First Aid Sudden Medical Emergencies 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A person who was in a car crash is conscious but in shock. Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate action?
- Keep them warm with a blanket
- Elevate the legs 8-12 inches if no spinal injury is suspected
- Give them water to drink to restore blood volume (Correct answer)
- Monitor breathing and pulse frequently
Correct answer: Give them water to drink to restore blood volume
Giving fluids by mouth is dangerous in shock because the person may vomit and aspirate, and oral fluids do not restore circulating blood volume effectively.
Question 2: You encounter someone who has taken too many opioid pills and is unresponsive with slow, shallow breathing and pinpoint pupils. You have naloxone (Narcan) available. What should you do?
- Administer naloxone and call 911 (Correct answer)
- Call 911 and wait for EMS without giving anything
- Perform CPR immediately before anything else
- Give the person coffee to stimulate breathing
Correct answer: Administer naloxone and call 911
Naloxone rapidly reverses opioid overdose and should be given immediately while also calling 911 since its effect can wear off.
Question 3: During CPR, a rescuer doing compressions becomes fatigued. When should they switch with another rescuer?
- Only after 30 minutes
- Every 2 minutes or after each 5 cycles of 30:2 (Correct answer)
- Only if compressions are causing visible injury
- Never switch — consistency is more important
Correct answer: Every 2 minutes or after each 5 cycles of 30:2
Compression quality degrades rapidly with fatigue; switching every 2 minutes maintains effective depth and rate.
Question 4: A person is having a seizure and you notice they are pregnant. What additional step should you take when positioning them after the seizure?
- Place them flat on their back with legs elevated
- Tilt them onto their left side to reduce aortic compression (Correct answer)
- Sit them upright in a chair
- Place them face-down to protect the abdomen
Correct answer: Tilt them onto their left side to reduce aortic compression
In late pregnancy, the left-lateral tilt prevents the uterus from compressing the vena cava, maintaining venous return and maternal circulation.
Question 5: A construction worker collapses with no pulse on a hot day. After starting CPR, an AED says 'No shock advised.' What does this mean?
- The AED is malfunctioning and should be ignored
- The heart rhythm detected is not shockable — continue CPR (Correct answer)
- The victim has recovered and CPR can stop
- Switch off the AED and use a different one
Correct answer: The heart rhythm detected is not shockable — continue CPR
'No shock advised' means the AED detected a non-shockable rhythm (asystole or PEA); CPR should continue as defibrillation would not help.
Question 6: A toddler accidentally swallows a button battery. She appears well but the battery is lodged in her esophagus. What is the correct response?
- Wait and see if she passes it naturally
- Give milk or honey and call Poison Control / go to the ER immediately (Correct answer)
- Induce vomiting to remove the battery
- Give bread or rice to help push it down
Correct answer: Give milk or honey and call Poison Control / go to the ER immediately
Button batteries in the esophagus cause severe chemical burns within 2 hours; honey can slow tissue damage temporarily, and immediate ER evaluation is critical.
Question 7: A patient in cardiac arrest has an AED applied. The AED advises a shock. After delivering the shock, what should happen immediately?
- Check the pulse for 60 seconds before resuming CPR
- Resume CPR immediately, starting with chest compressions (Correct answer)
- Remove the AED pads and transport the victim
- Wait for the AED to reanalyze before touching the victim
Correct answer: Resume CPR immediately, starting with chest compressions
After any AED shock, CPR should resume immediately — starting with chest compressions — without pausing to check for a pulse.
First Aid Sudden Medical Emergencies 4
A person who was in a car crash is conscious but in shock.
Which of the following is the LEAST appropriate action?