BLS Choking 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You deliver 5 abdominal thrusts but the object is not expelled. What should you do?
- Stop and wait for EMS
- Repeat cycles of 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive (Correct answer)
- Switch to back blows for adults
- Give 2 rescue breaths before continuing thrusts
Correct answer: Repeat cycles of 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive
BLS guidelines call for continuing cycles of 5 abdominal thrusts, reassessing after each set, until the obstruction clears or the victim loses consciousness.
Question 2: When performing chest thrusts on a conscious choking victim, the heel of your hand should be placed:
- On the upper third of the sternum
- On the lower half of the sternum, avoiding the xiphoid (Correct answer)
- Two finger-widths below the clavicle
- Directly over the xiphoid process
Correct answer: On the lower half of the sternum, avoiding the xiphoid
Chest thrusts are delivered on the lower half of the sternum while deliberately avoiding the xiphoid process to prevent injury.
Question 3: A 6-month-old infant chokes on a piece of food. Which sequence is correct?
- 5 abdominal thrusts, then 5 back blows
- 5 back blows, then 5 chest thrusts (Correct answer)
- 5 chest thrusts, then 5 back blows
- 10 back blows only
Correct answer: 5 back blows, then 5 chest thrusts
The correct infant choking sequence is 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts, repeated until the object is cleared or the infant becomes unresponsive.
Question 4: Why should you avoid blind finger sweeps in a choking infant or child?
- It takes too long to perform
- It can push the object deeper into the airway (Correct answer)
- Gloves are required and rarely available
- It is only appropriate for unconscious adults
Correct answer: It can push the object deeper into the airway
Blind finger sweeps can push the foreign object further into the airway; only remove an object if you can directly see it.
Question 5: Which of the following foods poses the HIGHEST choking risk for young children?
- Soft bread
- Whole grapes (Correct answer)
- Mashed potatoes
- Cooked pasta
Correct answer: Whole grapes
Whole grapes are round, slippery, and sized to fit a child's airway exactly, making them one of the most common choking hazards for young children.
Question 6: A conscious adult is choking and you are significantly shorter than them. The best approach is to:
- Ask the victim to sit or kneel to match your height, then perform abdominal thrusts (Correct answer)
- Only perform back blows since you cannot reach
- Perform thrusts from the front instead of behind
- Wait for someone taller to assist
Correct answer: Ask the victim to sit or kneel to match your height, then perform abdominal thrusts
Having the victim sit or kneel allows a shorter rescuer to position themselves correctly behind the victim to deliver effective abdominal thrusts.
Question 7: What is the primary goal of abdominal thrusts during a choking emergency?
- Increase blood pressure to force the object out
- Create a rapid increase in airway pressure to expel the object (Correct answer)
- Stimulate a cough reflex by compressing the stomach
- Compress the lungs directly to push air upward
Correct answer: Create a rapid increase in airway pressure to expel the object
Abdominal thrusts compress the diaphragm upward, rapidly increasing intrathoracic pressure and forcing air out of the lungs to dislodge the object.
BLS Choking 4
You deliver 5 abdominal thrusts but the object is not expelled.
What should you do?