EMT Equipment and Tools 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which bag-valve-mask (BVM) reservoir volume is required to deliver approximately 21% oxygen without supplemental oxygen connected?
- 0% — it delivers room air only (Correct answer)
- 21% — matching ambient air
- 40% — passive enrichment occurs
- 100% — the reservoir always stores pure oxygen
Correct answer: 0% — it delivers room air only
Without supplemental oxygen, a BVM delivers approximately 21% oxygen (room air) regardless of reservoir bag presence.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the pop-off valve on a BVM device?
- To release excess pressure and prevent barotrauma (Correct answer)
- To allow one-way airflow during inhalation
- To connect supplemental oxygen tubing
- To seal the mask against the patient's face
Correct answer: To release excess pressure and prevent barotrauma
The pop-off (pressure relief) valve releases at approximately 40 cmH2O to prevent lung barotrauma from excessive ventilation pressure.
Question 3: An EMT selects a non-rebreather mask for a patient. At what minimum liter-per-minute oxygen flow should it be set to keep the reservoir bag inflated?
- 4 LPM
- 6 LPM
- 10–15 LPM (Correct answer)
- 20 LPM
Correct answer: 10–15 LPM
Non-rebreather masks require 10–15 LPM to keep the reservoir bag adequately inflated and deliver 90–100% oxygen.
Question 4: Which device is BEST suited for maintaining a patent airway in an unconscious patient who has an intact gag reflex?
- Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) (Correct answer)
- Oropharyngeal airway (OPA)
- Endotracheal tube
- Supraglottic airway
Correct answer: Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)
The NPA is tolerated by patients with intact gag reflexes because it passes through the nose rather than stimulating the oropharynx.
Question 5: When sizing an oropharyngeal airway (OPA), the correct measurement is from the:
- Tip of the nose to the earlobe
- Center of the mouth to the angle of the jaw
- Corner of the mouth to the earlobe (Correct answer)
- Center of the lips to the thyroid cartilage
Correct answer: Corner of the mouth to the earlobe
An OPA is sized by measuring from the corner of the patient's mouth to the earlobe (or center of mouth to angle of jaw).
Question 6: A rigid suction catheter (Yankauer) is most appropriate for suctioning:
- The trachea via an endotracheal tube
- The oropharynx and large-volume secretions (Correct answer)
- Thin secretions from the nasopharynx
- Deep tracheal secretions in an intubated patient
Correct answer: The oropharynx and large-volume secretions
The Yankauer catheter is rigid and large-bore, designed for oropharyngeal suctioning of blood, vomit, and thick secretions.
Question 7: The maximum recommended suctioning duration per attempt for an adult patient is:
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 15 seconds (Correct answer)
- 30 seconds
Correct answer: 15 seconds
Suctioning should be limited to 15 seconds per attempt in adults to minimize hypoxia caused by removing oxygen along with secretions.
EMT Equipment and Tools 2
Which bag-valve-mask (BVM) reservoir volume is required to deliver approximately 21% oxygen without supplemental oxygen connected?