Mixed Deck — All AEMCA Topics Flashcards

A patient presents with a tension pneumothorax. Which clinical finding is most specific to this condition?

Answer: Tracheal deviation away from the affected side

Tracheal deviation away from the affected side is a classic late sign of tension pneumothorax caused by mediastinal shift from accumulating pressure.

Which vasopressor works by releasing norepinephrine from sympathetic nerve terminals rather than directly stimulating adrenergic receptors?

Answer: Ephedrine

Ephedrine is an indirect-acting sympathomimetic that displaces norepinephrine from vesicles at sympathetic nerve terminals.

A 3-year-old child presents in respiratory arrest. Which BVM mask size and ventilation rate are most appropriate?

Answer: Pediatric mask, 20–30 breaths per minute

A pediatric mask sized to fit the child's face is used, and the recommended ventilation rate for children in arrest is 20–30 breaths per minute.

An AEMCA documents in the patient care report that a patient was 'intoxicated and uncooperative' without objective clinical findings. This documentation could create liability for:

Answer: Defamation

Documenting subjective characterizations without clinical basis can constitute defamation if the statements damage the patient's reputation.

Which medication is considered the first-line reversal agent for benzodiazepine overdose?

Answer: Flumazenil

Flumazenil competitively antagonizes GABA-A receptors to reverse benzodiazepine sedation, though it must be used cautiously due to seizure risk.

A 6-year-old is struck by a car. On assessment, you note absent breath sounds on the left, tracheal deviation to the right, distended neck veins, and hypotension. What intervention is immediately required?

Answer: Needle thoracostomy on the left side at the second intercostal space, midclavicular line

These findings are classic for tension pneumothorax; immediate needle decompression on the affected (left) side relieves the life-threatening pressure.

A construction worker fell 30 feet and has paradoxical chest wall movement over the right lateral chest. This finding is consistent with:

Answer: Flail chest

Flail chest occurs when three or more adjacent ribs are fractured in two or more places, causing a segment to move paradoxically inward with inhalation.

When is a nasal cannula at 6 L/min appropriate?

Answer: For a patient with mild hypoxia who is breathing adequately

Nasal cannula at 2–6 L/min is appropriate for patients with mild to moderate hypoxia who are breathing adequately on their own.

Ondansetron (Zofran) exerts its antiemetic effect by blocking which receptor type?

Answer: Serotonin 5-HT3 receptors

Ondansetron selectively antagonizes 5-HT3 serotonin receptors in the GI tract and chemoreceptor trigger zone to prevent nausea and vomiting.

Which of the following is a normal respiratory rate for a 1-year-old child at rest?

Answer: 25–50 breaths per minute

Normal resting respiratory rate for a 1-year-old is approximately 25–50 breaths per minute; rates vary by age and decrease as children grow.

Which Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score indicates severe traumatic brain injury requiring aggressive airway management?

Answer: GCS ≤ 8

A GCS of 8 or less defines severe TBI; these patients cannot protect their airway and require definitive airway management.

What is the recommended target oxygen saturation for a patient with confirmed acute stroke in the prehospital setting?

Answer: SpO2 94–99%

Current guidelines recommend maintaining SpO2 at 94–99% in stroke patients to avoid both hypoxia and hyperoxia-related harm.

During a breech delivery, the infant's body delivers but the head does not. Which maneuver is used to deliver the aftercoming head?

Answer: Mauriceau-Smellie-Veit maneuver

The Mauriceau-Smellie-Veit maneuver uses the provider's fingers in the infant's mouth to flex the head while applying supraoccipital pressure to facilitate delivery.

A patient is given epinephrine 1:10,000 IV for cardiac arrest. What concentration is this in mg/mL?

Answer: 0.1 mg/mL

1:10,000 means 1 gram per 10,000 mL, which equals 0.1 mg/mL — the standard IV cardiac arrest concentration.

Which of the following findings is most consistent with the anticholinergic toxidrome?

Answer: Dry, flushed skin and urinary retention

Anticholinergic toxidrome causes dry flushed skin, mydriasis, tachycardia, hyperthermia, and urinary retention — recalled by 'hot as a hare, dry as a bone, red as a beet, blind as a bat, mad as a hatter.'

A patient presents with sudden severe headache described as 'the worst of my life,' neck stiffness, and photophobia. What should the AEMCA suspect?

Answer: Subarachnoid hemorrhage

A sudden 'thunderclap' headache with meningeal signs strongly suggests subarachnoid hemorrhage, a life-threatening emergency.

Which of the following best describes compensated shock?

Answer: Normal or near-normal blood pressure maintained by increased heart rate and vasoconstriction

In compensated shock, the body uses tachycardia and vasoconstriction to maintain blood pressure despite decreased perfusion; hypotension has not yet occurred.

Which structure in the airway is the narrowest point in the adult tracheobroncial tree?

Answer: Glottis

In adults, the glottic opening is the narrowest point of the airway, making it the primary site of foreign body lodgment.

When assessing circulation during the primary survey of a trauma patient, capillary refill time greater than 2 seconds in an adult most suggests:

Answer: Peripheral hypoperfusion or shock

Capillary refill >2 seconds in an adult (in a warm environment) indicates impaired peripheral perfusion, consistent with shock.

Where do nociceptors tend to be more prevalent?

Answer: fingers and toes

Nociceptors (pain receptors) are most densely concentrated in the fingers and toes, making these extremities highly sensitive to painful stimuli. This dense innervation protects the most exposed and functionally important parts of the limbs. The other body regions listed have lower nociceptor density by comparison.