxygen
B) Assist respirations with the bag-valve mask
C) Place a nasopharyngeal airway and assist respirations
D) Move the patient to the stretcher for immediate and rapid transport
Ans: A) Administer supplemental oxygen
7) A 67-year-old male patient complains of shortness of breath. The patient cannot remember how
many times he used his inhaler prior to your arrival, but he knows it has been multiple times. He is
tachypneic and tachycardic. After administering oxygen, what should be your next action?
A) Call medical direction for advice
B) Assist the patient in the self-administration of his inhaler
C) Transport the patient to the hospital
D) Auscultate the patient's lung sounds and administer the inhaler if you hear wheezing
Ans: A) Call medical direction for advice
8) A confused, lethargic, and nonverbal 50-year-old female patient has altered mental status. You are
told she has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The primary assessment reveals
, a respiration rate of 6 breaths/min and cool, clammy skin with cyanosis around the lips. What should be
your priority management?
A) Administer oxygen by nasal cannula at 15 lpm
B) Assist respirations with positive pressure ventilation
C) Administer oxygen by nonrebreather mask at 15 lpm
D) Sit the patient up, assess lung sounds, and obtain a blood pressure
Ans: B) Assist respirations with positive pressure ventilation
9) What is the typical resting respiratory rate for an elderly patient?
A) 10 breaths/min
B) 15 breaths/min
C) 20 breaths/min
D) 30 breaths/min
Ans: C) 20 breaths/min
10) As compared to an adult, how would you describe the respiratory rate of an infant?
A) Faster than an adult's rate
B) Slower than an adult's rate
C) Same as an adult's rate
D) Normally slower than an adult's rate, unless dyspnea is present
Ans: A) Faster than an adult's rate
11) Which of these is considered an early sign of inadequate breathing in children?
