First Aid Sudden Medical Emergencies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A person is having a severe asthma attack and their rescue inhaler is not working. They become too weak to speak. What is the priority action?
- Have them breathe into a paper bag
- Call 911 immediately and keep them upright (Correct answer)
- Give them a large dose of antihistamines
- Lay them flat and elevate their legs
Correct answer: Call 911 immediately and keep them upright
A severe asthma attack unresponsive to a rescue inhaler is life-threatening and requires immediate emergency services; keeping the person upright eases breathing.
Question 2: You find an unconscious adult who is breathing. There is no suspicion of spinal injury. What position should you place them in?
- Flat on their back (supine)
- Recovery position (on their side) (Correct answer)
- Semi-seated at 45 degrees
- Face down (prone)
Correct answer: Recovery position (on their side)
The recovery position keeps the airway open and prevents aspiration if the person vomits while unconscious.
Question 3: A 55-year-old man suddenly develops slurred speech, facial drooping on one side, and cannot raise both arms equally. Using FAST, what should you do?
- Give him aspirin and drive him to urgent care
- Call 911 immediately — these are stroke signs (Correct answer)
- Have him rest quietly and monitor for improvement
- Give him water and check his blood sugar
Correct answer: Call 911 immediately — these are stroke signs
FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) signs indicate stroke — every minute matters, call 911 for fastest definitive treatment.
Question 4: An infant appears to be choking and cannot cry or cough. Which technique is correct for a choking infant under 1 year?
- Perform abdominal thrusts just as with adults
- Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts (Correct answer)
- Perform finger sweeps of the mouth immediately
- Give 2 rescue breaths to dislodge the object
Correct answer: Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts
For infants, alternating 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts (not abdominal thrusts) is the correct technique to relieve obstruction.
Question 5: A hiker collapses with cool, pale, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, and confusion after hours in the heat. This presentation most suggests which emergency?
- Heat stroke
- Hypovolemic shock
- Hypoglycemia
- Heat exhaustion (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Heat exhaustion
Heat exhaustion features heavy sweating, cool clammy skin, weakness, and near-normal mental status, unlike heat stroke which causes hot dry skin and altered consciousness.
Question 6: You are performing CPR alone on an adult. EMS has been called. At what rate should you deliver chest compressions?
- 60-80 compressions per minute
- 100-120 compressions per minute (Correct answer)
- 140-160 compressions per minute
- At whatever pace feels natural
Correct answer: 100-120 compressions per minute
Guidelines recommend 100-120 compressions per minute to maximize blood flow during CPR.
Question 7: A person experiences anaphylaxis after a bee sting: hives, throat tightening, and difficulty breathing. The correct first action is to:
- Apply a cold pack to the sting site and call a doctor
- Administer epinephrine auto-injector and call 911 (Correct answer)
- Give an oral antihistamine and monitor closely
- Have the person sit and breathe slowly
Correct answer: Administer epinephrine auto-injector and call 911
Epinephrine is the only effective first-line treatment for anaphylaxis; antihistamines act too slowly and do not reverse airway swelling.
First Aid Sudden Medical Emergencies 3
A person is having a severe asthma attack and their rescue inhaler is not working.
They become too weak to speak.
What is the priority action?