Free First Aid Choking and Airway Emergencies Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are at a restaurant when you see a middle-aged man suddenly stand up, clutching his throat with both hands. He has a panicked expression and cannot speak or cough. What is the most appropriate initial action?
- Immediately begin chest compressions.
- Perform a blind finger sweep of his mouth.
- Encourage him to sit down and drink some water.
- Stand behind him and administer alternating back blows and abdominal thrusts. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Stand behind him and administer alternating back blows and abdominal thrusts.
The man is exhibiting the universal sign of severe choking and cannot cough or speak, indicating a complete airway obstruction. The correct first aid response for a conscious adult is to alternate between 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.
Question 2: While providing care to a conscious infant who is choking, they suddenly become unresponsive. What is your next step?
- Continue with back blows and chest thrusts.
- Immediately call 911 and wait for EMS to arrive.
- Carefully lower the infant to a firm, flat surface and begin CPR, starting with chest compressions. (Correct answer)
- Attempt two rescue breaths to see if the airway is clear.
Correct answer: Carefully lower the infant to a firm, flat surface and begin CPR, starting with chest compressions.
If a choking infant becomes unresponsive, the procedure changes. You should immediately stop back blows and chest thrusts, place the infant on a hard surface, and start CPR, beginning with chest compressions. After each set of compressions, and before giving breaths, you should look in the mouth for the object.
Question 3: You are providing first aid to a person who is conscious and choking. The person is in the late stages of pregnancy. How should you modify your technique?
- Perform abdominal thrusts with less force.
- Only perform back blows.
- Perform chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts. (Correct answer)
- Lay the person on their back and perform chest compressions.
Correct answer: Perform chest thrusts instead of abdominal thrusts.
For a person who is pregnant or too large for you to wrap your arms around their waist, abdominal thrusts are not safe or effective. The correct modification is to perform chest thrusts. You should place your fist in the center of the breastbone and give quick, inward thrusts.
Question 4: Which of the following is the correct technique for delivering back blows to a choking infant?
- Holding the infant upright and patting their back gently.
- Laying the infant face down on your forearm, with their head lower than their body, and delivering 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades. (Correct answer)
- Holding the infant upside down by their ankles and patting their back.
- Laying the infant flat on their back and using two fingers to strike their back.
Correct answer: Laying the infant face down on your forearm, with their head lower than their body, and delivering 5 firm blows between the shoulder blades.
The correct and safe way to deliver back blows to an infant is to support their head and neck, lay them face down along your forearm with their head positioned lower than their chest, and deliver up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
Question 5: A conscious child is choking and cannot cough, speak, or breathe. After delivering 5 back blows, the object is not expelled. What should you do next?
- Perform 5 abdominal thrusts. (Correct answer)
- Check the mouth for the object.
- Deliver 5 more back blows.
- Begin CPR immediately.
Correct answer: Perform 5 abdominal thrusts.
The recommended sequence for a conscious choking child (over 1 year old) is to alternate between 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts. If the back blows do not dislodge the object, the next step is to provide 5 abdominal thrusts.
Question 6: You have been performing CPR on an adult who choked and became unresponsive. Each time you open the airway to give breaths, you look for the obstructing object. After a set of chest compressions, you now see the object in the back of their throat. What is the appropriate action?
- Continue with chest compressions to try to force the object out.
- Perform a blind finger sweep to try and grab it.
- Carefully remove the object with your fingers. (Correct answer)
- Give two strong rescue breaths to push the object out.
Correct answer: Carefully remove the object with your fingers.
During CPR for an unresponsive choking victim, if you see the object in the mouth after giving compressions, you should carefully remove it. A blind finger sweep is not recommended as it can push the object further down. Only attempt to remove an object you can clearly see.
Free First Aid Choking and Airway Emergencies Questions and Answers
You are at a restaurant when you see a middle-aged man suddenly stand up, clutching his throat with both hands.
He has a panicked expression and cannot speak or cough.
What is the most appropriate initial action?