Paramedics Exam Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient with a suspected cervical spine injury requires airway management. Which technique is preferred to open the airway?
- Head-tilt chin-lift
- Jaw-thrust maneuver (Correct answer)
- Neck hyperextension
- Tongue-jaw lift
Correct answer: Jaw-thrust maneuver
The jaw-thrust maneuver opens the airway without moving the cervical spine, making it the preferred technique when spinal injury is suspected.
Question 2: When assessing a patient's respiratory rate, you count 8 breaths per minute in an adult. This finding is best described as:
- Tachypnea
- Eupnea
- Bradypnea (Correct answer)
- Apnea
Correct answer: Bradypnea
Bradypnea is an abnormally slow respiratory rate, defined as fewer than 12 breaths per minute in adults.
Question 3: Which of the following is the MOST reliable indicator of proper endotracheal tube placement?
- Bilateral breath sounds on auscultation
- Chest rise with ventilation
- End-tidal CO2 waveform capnography (Correct answer)
- Tube depth at the teeth
Correct answer: End-tidal CO2 waveform capnography
Continuous waveform capnography (EtCO2) is the gold standard for confirming and monitoring endotracheal tube placement.
Question 4: A patient is found apneic with a pulse. After opening the airway you should:
- Begin CPR immediately
- Provide rescue breathing at 10-12 breaths/min (Correct answer)
- Apply a nonrebreather mask at 15 L/min
- Perform immediate endotracheal intubation
Correct answer: Provide rescue breathing at 10-12 breaths/min
An apneic patient with a pulse requires rescue breathing (assisted ventilations) at 10-12 breaths per minute, not CPR.
Question 5: Which lung sound is characterized by a high-pitched, musical wheeze heard on expiration associated with bronchospasm?
- Crackles (rales)
- Rhonchi
- Stridor
- Wheezing (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Wheezing
Wheezing is a high-pitched musical sound caused by air moving through narrowed lower airways, typically associated with bronchospasm.
Question 6: A nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) is contraindicated in which of the following situations?
- Unconscious patient with intact gag reflex
- Patient with suspected basilar skull fracture (Correct answer)
- Patient who is semiconscious
- Seizing patient with clenched jaw
Correct answer: Patient with suspected basilar skull fracture
An NPA is contraindicated with suspected basilar skull fracture due to risk of the device entering the cranial vault.
Question 7: During BVM ventilation, you notice gastric distension developing. What is the BEST corrective action?
- Increase ventilation rate
- Apply cricoid pressure (Sellick maneuver) (Correct answer)
- Switch to a smaller mask
- Increase bag squeeze volume
Correct answer: Apply cricoid pressure (Sellick maneuver)
Cricoid pressure compresses the esophagus against the vertebrae, reducing air entry into the stomach during BVM ventilation.
Paramedics Exam Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation 2
A patient with a suspected cervical spine injury requires airway management.
Which technique is preferred to open the airway?