Cardiovascular & Respiratory Protocols Flashcards

A caller reports a 58-year-old male who is unconscious and not breathing normally. Per EMD protocol, what is the FIRST instruction you should give?

Answer: Tell the caller to lay the patient flat on their back on a hard surface

Positioning the patient supine on a hard surface is the first step to facilitate effective CPR compressions.

In the MPDS cardiac arrest protocol, after positioning the patient, what compression rate should the EMD instruct the bystander to perform?

Answer: 100–120 compressions per minute

Current AHA guidelines and EMD protocols specify 100–120 compressions per minute for optimal perfusion during CPR.

A caller describes a patient with chest pain who is conscious and breathing. Which EMD protocol key question helps differentiate cardiac from non-cardiac origin?

Answer: Did the pain begin during physical exertion or at rest?

Exertional onset is a classic indicator of ischemic cardiac chest pain, distinguishing it from musculoskeletal or pulmonary causes.

When performing telephone CPR, an EMD dispatcher should count compressions aloud primarily to:

Answer: Help the caller maintain proper rate and rhythm

Counting aloud helps untrained bystanders maintain the correct compression rate and stay focused during a stressful situation.

A patient is described as breathing but with gurgling sounds and decreased responsiveness. In EMD respiratory protocols, gurgling most commonly indicates:

Answer: Airway obstruction from fluid or secretions

Gurgling respirations indicate fluid or secretions in the upper airway, requiring airway positioning and possible suction by responders.

For a suspected stroke patient with sudden-onset difficulty breathing, the EMD dispatcher should also screen for stroke using FAST. What does the 'A' in FAST stand for?

Answer: Arm weakness

In the FAST stroke assessment tool, 'A' stands for Arm weakness, where one arm drifts down when both are raised.

A caller reports a child found unresponsive in a pool. The EMD protocol for pediatric drowning-related cardiac arrest differs from adult protocol primarily in that:

Answer: Rescue breaths should be given before compressions if the caller is trained

Pediatric drowning cardiac arrest is typically asphyxial, so ventilation is critical; trained rescuers should deliver 2 rescue breaths before compressions when appropriate.