NREMT EMT Level Flashcards: Airway Assessment And Management

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Airway Assessment And Management, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for NREMT EMT Level.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

Flashcard 1: What lubricant should be used when inserting a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?

Answer: Water-soluble lubricant. It facilitates smooth insertion through the nasal passage without causing mucosal irritation or damage, unlike petroleum-based products that can degrade materials.

Flashcard 2: What is the classic contraindication to inserting a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?

Answer: Suspected basilar skull fracture. Insertion risks penetrating the cribriform plate and entering the cranial cavity, potentially causing severe complications like meningitis or brain injury.

Flashcard 3: What is the maximum recommended suction time for an infant patient?

Answer: No more than $5$ seconds per attempt. Infants have minimal oxygen reserves, so brief suctioning minimizes hypoxia while allowing quick resumption of ventilation.

Flashcard 4: What is the recommended child or infant ventilation rate when using a BVM for apnea?

Answer: About $1$ breath every $3$–$5$ seconds (≈$12$–$20$/min). Higher rates accommodate the faster respiratory needs and smaller lung volumes of pediatric patients, preventing hypoventilation without causing barotrauma.

Flashcard 5: How do you size an oropharyngeal airway (OPA) before insertion?

Answer: Corner of mouth to earlobe (angle of jaw). This measurement ensures the OPA fits properly from the lips to the pharynx, preventing inadequate airway opening or trauma from improper sizing.

Flashcard 6: Which oxygen delivery device is appropriate for a breathing patient with severe hypoxia or respiratory distress?

Answer: Nonrebreather mask at $10$–$15$ L/min. It delivers high FiO2 (up to 90-100%) to correct severe desaturation, with a reservoir bag ensuring consistent oxygen supply during inhalation.

Flashcard 7: How do you size a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) before insertion?

Answer: Tip of nose to earlobe (angle of jaw). This measurement approximates the distance from nostril to nasopharynx, ensuring the NPA is long enough to bypass the tongue without causing trauma.

Flashcard 8: Which device is preferred for ventilating an apneic or inadequately breathing adult patient?

Answer: Bag-valve mask (BVM) with high-flow oxygen. BVM allows manual positive-pressure ventilation with supplemental oxygen, ensuring adequate tidal volume and rate for patients unable to breathe independently.

Flashcard 9: What airway-opening maneuver is appropriate when there is no concern for spinal injury?

Answer: Head tilt–chin lift. This technique lifts the tongue away from the posterior pharynx by tilting the head back and lifting the chin, effectively opening the airway in patients without spinal concerns.

Flashcard 10: Which action is indicated for a responsive adult with severe airway obstruction and an ineffective cough?

Answer: Perform abdominal thrusts. Abdominal thrusts generate intra-abdominal pressure to expel foreign bodies from the airway in conscious patients unable to cough effectively.

Flashcard 11: What is the maximum recommended suction time for an adult patient?

Answer: No more than $15$ seconds per attempt. Limiting duration prevents hypoxia from prolonged oxygen deprivation during suctioning, balancing clearance with maintaining ventilation.

Flashcard 12: Which airway adjunct is indicated for an unresponsive patient with no gag reflex?

Answer: Oropharyngeal airway (OPA). It maintains an open airway by holding the tongue forward in unconscious patients lacking a gag reflex, preventing obstruction without triggering vomiting.

Flashcard 13: What is the recommended adult ventilation rate when using a BVM for an apneic patient?

Answer: About $1$ breath every $6$ seconds (≈$10$/min). This rate provides sufficient minute ventilation (about 5-6 L/min) while avoiding hyperventilation and gastric distension in apneic adults.

Flashcard 14: Which airway adjunct is indicated for a patient with an intact gag reflex who needs airway support?

Answer: Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA). It provides a patent airway passage through the nose without stimulating the gag reflex, making it suitable for semi-conscious or responsive patients needing support.

Flashcard 15: Which clinical sign most strongly suggests inadequate ventilation rather than an oxygenation problem alone?

Answer: Poor chest rise with slow, shallow, or irregular breathing. These signs indicate insufficient tidal volume and rate, distinguishing from pure oxygenation issues where chest movement may be normal but gas exchange impaired.

Flashcard 16: Which action is indicated for an unresponsive adult with suspected foreign-body airway obstruction?

Answer: Begin CPR; check mouth for object before ventilations. CPR compressions may dislodge the object, with mouth checks ensuring removal before ventilation attempts to prevent pushing it deeper.

Flashcard 17: What is the correct insertion technique for an adult oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?

Answer: Insert upside down, rotate $180^\circ$ as it advances. Rotating after initial insertion aligns the curved tip with the pharyngeal anatomy, facilitating smooth placement without traumatizing tissues.

Flashcard 18: What is the primary contraindication to inserting an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?

Answer: Presence of a gag reflex (responsive patient). An intact gag reflex in responsive patients can trigger vomiting or laryngospasm upon OPA insertion, risking aspiration or further airway compromise.

Flashcard 19: Which airway management step is most appropriate for visible secretions obstructing the oropharynx?

Answer: Suction the airway. Suctioning directly removes visible fluids or debris, restoring airway patency more effectively than positioning or adjuncts alone.

Flashcard 20: Identify the most effective basic maneuver to relieve airway obstruction from the tongue in an unresponsive patient.

Answer: Open the airway (jaw-thrust or head tilt–chin lift). These maneuvers displace the tongue anteriorly, relieving the most common cause of upper airway obstruction in unconscious patients due to muscle relaxation.

Flashcard 21: When ventilating with a BVM, what is the correct endpoint for each delivered breath?

Answer: Visible chest rise. It confirms effective air delivery to the lungs without overinflation, guiding proper volume to avoid gastric insufflation or barotrauma.

Flashcard 22: Which finding is the clearest sign of a patent airway during your initial assessment?

Answer: Ability to speak in full sentences clearly. Clear speech indicates unobstructed airflow through the vocal cords and upper airway, confirming patency without invasive assessment.

Flashcard 23: Which oxygen delivery device is appropriate for a breathing patient with mild hypoxia and adequate tidal volume?

Answer: Nasal cannula at $1$–$6$ L/min. It provides low to moderate FiO2 (24-44%) comfortably for stable patients, supporting oxygenation without interfering with eating or speaking.

Flashcard 24: What is the maximum recommended suction time for a child patient?

Answer: No more than $10$ seconds per attempt. Shorter suction times reduce the risk of hypoxia in children, who have smaller oxygen reserves and higher metabolic rates.

Flashcard 25: What is the preferred airway-opening maneuver for a patient with suspected spinal trauma?

Answer: Jaw-thrust maneuver. This maneuver opens the airway by displacing the jaw forward without extending the neck, minimizing risk of exacerbating cervical spine injury.