BLS Airway Management & Ventilation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A suspected spinal injury victim is unresponsive and not breathing. What airway technique should be used?
- Head-tilt chin-lift
- Neck hyperextension
- Jaw thrust without head tilt (Correct answer)
- Finger sweep to clear the airway
Correct answer: Jaw thrust without head tilt
The jaw thrust without head tilt is used for suspected spinal injury patients to open the airway while minimizing cervical spine movement.
Question 2: During two-rescuer CPR, when should the rescuer delivering ventilations switch to compressor?
- Every 5 cycles (about 2 minutes) (Correct answer)
- Every 2 cycles (about 1 minute)
- Only when the compressor becomes fatigued
- Never — the roles are fixed throughout resuscitation
Correct answer: Every 5 cycles (about 2 minutes)
Rescuers should switch roles approximately every 2 minutes (5 cycles of 30:2) to prevent compressor fatigue and maintain high-quality compressions.
Question 3: If a pocket mask is available, what is the correct position for the rescuer using it on a supine patient?
- At the patient's side
- At the top of the patient's head (Correct answer)
- Straddling the patient's hips
- Kneeling beside the patient's chest
Correct answer: At the top of the patient's head
When using a pocket mask, the rescuer typically positions at the top of the patient's head to maintain the airway with both hands while delivering breaths.
Question 4: An AED advises 'No shock recommended.' After confirming this, what is the immediate next step?
- Check for a pulse and, if absent, resume CPR immediately (Correct answer)
- Remove the AED pads and transport the patient
- Wait 2 minutes and reanalyze
- Deliver a manual shock if trained
Correct answer: Check for a pulse and, if absent, resume CPR immediately
If the AED advises no shock, immediately resume CPR starting with chest compressions while continuing to follow AED prompts.
Question 5: During CPR on an adult with an advanced airway in place, what is the recommended ventilation rate?
- 1 breath every 2–3 seconds (20–30/min)
- 1 breath every 6 seconds (10/min) (Correct answer)
- 1 breath every 3 seconds (20/min)
- 2 breaths every 30 compressions
Correct answer: 1 breath every 6 seconds (10/min)
Once an advanced airway is in place during adult CPR, ventilations are delivered at 1 breath every 6 seconds (10/min) without pausing compressions.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of using a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) in BLS?
- To secure a definitive airway for mechanical ventilation
- To maintain airway patency in a semi-conscious patient who may gag on an oral airway (Correct answer)
- To replace the need for bag-mask ventilation
- To suction secretions from the airway
Correct answer: To maintain airway patency in a semi-conscious patient who may gag on an oral airway
An NPA is used to maintain airway patency in patients who are semi-conscious or have an intact gag reflex that would cause them to gag on an oropharyngeal airway.
Question 7: Which size oropharyngeal airway (OPA) is correct for a patient?
- Measured from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe
- Measured from the center of the mouth to the angle of the jaw (Correct answer)
- Measured from the nostril to the earlobe
- Measured from the tip of the nose to the chin
Correct answer: Measured from the center of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
An OPA is sized by measuring from the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw (or earlobe) — correct sizing prevents the OPA from being too short or too long.
BLS Airway Management & Ventilation 4
A suspected spinal injury victim is unresponsive and not breathing.
What airway technique should be used?