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NREMT EMR study materials
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NREMT EMR practice questions

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Question 1Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

While assessing a patient, you hear bubbly, gurgling sounds coming from the mouth with each breath. What does this finding most likely indicate?

  1. Narrowing of the small airways in the lungs
  2. A complete foreign body obstruction of the trachea
  3. Swelling of the tongue blocking the pharynx
  4. Fluid or secretions sitting in the upper airway Correct answer.

Explanation

Gurgling or bubbling sounds mean liquid (blood, vomit, saliva) is present in the airway and needs to be cleared, usually with suction. Air moving through liquid creates the characteristic sound. Complete obstruction produces no air movement at all, and tongue swelling causes snoring-like sounds.

Question 2Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

For which patient is the head tilt–chin lift maneuver the most appropriate way to open the airway?

  1. An unresponsive patient with no suspected head or neck trauma Correct answer.
  2. A patient who breathes through a tracheostomy tube
  3. A conscious patient who is coughing forcefully
  4. A patient with a suspected injury to the neck

Explanation

The head tilt–chin lift is the standard maneuver for opening the airway of an unresponsive patient when no spine injury is suspected. If head or neck trauma is possible, the jaw-thrust is used instead to avoid moving the neck.

Question 3Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which respiratory rate falls within the normal resting range for a healthy adult?

  1. 24 to 30 breaths per minute
  2. 12 to 20 breaths per minute Correct answer.
  3. 8 to 12 breaths per minute
  4. 4 to 8 breaths per minute

Explanation

A normal adult resting respiratory rate is about 12 to 20 breaths per minute. Rates clearly below or above this range suggest inadequate breathing or another serious problem. Both bradypnea and tachypnea should prompt careful reassessment.

Question 4Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which oxygen delivery device can provide the highest concentration of oxygen to a spontaneously breathing patient?

  1. Nasal cannula
  2. Simple face mask
  3. Nonrebreather mask Correct answer.
  4. Venturi mask

Explanation

A nonrebreather mask with a reservoir bag and one-way valves can deliver close to 100 percent oxygen when the bag is filled and the mask seals well. It delivers a far higher concentration than low-flow devices such as a nasal cannula.

Question 5Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

What is the main purpose of inserting an oropharyngeal airway in an unresponsive patient?

  1. It delivers a fixed percentage of oxygen
  2. It keeps air from entering the stomach
  3. It forms a tight seal for mouth-to-mouth breathing
  4. It holds the tongue away from the back of the throat Correct answer.

Explanation

An oropharyngeal airway is a curved plastic device that rests between the tongue and the back of the pharynx, keeping the tongue from blocking the opening. It holds the airway open but does not seal the mouth or control oxygen concentration.

Question 6Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

What is the maximum recommended length of a single suction attempt in an adult patient?

  1. 5 seconds
  2. 30 seconds
  3. 60 seconds
  4. 15 seconds Correct answer.

Explanation

Suction should be limited to about 15 seconds in an adult, because suctioning also removes oxygen from the lungs. Shorter limits are used for children and infants. The patient should be oxygenated before and after suctioning.

Question 7Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which finding best shows that a patient is breathing adequately?

  1. Speaking in full sentences without gasping Correct answer.
  2. Bluish coloring of the lips and fingertips
  3. A respiratory rate of 6 breaths per minute
  4. Absent breath sounds over one side of the chest

Explanation

Being able to speak in full sentences shows the patient is moving enough air with each breath. Cyanosis, absent or unequal breath sounds, and very slow rates all point to inadequate breathing.

Question 8Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

You need to open the airway of an unresponsive patient who fell from a ladder. Which technique should you use?

  1. Finger sweep of the mouth
  2. Head tilt–neck lift
  3. Jaw-thrust without head tilt Correct answer.
  4. Head tilt–chin lift

Explanation

When head or neck trauma is possible, the jaw-thrust is preferred because it opens the airway while keeping the head and neck in a neutral position. The head tilt–chin lift is reserved for patients with no suspected spine injury.

Question 9Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Two EMRs are ventilating an unresponsive adult with a bag-valve-mask. Which action improves the effectiveness of each breath?

  1. One rescuer uses both hands to hold the mask sealed while the other squeezes the bag Correct answer.
  2. Ventilations are withheld until the lips turn blue
  3. The bag is squeezed as hard and as fast as possible
  4. Each breath is delivered slowly over about five seconds

Explanation

The most common reason bag-valve-mask ventilation fails is a poor mask seal. With two rescuers, one keeps the mask sealed with both hands while the other squeezes the bag. Breaths are given over about one second, just until the chest rises.

Question 10Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A conscious patient with mild shortness of breath has an oxygen saturation of 94 percent. At what flow rate should a nasal cannula be set?

  1. 15 to 25 liters per minute
  2. 2 to 6 liters per minute Correct answer.
  3. 0.5 liters per minute
  4. 10 to 15 liters per minute

Explanation

A nasal cannula is a low-flow device typically set at 2 to 6 liters per minute in adults. Higher flows dry and irritate the nasal passages without adding much oxygen. Flows of 10 liters or more require a mask-type device.

Question 11Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is short of breath and has an oxygen saturation of 84 percent. What is the best action?

  1. Withhold all oxygen because of the lung disease
  2. Give oxygen at 1 liter per minute no matter how the patient responds
  3. Give oxygen, titrate it to the patient's response, and watch the breathing closely Correct answer.
  4. Lay the patient flat and reassess in several minutes

Explanation

Hypoxia is life threatening, so oxygen is never withheld from a patient with low saturation, even with COPD. Some COPD patients hypoventilate with high oxygen levels, so the flow is titrated to the response and the patient is monitored closely.

Question 12Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which technique best helps prevent air from filling the stomach during bag-valve-mask ventilation?

  1. Pressing on the abdomen between breaths
  2. Increasing the oxygen flow rate to the maximum
  3. Squeezing the bag with both hands as forcefully as possible
  4. Delivering each breath over about one second, only until the chest begins to rise Correct answer.

Explanation

Air enters the stomach when breaths are given too fast, too forcefully, or in too large a volume. Giving a slow, one-second breath and stopping as soon as the chest rises keeps the pressure low. This also reduces the risk of vomiting and aspiration.

Question 13Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An unresponsive adult has an advanced airway in place and is being ventilated with a bag-valve-mask. How often should breaths be delivered?

  1. One breath every 5 to 6 seconds Correct answer.
  2. One breath every 2 seconds
  3. Two breaths after every 30 chest compressions
  4. One breath every 15 seconds

Explanation

Once an advanced airway is in place, ventilations are given at a steady rate of about one breath every 5 to 6 seconds without pausing compressions. This provides roughly 10 to 12 breaths per minute. Without an advanced airway, breaths are coordinated with compressions instead.

Question 14Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An unresponsive patient has occasional slow, gasping breaths. How should you manage this patient?

  1. Place the patient in the recovery position
  2. Apply a nasal cannula at 2 liters per minute
  3. Provide positive pressure ventilations with a bag-valve-mask Correct answer.
  4. Treat the gasping as adequate breathing and keep monitoring

Explanation

Occasional gasping, sometimes called agonal breathing, is not effective breathing and means the patient is not moving enough air. Positive pressure ventilations with supplemental oxygen must be started immediately. Agonal gasps are common in the first minutes of cardiac arrest.

Question 15Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A conscious adult who was eating is unable to speak, is making no sound, and is clutching the throat. What should you do?

  1. Perform abdominal thrusts Correct answer.
  2. Encourage the patient to keep coughing
  3. Begin chest compressions right away
  4. Deliver five back blows only

Explanation

Silence and an inability to speak or cough mean the obstruction is complete and the patient cannot move air. Abdominal thrusts are used to force air out and clear the object. A patient who can cough forcefully should be encouraged to keep coughing instead.

Question 16Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

For which patient should you avoid inserting a nasopharyngeal airway?

  1. An unresponsive patient with snoring respirations
  2. A patient with noisy breathing from a floppy tongue
  3. A patient with clear fluid draining from the nose after a head injury Correct answer.
  4. A patient with a gag reflex who needs airway support

Explanation

Clear fluid draining from the nose after head trauma may be cerebrospinal fluid, which suggests a fracture at the base of the skull. A nasal airway could be pushed into the brain case, so it is not used. An oropharyngeal airway or another method is chosen instead.

Question 17Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which patient is the best candidate for being placed in the recovery position?

  1. A patient who is in cardiac arrest
  2. A patient with a suspected spinal injury
  3. An unresponsive patient who is breathing adequately with no suspected trauma Correct answer.
  4. An unresponsive patient who is not breathing

Explanation

The recovery position keeps the tongue forward and lets fluid drain from the mouth in a patient who is unresponsive but breathing adequately. It is never used for a patient who is not breathing. Patients with suspected spinal injury are kept in a neutral position instead.

Question 18Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

What is the main advantage of using a pocket mask with a one-way valve for rescue breathing?

  1. It reduces the rescuer's contact with the patient's secretions Correct answer.
  2. It prevents stomach inflation during breaths
  3. It delivers 100 percent oxygen to the patient
  4. It removes the need to check for a pulse

Explanation

A pocket mask with a one-way valve puts a barrier between the rescuer and the patient's mouth and nose, lowering the risk of disease transmission. It also forms a better seal than mouth-to-mouth. It does not raise the oxygen concentration above room air unless oxygen is attached.

Question 19Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which set of findings indicates that a patient's breathing is inadequate?

  1. Oxygen saturation of 98 percent on room air
  2. Respiratory rate of 16 with clear speech
  3. Shallow breaths with use of neck and abdominal muscles Correct answer.
  4. Equal chest rise on both sides

Explanation

Shallow breathing with accessory muscle use means the patient is working hard but moving little air, which is inadequate breathing. Normal rate, normal saturation, and equal chest rise all suggest adequate breathing. Inadequate breathing requires assisted ventilations.

Question 20Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which action is correct when suctioning a patient's airway?

  1. Suction before oxygenating the patient
  2. Apply suction continuously for 30 seconds
  3. Apply suction while inserting the catheter
  4. Apply suction only while withdrawing the catheter Correct answer.

Explanation

The catheter is inserted without suction and suction is applied only as it is withdrawn, which limits oxygen loss and tissue damage. The patient should be oxygenated before and after the procedure. Suction attempts are kept short.

Question 21Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A patient with a permanent tracheal stoma is unresponsive and not breathing. When you attempt to ventilate at the mouth and nose, the chest does not rise. What should you do?

  1. Ventilate directly at the stoma Correct answer.
  2. Tilt the head farther back and try again
  3. Start chest compressions
  4. Suction the mouth and try again

Explanation

A patient with a tracheal stoma may have no connection between the upper airway and the trachea. If ventilation at the mouth and nose does not produce chest rise, the mask is placed directly over the stoma. This delivers air into the trachea where it can reach the lungs.

Question 22Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Why should bag-valve-mask breaths be delivered slowly rather than rapidly and forcefully?

  1. Forceful breaths make the mask seal harder to maintain
  2. Excess pressure in the chest reduces the blood returning to the heart Correct answer.
  3. Rapid breaths raise the oxygen concentration to a dangerous level
  4. Rapid breaths permanently damage the air sacs of the lungs

Explanation

Fast, forceful ventilations raise pressure inside the chest, which decreases the blood that returns to the heart and lowers the amount pumped out. Slow breaths given only until the chest rises limit this effect. They also reduce the amount of air forced into the stomach.

Question 23Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A patient is breathing only 4 times per minute with very shallow breaths and is becoming confused. What is the priority action?

  1. Coach the patient to slow down and relax
  2. Place the patient in the recovery position
  3. Apply a nasal cannula at 6 liters per minute
  4. Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask and high-flow oxygen Correct answer.

Explanation

A rate of 4 shallow breaths per minute cannot maintain oxygenation or remove carbon dioxide, which explains the confusion. Positive pressure ventilations with a bag-valve-mask and high-flow oxygen are needed right away. Low-flow oxygen alone does not fix inadequate breathing.

Question 24Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Why is the valve on an oxygen cylinder briefly opened, or cracked, before a regulator is attached?

  1. To test whether the flowmeter is working
  2. To measure the remaining pressure in the cylinder
  3. To blow dust and debris out of the outlet Correct answer.
  4. To cool the regulator before use

Explanation

Cracking the valve clears dust or debris from the outlet so it does not get forced into the regulator. The cylinder should be pointed away from you and others when this is done. The pressure reading is obtained only after the regulator is attached and the valve opened.

Question 25Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Why is a neutral, slightly extended, sniffing position preferred when opening the airway of an infant?

  1. Overextending an infant's neck can collapse the flexible airway Correct answer.
  2. It makes the chest rise easier for the rescuer to see
  3. Infants cannot tolerate any movement of the head
  4. It keeps the tongue from becoming too dry

Explanation

An infant's airway is soft and easily kinked. Tipping the head too far back can close the trachea, so the head is kept neutral with only slight extension. In a young infant, a small pad under the shoulders may help keep this position.

Question 26Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

What is the normal resting respiratory rate for a healthy adult?

  1. 32 to 40 per minute
  2. 4 to 8 per minute
  3. 12 to 20 per minute Correct answer.
  4. 24 to 30 per minute

Explanation

A healthy adult at rest breathes about 12 to 20 times per minute. Rates below 12 are called bradypnea and rates above 20 are called tachypnea in adults. Count breaths for at least 30 seconds and multiply by two, watching the chest or abdomen rise.

Question 27Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

At what flow rate should a nonrebreather mask be set?

  1. 10 to 15 L/min Correct answer.
  2. 1 to 2 L/min
  3. 2 to 6 L/min
  4. 6 to 8 L/min

Explanation

A nonrebreather must receive 10 to 15 liters per minute so the reservoir bag stays inflated and the mask can deliver a high oxygen concentration. Lower flows let the bag collapse and the patient rebreathe exhaled air. The mask should also have a tight seal with the reservoir filled before it is placed on the face.

Question 28Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Where do you usually first notice cyanosis in a patient with poor oxygenation?

  1. The soles of the feet
  2. The palms of the hands
  3. The lips and nail beds Correct answer.
  4. The center of the chest

Explanation

Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration that appears in the lips, nail beds, and oral mucosa when hemoglobin is poorly saturated with oxygen. It is a late sign, so a patient can be dangerously hypoxic without appearing blue. Check these areas along with breathing effort and mental status.

Question 29Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

How do you select the correct size oropharyngeal airway?

  1. Measure from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe Correct answer.
  2. Measure from the chin to the sternal notch
  3. Use the largest airway that inserts without resistance
  4. Measure from the nose to the Adam's apple

Explanation

An oropharyngeal airway is sized by holding it beside the face from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe or angle of the jaw. An airway that is too long can push the tongue back and block the airway, while one that is too short will not hold the tongue forward. Always measure before inserting.

Question 30Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A responsive patient who is breathing needs an airway adjunct but has an intact gag reflex. What is the best action?

  1. Use a nasopharyngeal airway instead Correct answer.
  2. Insert an oropharyngeal airway with the head tilted back
  3. Skip the airway and monitor the patient
  4. Insert an oropharyngeal airway upside down

Explanation

An oropharyngeal airway is only for patients without a gag reflex, because it can trigger gagging, vomiting, and aspiration. A nasopharyngeal airway is better tolerated in a responsive patient who still has protective reflexes. Lubricate the nasal airway and insert it along the floor of the nostril.

Question 31Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A choking adult is coughing forcefully and can speak in short phrases. What should you do?

  1. Begin rescue breathing
  2. Encourage the patient to keep coughing Correct answer.
  3. Give abdominal thrusts right away
  4. Place the patient in the recovery position

Explanation

Forceful coughing and the ability to speak mean air is still moving, so the obstruction is mild and the patient's own cough is the most effective way to clear it. Stay with the patient, watch for signs of worsening, and be ready to act if the cough becomes weak or silent. Do not intervene with thrusts while air exchange is good.

Question 32Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An adult who was choking collapses and becomes unresponsive. After lowering the patient to the ground, what should you do?

  1. Attempt a ventilation first
  2. Give five back slaps
  3. Begin chest compressions Correct answer.
  4. Perform a blind finger sweep

Explanation

When a choking patient becomes unresponsive, begin CPR starting with chest compressions, since each compression can increase pressure in the chest and help expel the object. Open the mouth and remove a visible object before giving breaths, but never sweep blindly. Continue cycles of compressions and ventilations.

Question 33Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A conscious infant is choking with a silent, ineffective cough. What should you do?

  1. Blind finger sweeps, then breaths
  2. Back slaps, then chest thrusts Correct answer.
  3. Abdominal thrusts, then back slaps
  4. Chest compressions only

Explanation

For a choking infant with poor air exchange, deliver five back slaps followed by five chest thrusts, alternating until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive. Chest thrusts are used instead of abdominal thrusts because the infant's liver and other organs are easily injured. Never perform blind finger sweeps.

Question 34Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An oxygen cylinder contains 900 liters of oxygen. At a flow rate of 10 liters per minute, how long will the cylinder last?

  1. 900 minutes
  2. 45 minutes
  3. 9 minutes
  4. 90 minutes Correct answer.

Explanation

Cylinder duration equals the volume of gas divided by the flow rate, so 900 liters divided by 10 liters per minute equals 90 minutes. Calculating duration helps you plan for transport and arrange a replacement cylinder. Always leave a safety margin rather than using the cylinder until it is empty.

Question 35Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

In which situation is a pulse oximeter reading least reliable?

  1. Carbon monoxide poisoning Correct answer.
  2. The patient has a fever
  3. The patient is breathing fast
  4. The patient's hands are cold

Explanation

Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin more readily than oxygen, and a standard pulse oximeter cannot tell the difference, so it gives a falsely high reading. Poor circulation, cold extremities, and nail polish can also distort readings but do not create the same dangerous false reassurance. Treat the patient's appearance and breathing, not the number alone.

Question 36Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An adult is unresponsive, has a strong pulse, and is not breathing. How often should you deliver rescue breaths?

  1. 1 breath every 2 seconds
  2. 1 breath every 10 seconds
  3. 2 breaths every 30 seconds
  4. 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds Correct answer.

Explanation

For an adult who has a pulse but is not breathing, give one breath every 5 to 6 seconds, which is about 10 to 12 breaths per minute. Each breath should be delivered over about one second with just enough volume to make the chest rise. Recheck the pulse periodically and begin CPR if it is lost.

Question 37Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A bag-valve-mask device is used without supplemental oxygen attached. What oxygen concentration does it deliver?

  1. About 100 percent
  2. About 21 percent Correct answer.
  3. About 50 percent
  4. About 16 percent

Explanation

Without an oxygen source, a bag-valve-mask simply moves room air, which is about 21 percent oxygen. Attaching oxygen at a high flow with a reservoir can raise the delivered concentration substantially. This is why supplemental oxygen should be connected whenever it is available.

Question 38Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

Which finding in a child indicates increased work of breathing?

  1. Retractions between the ribs Correct answer.
  2. A heart rate of 110 per minute
  3. A respiratory rate of 20 per minute
  4. Warm, dry skin

Explanation

Retractions occur when a child must pull hard to breathe and the skin sinks in around the ribs, above the collarbones, or at the breastbone. Other signs of increased work include nasal flaring, grunting, and head bobbing. These signs indicate that the child is tiring and needs urgent support.

Question 39Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

An unresponsive medical patient is breathing with a snoring sound. What is the most likely cause?

  1. The tongue blocking the airway Correct answer.
  2. Fluid in the stomach
  3. Swelling of the vocal cords
  4. Narrowing of the lower airways

Explanation

In an unresponsive patient, the muscles that hold the tongue forward relax, and the tongue falls back against the pharynx, creating snoring sounds. Repositioning the head to lift the tongue usually clears the noise and improves air movement. Suction is needed only if fluids are present, and a stoma or airway adjunct may be required if positioning fails.

Question 40Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation

A 60-year-old with no history of lung disease has severe shortness of breath, bluish lips, and can speak only two words at a time. Which oxygen delivery method is best?

  1. No oxygen until EMS arrives
  2. Nonrebreather at 15 L/min Correct answer.
  3. Simple face mask at 10 L/min
  4. Nasal cannula at 2 L/min

Explanation

Severe distress with cyanosis and inability to speak in full sentences signals critical hypoxemia, so the highest available oxygen concentration is needed. A nonrebreather at 10 to 15 liters per minute delivers the greatest concentration of the options listed. Reassess the patient frequently and be prepared to assist ventilations if breathing becomes inadequate.

Question 41Cardiology and Resuscitation

During CPR on an adult, what compression rate should an EMR maintain?

  1. 80 to 100 compressions per minute
  2. 100 to 120 compressions per minute Correct answer.
  3. 60 to 80 compressions per minute
  4. 120 to 140 compressions per minute

Explanation

High-quality adult CPR uses a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Rates that are too slow reduce blood flow, and rates that are too fast usually cause shallow compressions and poor chest filling.

Question 42Cardiology and Resuscitation

How deep should an EMR compress the chest of an average adult during CPR?

  1. At least 1 inch (2.5 cm)
  2. At least 3 inches (7.5 cm)
  3. At least 2 inches (5 cm) Correct answer.
  4. About half the depth of the chest

Explanation

Adult compressions should push the chest down at least 2 inches (5 cm), while avoiding excessive depth beyond about 2.4 inches (6 cm). Depth in that range is what generates meaningful blood flow.

Question 43Cardiology and Resuscitation

A single EMR is performing CPR on an adult without an advanced airway. What compression-to-ventilation ratio should be used?

  1. 15:2
  2. 30:2 Correct answer.
  3. 5:1
  4. 50:2

Explanation

Single-rescuer adult CPR uses 30 compressions followed by 2 ventilations. The same 30:2 ratio applies to two-rescuer adult CPR until an advanced airway is in place.

Question 44Cardiology and Resuscitation

Where should the two AED pads be placed on an adult in cardiac arrest?

  1. One below the right collarbone and the other on the left lower rib cage Correct answer.
  2. One over the lower breastbone and the other over the upper part of the abdomen
  3. Both pads side by side on the front of the upper chest, above the nipples
  4. One on the center of the breastbone and the other on the upper back between the shoulders

Explanation

The standard anterolateral placement puts one pad below the right clavicle and the other on the left side of the chest lateral to the nipple, so current passes through the heart. An anterior-posterior placement is an acceptable alternative.

Question 45Cardiology and Resuscitation

An unresponsive adult has no pulse and makes an occasional slow, gasping sound. How should the EMR interpret this?

  1. Apply oxygen by nonrebreather mask and transport
  2. Place the patient in the recovery position and monitor
  3. Give two rescue breaths and wait for a pulse to return
  4. Begin CPR; occasional gasps are not normal breathing Correct answer.

Explanation

Agonal gasps are a sign of cardiac arrest, not effective breathing. Any patient who is unresponsive, not breathing normally, and pulseless needs immediate chest compressions and AED use.

Question 46Cardiology and Resuscitation

A conscious adult who is choking cannot speak, cough, or breathe. What should the EMR do?

  1. Deliver abdominal thrusts just above the navel Correct answer.
  2. Sweep the mouth with a finger to find the object
  3. Lay the patient down and begin chest compressions
  4. Give two rescue breaths and check for a pulse

Explanation

A patient with a severe obstruction who cannot speak, cough, or breathe needs abdominal thrusts to force air out and expel the object. Back blows are an acceptable alternative depending on local protocol.

Question 47Cardiology and Resuscitation

A choking infant is conscious but making no sound and turning blue. Which maneuver should the EMR perform?

  1. Abdominal thrusts with the infant held upright
  2. Blind finger sweeps followed by back slaps
  3. Chest compressions at a rate of 100 per minute
  4. Five back slaps alternating with five chest thrusts Correct answer.

Explanation

For an infant with a severe foreign body airway obstruction, give cycles of 5 back slaps and 5 chest thrusts. Abdominal thrusts are avoided in infants because of the risk of injury to internal organs.

Question 48Cardiology and Resuscitation

A 58-year-old with crushing chest pain is alert, has no allergies, and has no signs of bleeding. What medication may an EMR assist with?

  1. Two nitroglycerin tablets swallowed at once
  2. The patient's own nitroglycerin regardless of blood pressure
  3. Oxygen only, waiting for paramedics before any medication
  4. A 324 mg aspirin tablet to chew, if not allergic Correct answer.

Explanation

Chewed aspirin is recommended early in suspected myocardial infarction because it limits clot formation. It is withheld only when the patient is allergic or has signs of active bleeding.

Question 49Cardiology and Resuscitation

A patient with chest pain has prescribed nitroglycerin. Before assisting, what should the EMR do?

  1. Give a tablet every minute until the pain disappears
  2. Wait until the pain has lasted at least 30 minutes before giving it
  3. Have the patient sit down and confirm a systolic pressure above 100 mm Hg Correct answer.
  4. Have the patient lie flat and swallow the tablet with water

Explanation

Nitroglycerin lowers blood pressure, so the patient should be seated and the systolic pressure confirmed to be at least 100 mm Hg before assisting. The patient's own prescribed dose and local protocol guide repeat doses.

Question 50Cardiology and Resuscitation

Which statement best describes the difference between a heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest?

  1. Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops pumping effectively Correct answer.
  2. A heart attack cannot occur without cardiac arrest
  3. Cardiac arrest is another name for a heart attack
  4. A heart attack always causes immediate cardiac arrest

Explanation

Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped pumping effectively, so the patient is unresponsive, not breathing normally, and pulseless. A heart attack is a circulation problem caused by a blocked coronary artery and may or may not lead to arrest.