EMT Basic Practice Exam Airway/Respiration/Ventilation (rated A+)

Upon insertion of an oropharyngeal airway (OPA), the tip of the device should be positioned in what anatomical space? a. Oropharynx b. Nasopharynx c. Hyperpharynx d. Laryngopharynx - ANSWER Answer: D The OPA works by lifting the base of the tongue off the posterior pharynx. With proper insertion, the tip should rest in the laryngopharynx so it can fully support the tongue. The administration of a beta2-specific drug to a patient with respiratory distress is done to effect a change to what portion of the respiratory tree? a. Alveoli b. Vocal cords c. Bronchioles d. Mainstem bronchi - ANSWER Answer: C A beta2-specific drug will relax smooth muscle, the kind that wraps the bronchioles of the lungs. This relaxation will allow better airflow to the alveoli for gas exchange. Which of the following statements from the patient would BEST indicate severe difficulty in breathing? a. "I...can't...b-breathe." b. "I feel like I'm breathing through a straw." c. "I am struggling to catch my breath... real bad." d. "I can't breathe regular 'cause my chest is hurting." - ANSWER Answer: A A key ability of the EMT is to recognize the difference between adequate and inadequate breathing. A patient who can speak in full sentences (multiple words in one breath) is typically breathing adequately. A patient who cannot speak in full sentences (usually less than two to three words per breath) is not breathing adequately and will need oxygen (and probably PPV support). Which of the following patients in most likely about to lose total airway patency, thereby requiring immediate intervention by the EMT? a. A ninety-eight-year-old female with brain cancer who is confused b. A fifty-two-year-old male who is intoxicated and has recurrent vomiting c. A twenty-nine-year-old female in active labor who is complaining of severe pain d. A sixty-eight-year-old male seizing with sonorous sounds heard with each breath - ANSWER Answer: D Airway potency us an absolute requirement for patient survival. An indication of partial upper airway occlusion is sonorous breath sounds (snoring). While the unresponsive female and intoxicated male may deteriorate more, as of yet they are not showing indications of partial airway occlusion. The active labor patient also does not show indications of acute airway deterioration. Upon assessment of the patient's airway, you note significant gurgling with each breath. What would be the next appropriate airway intervention the EMT should perform to eliminate this finding? a. Head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver b. Modified jaw-thrust maneuver c. Oropharyngeal suctioning d. Insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway - ANSWER Answer: C The uppe