First Responder Flashcards

A patient is found with gurgling respirations and an altered mental status. The FIRST priority airway intervention is:

Answer: Suction the oropharynx

Gurgling indicates fluid in the airway; suctioning is the immediate priority to clear the airway before other interventions.

When inserting an oropharyngeal airway (OPA) in an adult, the device is initially inserted:

Answer: Tip pointing upward toward the hard palate, then rotated 180°

In adults, the OPA is inserted with the tip toward the hard palate and then rotated 180° to follow the curve of the airway.

A patient presents with tachycardia, hypotension, distended neck veins, and absent breath sounds on the left side after a stab wound. These signs suggest:

Answer: Tension pneumothorax

Tension pneumothorax presents with absent breath sounds unilaterally, distended neck veins, hypotension, and tracheal deviation away from the affected side.

During patient handoff, which report format do most EMS systems use to ensure complete information transfer?

Answer: SBAR

SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) is widely adopted in EMS and hospital settings for structured patient handoff.

A 7-year-old child is unresponsive and has no pulse. The compression depth for pediatric CPR is:

Answer: About one-third the depth of the chest

For children and infants, chest compressions should be at least one-third the anterior-posterior chest depth.

A patient in respiratory distress is sitting upright, leaning forward on their hands with labored breathing. This posture is known as:

Answer: Tripod position

The tripod position — sitting up, leaning forward on outstretched arms — is a classic sign of severe respiratory distress.

Which of the following is a contraindication for using a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?

Answer: Suspected basal skull fracture

A suspected basal skull fracture is a contraindication for NPA because the device could be inadvertently inserted into the cranial vault.