Special Patient Populations Flashcards
7 cards from real Paramedics Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Special Patient Populations flashcards as text
An elderly patient on warfarin fell and struck his head but appears asymptomatic. What is the most critical concern?
Answer: Delayed intracranial hemorrhage due to anticoagulation
Anticoagulated patients are at high risk for delayed intracranial hemorrhage after head trauma even when initially asymptomatic.
Which presentation is MOST consistent with epiglottitis in a pediatric patient?
Answer: High fever, drooling, tripod positioning, muffled voice
Epiglottitis classically presents with high fever, drooling, tripod positioning, and a muffled (not barking) voice due to supraglottic swelling.
A patient with autism spectrum disorder becomes combative when you attempt to place an oxygen mask. The BEST approach is to:
Answer: Offer blow-by oxygen and reduce sensory stimulation in the environment
Blow-by oxygen and minimizing sensory stimulation reduces distress in patients with autism while still providing supplemental oxygen.
You are called for a 28-week pregnant patient in active labor. On delivery, the neonate is born limp and apneic. Your FIRST action is to:
Answer: Warm, dry, stimulate, and position the airway
The initial steps of neonatal resuscitation are warming, drying, stimulating, and positioning the airway before any advanced intervention.
Which physiologic change in pregnancy increases the risk of aspiration during airway management?
Answer: Decreased gastric motility and elevated intra-abdominal pressure
Pregnancy delays gastric emptying and increases intra-abdominal pressure, raising aspiration risk during any airway intervention.
A geriatric patient with dementia is agitated and combative. His daughter states he is normally calm. What condition should be ruled out FIRST?
Answer: Acute delirium from infection, hypoxia, or metabolic cause
Acute delirium superimposed on dementia—often from UTI, hypoxia, or metabolic disturbance—must be ruled out before attributing behavior to dementia alone.
A home ventilator-dependent patient has a high-pressure alarm sounding and increasing respiratory distress. After checking the circuit for leaks, your next step is to:
Answer: Switch the patient to a bag-valve-mask and investigate the cause
When a ventilator alarms and the patient deteriorates, removing the patient from the vent and manually ventilating with BVM ensures oxygenation while the problem is identified.