NREMT Airway Flashcards
What is the most common upper airway obstruction?
The tongue. In cases of altered mental status, the muscles that control the tongue lose tone and allow the tongue to fall back in the throat when supine.
What is the difference between respiratory distress and respiratory failure?
Respiratory distress is a feeling of shortness of breath and may include an increased work of breathing. In respiratory distress breathing is still adequate.
Respiratory failure is when oxygen intake is inadequate to support life.
Identifying the difference between respiratory distress and failure is critical for the EMT.
What standard precautions should be taken prior to suctioning?
You should wear gloves and also protect your face. Facial protection includes eye wear and a mask or a face shield.
You are called to a 74-year-old man who is experiencing chest discomfort and mild shortness of breath. He is oriented and has vital signs that appear to be within normal limits. The pulse oximeter reads 96%.
Would you administer oxygen to this patient? If so, how much?
This patient would not receive oxygen.
With only minor distress, normal vitals and an oxygen saturation of 96% this patient would not receive any oxygen. The American Heart Association doesn’t recommend oxygen unless the saturation is less than 94% or the patient has other complaints or conditions that might warrant the need for oxygen.
Should the oxygen saturation be below 94%, titrate it to reach 94%. Many times this is easily done with a nasal cannula.
What EMS devices utilize positive pressure ventilation?
The most commonly used devices are the BVM and the pocket face mask. Positive pressure ventilators (sometimes called FROPVD or demand valves) and transport ventilators also use positive pressure.
Define: Bronchoconstricion
Narrowing of the airways–specifically the bronchioles.
You observe an EMT providing respirations rapidly and too forcefully. The result of this would be:
Air will be forced into the stomach which can cause gastric insufflation and vomiting.
It can also lower the patient’s carbon dioxide levels which can cause cerebral vasoconstriction and reduce blood flow to the brain.
Your respiratory arrest patient has vomited profusely. You begin to suction. How long should you suction before providing a ventilation.
You should suction quickly and efficiently until the airway is clear. Then provide ventilations.
Many believe there is a 10 second or 15 second “rule” about suctioning. This is false. You should suction until you have removed foreign material from the airway.
Vomit contains partially digested food and stomach acid. Introducing either of these things into the lungs by ventilating will cause aspiration pneumonitis which is frequently fatal. Hypoxia may also be fatal, but suctioning for longer than 15 seconds may be necessary to clear all the foreign material in a patient with copious amounts of material in the pharynx.
Is cyanosis an early or late sign of hypoxia?
Cyanosis is a late sign indicating significant hypoxia. You will usually see increased respiratory rate and pulse, anxiety and other signs first.
What two components are necessary for adequate breathing?
Rate and depth must both be adequate for a patient to breathe adequately. The rate must not be too slow or too fast and the depth must be sufficient to move air past the dead air space and into the alveoli.
Define: Hypoxia
Decreased levels of oxygen
A 20 French catheter is (larger or smaller) than a 22 French catheter?
The 20 French catheter is smaller. The larger the number, the larger the catheter.
What type of muscle constricts in the lower airways in conditions such as asthma and anaphylaxis?
Smooth muscle surrounds these airways and is responsible for constriction.
What type of muscle is responsible for bronchoconstriction?
Smooth muscle in the bronchioles is responsible for bronchoconstriction.
Define: Hypercapnea
Elevated levels of carbon dioxide
