COPR Airway Management and Respiratory Emergencies

Question 1

A patient is unresponsive and apneic.
After opening the airway with a head-tilt chin-lift, you attempt bag-valve-mask ventilation but notice significant resistance and chest does not rise.
What is your FIRST priority?

Accepted Answer

Reposition the airway and attempt ventilation again

Answer

Perform a blind finger sweep

Answer

Insert a nasopharyngeal airway immediately

Answer

Begin chest compressions

Question 2

Which of the following is the MOST reliable indicator that endotracheal tube placement is correct?

Accepted Answer

Visualization of the tube passing through the vocal cords

Answer

Bilateral breath sounds on auscultation

Answer

Absence of epigastric sounds

Answer

Chest rise with ventilation

Question 3

A patient presents with severe respiratory distress, absent breath sounds on the left, hypotension, and tracheal deviation to the right. What condition should be suspected?

Accepted Answer

Left tension pneumothorax

Answer

Massive hemothorax

Answer

Right-sided pneumonia

Answer

Cardiac tamponade

Question 4

When performing nasotracheal intubation, which patient condition is a contraindication?

Accepted Answer

Suspected mid-face or basilar skull fracture

Answer

Trismus

Answer

Suspected cervical spine injury

Answer

Gag reflex intact

Question 5

A patient with acute severe asthma is not responding to initial bronchodilator therapy and is becoming increasingly fatigued. Which finding MOST suggests impending respiratory failure?

Accepted Answer

Decreasing level of consciousness and a silent chest

Answer

Expiratory wheeze

Answer

SpO2 of 93% on room air

Answer

Use of accessory muscles

Question 6

Which of the following is the correct procedure for performing needle decompression for tension pneumothorax?

Accepted Answer

2nd intercostal space, mid-clavicular line, below the rib

Answer

2nd intercostal space, mid-clavicular line, over the top of the rib

Answer

3rd intercostal space, anterior axillary line, below the rib

Answer

4th intercostal space, mid-axillary line, over the top of the rib

Question 7

A 60-year-old COPD patient presents with worsening dyspnea, productive cough, and SpO2 of 82%. After applying supplemental oxygen, his SpO2 rises to 92% but his respiratory rate decreases significantly and he becomes more somnolent. What is the MOST likely explanation?

Accepted Answer

High-flow oxygen has suppressed his hypoxic respiratory drive

Answer

The patient has developed a pulmonary embolism

Answer

The patient is experiencing a myocardial infarction

Answer

Oxygen toxicity has developed rapidly