EMT Chapter 11 Airway Management

What is the alveolar minute volume of a patient with a tidal volume of 500 mL, a dead space volume of 150 mL, and a respiratory rate of 16 breaths/min? A. 5,600 mL B. 7,400 mL C. 6,000 mL D. 8,000 mL

A. 5,600 mL

You are performing bag-mask ventilations with oxygen connected and set at a flow rate of 15 L/min. What percentage of oxygen are you delivering? A. Nearly 100% B. 55% C. 45% D. 65%

A. Nearly 100%

You and your partner are treating a 66-year-old man who experienced a sudden onset of respiratory distress. He is conscious but is unable to follow simple verbal commands. Further assessment reveals that his breathing is severely labored and his oxygen saturation is 80%. You should: A. assist his ventilations with a bag-mask device. B. apply high-flow oxygen via nonrebreathing mask. C. attempt to insert an oropharyngeal airway. D. administer continuous positive airway pressure

A. assist his ventilations with a bag-mask device

The __________ cartilage is a firm ring that forms the inferior part of the larynx. A. cricoid B. laryngeal C. thyroid D. pyriform

A. cricoid

Without adequate oxygen, the body's cells: A. incompletely convert glucose into energy, and lactic acid accumulates in the blood. B. cease metabolism altogether, resulting in carbon dioxide accumulation in the blood. C. rely solely on glucose, which is completely converted into adenosine triphosphate. D. begin to metabolize fat, resulting in the production and accumulation of ketoacids.

A. incompletely convert glucose into energy, and lactic acid accumulates in the blood

As the single EMT managing an apneic patient's airway, the preferred initial method of providing ventilations is the: A. mouth-to-mask technique with a one-way valve. B. one-person bag-valve mask. C. manually triggered ventilation device. D. mouth-to-mouth technique.

A. mouth-to-mask technqiue with a one-way valve

The diaphragm is innervated by the _________ nerve, which allows it to contract. A. phrenic B. vestibulocochlear C. hypoglossal D. vagus

A. phrenic

A 19-year-old female is found unconscious by her roommate. Your primary assessment reveals that her breathing is inadequate. As you insert an oropharyngeal airway, she begins to gag violently. You should: A. remove the airway and be prepared to suction her oropharynx. B. select a smaller oropharyngeal airway and attempt to insert it. C. continue to insert the airway as you suction her oropharynx. D. insert the airway no further but leave it in place as a bite block.

A. remove the airway and be prepared to suction her oropharynx

An unconscious patient found in a prone position must be placed in a supine position in case he or she: A. requires CPR. B. begins to vomit. C. regains consciousness. D. has increased tidal volume.

A. requires CPR

A nasopharyngeal airway is inserted: A. with the bevel facing the septum if inserted into the right nare. B. into the larger nostril with the tip pointing away from the septum. C. into the smaller nostril with the tip following the roof of the nose. D. with the bevel pointing downward if inserted into the left nare.

A. with the bevel facing the septum if inserted into the right nare

During your assessment of a patient with respiratory distress, you hear wheezing when listening to breath sounds. This indicates: A. secretions in the airway. B. a lower airway obstruction. C. fluid in the alveoli. D. swelling of the upper airway.

B. a lower airway obstruction

Your protocols state that during the first few minutes of working on a cardiac arrest patient, you should provide passive ventilation. This means that you will: A. ventilate with a bag-valve mask that is not attached to oxygen. B. allow recoil of the chest between compressions to draw air into the lungs. C. deliver positive-pressure ventilation at a rate of only 5 or 6 breaths/min. D. time your positive-pressure ventilations to occur during chest recoil.

B. allow recoil of the chest between compressions to draw air into the lungs

The process of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood of the capillaries is called: A. pulmonary ventilation. B. external respiration. C. alveolar ventilation. D. cellular metabolism.

B. external respiration

You and your partner are caring for a critically injured patient who is unresponsive and apneic. Your partner is controlling severe bleeding from the patient's lower extremities as you attempt ventilations with a bag-mask device. After repositioning the mask several times, you are unable to effectively ventilate the patient. You should: A. suction the patient's airway for 30 seconds and reattempt ventilations. B. insert an oropharyngeal airway and reattempt ventilations. C. continue attempted ventilations and transport immediately. D. hyperextend the patient's head and reattempt ventilations.

B. insert an oropharyngeal airway and reattempt ventilations

How does positive-pressure ventilation affect cardiac output? A. There is no effect on cardiac output because positive-pressure ventilation is the act of normal breathing. B. It increases intrathoracic pressure, which decreases venous return to the heart and causes a decrease in cardiac output. C. It decreases intrathoracic pressure, which facilitates venous return to the heart and increases cardiac output. D. It causes pressure in the chest to decrease, which increases stroke volume and cardiac output.

B. it increases intrathoracic pressure, which decreases venous return to the heart and causes a decrease in cardiac output

The hypoxic drive is influenced by: A. high blood oxygen levels. B. low blood oxygen levels. C. high blood carbon dioxide levels. D. low blood carbon dioxide levels.

B. low blood oxygen levels

Which of the following statements regarding normal gas exchange in the lungs is correct? A. Blood that returns to the lungs from the body has low levels of carbon dioxide. B. Oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse across the alveolar walls and capillaries. C. The actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the capillaries. D. The oxygen content in the alveoli is highest during the exhalation phase.

B. oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse across the alveolar walls and capillaries

While eating dinner, your partner suddenly grabs his throat and has a panicked look on his face. He is unable to cough and becomes cyanotic around the lips. You should: A. encourage him to cough as forcefully as he can. B. stand behind him and administer abdominal thrusts. C. place him in a supine position and open his airway. D. deliver up to five back blows and reassess him.

B. stand behind him and administer abdominal thrusts

The physical act of moving air into and out of the lungs is called: A. diffusion. B. ventilation. C. oxygenation. D. respiration.

B. ventilation

An adult at rest should have a respiratory rate that ranges between: A. 8 and 15 breaths/min. B. 10 and 18 breaths/min. C. 12 and 20 breaths/min. D. 22 and 24 breaths/min.

C. 12 and 20 breath/min

At a flow rate of 6 L/min, a nasal cannula can deliver an approximate oxygen concentration of up to: A. 52%. B. 35%. C. 44%. D. 24%.

C. 44%

Which of the following patients would MOST likely require insertion of an oropharyngeal airway? A. A 33-year-old semiconscious patient with reduced tidal volume B. A 51-year-old confused patient with severely labored respirations C. A 40-year-old unconscious patient with slow, shallow respirations D. A 64-year-old conscious patient with rapid and deep respirations

C. a 40-year old unconscious patient with slow, shallow respirations

Which of the following statements regarding the one-person bag-mask technique is correct? A. The bag-mask device delivers more tidal volume and a higher oxygen concentration than the mouth-to-mask technique. B. The C-clamp method of holding the mask to the face is not effective when ventilating a patient with a bag-mask device. C. Adequate tidal volume is often difficult to achieve when one EMT is operating the bag-mask device. D. Bag-mask ventilations should be delivered every 2 seconds when the device is being operated by one person.

C. adequate tidal volume is often difficult to achieve when one EMT is operating the bag-mask device

High-flow oxygen with a nasal cannula during the preoxygenation phase of endotracheal intubation is called: A. denitrogenation. B. active ventilation. C. apneic oxygenation. D. passive ventilation.

C. apneic oxygenation

The nasopharyngeal airway is MOST beneficial because it: A. is generally well tolerated in conscious patients with an intact gag reflex. B. can effectively stabilize fractured nasal bones if it is inserted properly. C. can maintain a patent airway in a semiconscious patient with a gag reflex. D. effectively maintains the airway of a patient in cardiopulmonary arrest.

C. can maintain a patent airway in a semiconscious patient with a gag reflex

Oxygen toxicity is a condition in which: A. significantly low levels of oxygen in the blood damage the cellular tissue. B. decreased levels of oxygen in the blood result in free radical production. C. cellular tissue damage occurs from excessive oxygen levels in the blood. D. excessive blood oxygen levels cause the hypoxic patient to stop breathing.

C. cellular tissue damage occurs from excessive oxygen levels in the blood

For which of the following conditions would the EMT most likely administer humidified oxygen? A. Blood loss B. Apnea C. Croup D. Hypoxia

C. croup

The MOST significant complication associated with oropharyngeal suctioning is: A. clogging of the catheter with thick secretions. B. oral abrasions from vigorous suctioning. C. hypoxia due to prolonged suction attempts. D. vomiting from stimulating the anterior airway.

C. hypoxia due to prolonged suction attempts

Which of the following statements regarding oxygenation and ventilation is correct? A. Oxygenation is the movement of air into and out of the lungs, whereas ventilation is the exchange of gases. B. In carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, ventilation is impaired because CO binds to oxygen very quickly. C. In mines or confined places, where oxygen levels are low, ventilation may continue despite inadequate oxygenation. D. Oxygenation without adequate ventilation can occur in climbers who quickly ascend to an altitude of lower atmospheric pressure.

C. in mines or confined places, where oxygen levels are low, ventilation may continue despite inadequate oxygenation

Structures of the lower airway include all of the following, EXCEPT: A. the trachea. B. alveoli. C. the epiglottis. D. bronchioles.

C. the epiglottis

The nasal cannula is MOST appropriately used in the prehospital setting: A. if the patient's nasopharynx is obstructed by secretions. B. when the patient breathes primarily through his or her mouth. C. when the patient cannot tolerate a nonrebreathing mask. D. if long-term supplemental oxygen administration is required.

C. when the patient cannot tolerate a nonrebreathing mask

Gas exchange in the lungs is facilitated by: A. pulmonary capillary constriction. B. surfactant-destroying organisms. C. water or blood within the alveoli. D. adequate amounts of surfactant.

D. adequate amounts of surfactant

To select the proper size oropharyngeal airway, you should measure from the: A. center of the mouth to the posterior ear. B. corner of the mouth to the superior ear. C. angle of the jaw to the center of the mouth. D. corner of the mouth to the earlobe.

D. corner of the mouth to the earlobe

A 37-year-old male has an apparent foreign body airway obstruction. He is conscious and alert and is coughing forcefully. His skin is pink, warm, and moist. The MOST appropriate treatment for this patient includes: A. a series of back blows and chest thrusts. B. a series of abdominal thrusts. C. finger sweeps to remove the obstruction. D. encouraging him to cough and transporting.

D. encouraging him to cough and transporting

Based on current guidelines, in which of the following situations should supplemental oxygen be administered? A. Any elderly patient whose oxygen saturation is less than 95% B. Any diabetic patient whose oxygen saturation is less than 98% C. Signs of myocardial infarction and an oxygen saturation of 97% D. Exposure to carbon monoxide and an oxygen saturation of 94%

D. exposure to carbon monoxide and an oxygen saturation of 94%

All of the following will help minimize the risk of gastric distention when ventilating an apneic patient with a bag-mask device, EXCEPT: A. ensuring the appropriate airway position. B. delivering each breath over 1 second. C. ventilating the patient at the appropriate rate. D. increasing the amount of delivered tidal volume.

D. increasing the amount of delivered tidal volume

How does CPAP improve oxygenation and ventilation in patients with certain respiratory problems? A. It decreases intrathoracic pressure, which allows more room for lung expansion. B. It pushes thick, infected pulmonary secretions into isolated areas of the lung. C. It prevents alveolar collapse by pushing air into the lungs during inhalation. D. It forces the alveoli open and increases the concentration of oxygen in the alveoli.

D. it forces the alveoli open and increases the concentration of oxygen in the alveoli

You are ventilating a 40-year-old uninjured man who is apneic but has a pulse. When your partner reassesses his blood pressure, she notes that he has decreased significantly from previous readings. You should: A. increase the rate at which you are ventilating and reassess his blood pressure. B. perform a head-to-toe assessment to look for signs of bleeding. C. increase the volume of your ventilations and reassess his blood pressure. D. reduce the rate or volume of the ventilations you are delivering.

D. reduce the rate or volume of the ventilations you are delivering

You are ventilating an apneic woman with a bag-mask device. She has dentures, which are tight fitting. Adequate chest rise is present with each ventilation, and the patient's oxygen saturation reads 96%. When you reassess the patency of her airway, you note that her dentures are now loose, although your ventilations are still producing adequate chest rise. You should: A. leave her dentures in place, but carefully monitor her for an airway obstruction. B. leave her dentures in place and increase the rate and volume of your ventilations. C. attempt to replace her dentures so that they fit tightly and resume ventilations. D. remove her dentures, resume ventilations, and assess for adequate chest rise.

D. remove her dentures, resume ventilations, and assess for adequate chest rise

While providing CPAP to a patient in severe respiratory distress, you note that his heart rate has increased by 20 beats/min. He is conscious, but is no longer following verbal commands. You should: A. remove the CPAP device and apply oxygen by nonrebreathing mask. B. increase the amount of pressure that the CPAP device is delivering. C. decrease the amount of pressure that the CPAP device is delivering. D. remove the CPAP device and ventilate him with a bag-mask device.

D. remove the CPAP device and ventilate him with a bag-mask device