FISDAP PARAMEDIC FINAL COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
● What relaxes bronchial smooth muscles?. Answer: beta agonists
● A 47-year old male complains of chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. He has had a
fever, chills, and a productive cough for 3 days. Crackles are present upon auscultation. What
is the most likely cause?. Answer: Bacterial Pneumonia
● A 45 year old male was assaulted and you note a small, localized area on the chest that is
edematous. You hear crackling when the skin palpated. What should you expect?. Answer:
Subcutaneous Emphysema
● While ventilating an intubated patient, you notice a shark fin waveform on capnography.
Ventilations become increasingly difficult. What should you do?. Answer: Administer albuterol
● A 28 year old female is complaining of gradual-onset dyspnea after being released from the
hospital. She was hospitalized for 1 day following thoracic trauma and a lung contusion. Lung
sounds present with crackles in both bases. Vital signs are BP 130/80, P 110, R 32 shallow,
SpO2:88%. You should. Answer: apply oxygen via non-rebreather and transport emergently
● What is the volume of air that a patient inhales during each breath referred to as?. Answer:
Tidal Volume
● When you hear wheezing, where is the obstruction located?. Answer: Lower Airway
● a 68 year old female complains of shortness of breath and is sitting in a tripod position and
has pink sputum in the corners of her mouth. Vital signs are BP 165/110, P88, R22 with
crackles, SpO2 82% on 3lpm. What should you do?. Answer: Increase oxygen
● A 71 year old mle with a tracheostomy tube is cyanotic. You hear audible gurgling during
inspiration and crackles in the base of the lungs. Vital signs are BP 148/100, P 94, R 24,
SpO2 88%. What should you do?. Answer: Suction the lumen with a soft tip catheter
● A 19 year old male was extricated from a structure fire. He is actively coughing and
complains of pain due to burns on his chest, arms and stomach. What is the priority?. Answer:
Laryngeal swelling
, ● a 62 year old female complains of shortness of breath. She is sitting upright in bed with
multiple pillows behind her back. She has history of COPD and diabetes. Skin is warm to the
touch. BP 166/100, P 84 irregular, R 20 with crackles, SpO2 95%. What should you do?.
Answer: Administer 2.5mg of Albuterol
● A 29 year old male inhaled an unknown chemical. His voice is now horse and its difficult to
understand him. Vital signs P136, R28, SpO2 78%. What should you do?. Answer: Place the
patient on a nasal cannula and lie the patient supine
● A 56 year old female is sitting upright in bed on a home CPAP machine. She is unable to
follow verbal commands and is lethargic. What should you do?. Answer: Assist ventilations
with a bag mask device.
● How does emphysema affect the lungs and ventilations?. Answer: decreases surface area
making gas exchange inefficient
● What disease has the greatest effect on alveolar oxygen diffusion?. Answer: Emphysema
● A 19 year old female overdosed on benzodiazepines. She has snoring respirations and with
minimal response to painful stimuli. How should you manage her airway?. Answer:
Oropharyngeal Adjunct
● You are taking over ventilations from your partner when you notice the endotracheal tube
shows the 26 cm at the teeth. Whaat should you expect?. Answer: Right Mainstem intubation
● A lethargic 51 year old female has stridorous respirations. Her skin is flushed and warm to
the touch. What should you do?. Answer: Inspect the oropharynx
● A 65 year old female is unresponsive with gurgling respirations. Vital signs are P 48, R 6.
What should you do?. Answer: Suction the Airway
● An 81 year old male has breathing difficulties with a nonproductive cough. He has a history
of smoking and barrel shaped chest. Nursing home staff states his dyspnea has increased
over the last 8 hours. Vital signs are BP 136/82, P 122, R28, and SpO2 89%. What should
you suspect?. Answer: Emphysema
● A 62 year female has frequent respiratory infections. She has a long-term cough and
peripheral cyanosis. Auscultation of the chest reveals rhonchi. What should you suspect?.
Answer: Chronic Bronchitis
● What structure in the brain controls ventilations?. Answer: Medulla
● What is the location of the bifurcation in the trachea?. Answer: Carina
GUIDE 2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS GRADED
A+
● What relaxes bronchial smooth muscles?. Answer: beta agonists
● A 47-year old male complains of chest discomfort and difficulty breathing. He has had a
fever, chills, and a productive cough for 3 days. Crackles are present upon auscultation. What
is the most likely cause?. Answer: Bacterial Pneumonia
● A 45 year old male was assaulted and you note a small, localized area on the chest that is
edematous. You hear crackling when the skin palpated. What should you expect?. Answer:
Subcutaneous Emphysema
● While ventilating an intubated patient, you notice a shark fin waveform on capnography.
Ventilations become increasingly difficult. What should you do?. Answer: Administer albuterol
● A 28 year old female is complaining of gradual-onset dyspnea after being released from the
hospital. She was hospitalized for 1 day following thoracic trauma and a lung contusion. Lung
sounds present with crackles in both bases. Vital signs are BP 130/80, P 110, R 32 shallow,
SpO2:88%. You should. Answer: apply oxygen via non-rebreather and transport emergently
● What is the volume of air that a patient inhales during each breath referred to as?. Answer:
Tidal Volume
● When you hear wheezing, where is the obstruction located?. Answer: Lower Airway
● a 68 year old female complains of shortness of breath and is sitting in a tripod position and
has pink sputum in the corners of her mouth. Vital signs are BP 165/110, P88, R22 with
crackles, SpO2 82% on 3lpm. What should you do?. Answer: Increase oxygen
● A 71 year old mle with a tracheostomy tube is cyanotic. You hear audible gurgling during
inspiration and crackles in the base of the lungs. Vital signs are BP 148/100, P 94, R 24,
SpO2 88%. What should you do?. Answer: Suction the lumen with a soft tip catheter
● A 19 year old male was extricated from a structure fire. He is actively coughing and
complains of pain due to burns on his chest, arms and stomach. What is the priority?. Answer:
Laryngeal swelling
, ● a 62 year old female complains of shortness of breath. She is sitting upright in bed with
multiple pillows behind her back. She has history of COPD and diabetes. Skin is warm to the
touch. BP 166/100, P 84 irregular, R 20 with crackles, SpO2 95%. What should you do?.
Answer: Administer 2.5mg of Albuterol
● A 29 year old male inhaled an unknown chemical. His voice is now horse and its difficult to
understand him. Vital signs P136, R28, SpO2 78%. What should you do?. Answer: Place the
patient on a nasal cannula and lie the patient supine
● A 56 year old female is sitting upright in bed on a home CPAP machine. She is unable to
follow verbal commands and is lethargic. What should you do?. Answer: Assist ventilations
with a bag mask device.
● How does emphysema affect the lungs and ventilations?. Answer: decreases surface area
making gas exchange inefficient
● What disease has the greatest effect on alveolar oxygen diffusion?. Answer: Emphysema
● A 19 year old female overdosed on benzodiazepines. She has snoring respirations and with
minimal response to painful stimuli. How should you manage her airway?. Answer:
Oropharyngeal Adjunct
● You are taking over ventilations from your partner when you notice the endotracheal tube
shows the 26 cm at the teeth. Whaat should you expect?. Answer: Right Mainstem intubation
● A lethargic 51 year old female has stridorous respirations. Her skin is flushed and warm to
the touch. What should you do?. Answer: Inspect the oropharynx
● A 65 year old female is unresponsive with gurgling respirations. Vital signs are P 48, R 6.
What should you do?. Answer: Suction the Airway
● An 81 year old male has breathing difficulties with a nonproductive cough. He has a history
of smoking and barrel shaped chest. Nursing home staff states his dyspnea has increased
over the last 8 hours. Vital signs are BP 136/82, P 122, R28, and SpO2 89%. What should
you suspect?. Answer: Emphysema
● A 62 year female has frequent respiratory infections. She has a long-term cough and
peripheral cyanosis. Auscultation of the chest reveals rhonchi. What should you suspect?.
Answer: Chronic Bronchitis
● What structure in the brain controls ventilations?. Answer: Medulla
● What is the location of the bifurcation in the trachea?. Answer: Carina
