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
A neonate's heart rate remains below 60 bpm despite 30 seconds of adequate positive-pressure ventilation. What is the next step?
Answer: Begin chest compressions at a 3:1 compression-to-ventilation ratio
Per NRP guidelines, if the heart rate remains below 60 bpm after 30 seconds of effective PPV, chest compressions at a 3:1 ratio are initiated.
A patient with a tracheostomy tube has increasing respiratory distress. After suctioning fails to relieve obstruction, your next action is to:
Answer: Remove the tracheostomy tube and attempt ventilation via the stoma
If suctioning fails to clear a tracheostomy obstruction, remove the tube and attempt to ventilate through the stoma with a pediatric BVM.
Which of the following statements about pain assessment in non-verbal geriatric patients is MOST accurate?
Answer: Behavioral cues such as grimacing, guarding, and restlessness should be used to assess pain
Behavioral indicators—facial grimacing, guarding, restlessness, and moaning—are validated pain assessment tools in non-verbal or cognitively impaired patients.
A 16-year-old athlete collapses suddenly on the field. Bystanders state he 'just dropped.' ECG shows coarse ventricular fibrillation. This scenario is MOST consistent with:
Answer: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as the underlying cause of sudden cardiac arrest
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes and classically presents as a sudden collapse during exertion.
When positioning a pregnant patient in her third trimester for transport, why should you tilt her to the left?
Answer: To shift the uterus off the inferior vena cava and improve venous return
Left lateral tilt displaces the gravid uterus off the inferior vena cava, preventing supine hypotensive syndrome and improving cardiac output.
A 9-month-old presents with a bulging fontanelle, high-pitched cry, fever, and a purpuric rash. What condition requires immediate aggressive management?
Answer: Bacterial meningitis with possible meningococcemia
Bulging fontanelle, high-pitched cry, fever, and a non-blanching purpuric rash indicate bacterial meningitis with possible meningococcal sepsis, a life-threatening emergency.
An elderly patient with end-stage COPD has a valid DNR/POLST order but her family is demanding full resuscitation. The paramedic should:
Answer: Honor the valid DNR order, which reflects the patient's documented wishes
A valid DNR/POLST order reflects the patient's own autonomous decision and must be honored by paramedics even when family members disagree.