POST First Aid and Emergency Medical Response 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A subject is found unresponsive with slow, gasping breaths after an opioid overdose is suspected. An officer with naloxone (Narcan) available should:
- Wait for EMS since naloxone is a restricted medication
- Administer naloxone and continue monitoring (Correct answer)
- Begin CPR immediately without administering naloxone
- Place the subject in the recovery position and await EMS
Correct answer: Administer naloxone and continue monitoring
Naloxone reverses opioid respiratory depression and many jurisdictions authorize or require officers to administer it in suspected overdoses.
Question 2: What is the proper positioning for an unconscious but breathing adult trauma patient with no suspected spinal injury while awaiting EMS?
- Supine (flat on back) with legs elevated
- Recovery position (lateral recumbent) (Correct answer)
- Prone (face down)
- Seated upright at 90 degrees
Correct answer: Recovery position (lateral recumbent)
The recovery position keeps the airway open and allows fluids to drain, reducing the risk of aspiration in an unconscious breathing patient.
Question 3: Signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in a conscious person include:
- Slow heart rate, dry skin, and extreme thirst
- Shakiness, confusion, sweating, and pale skin (Correct answer)
- High blood pressure, flushed face, and fruity breath
- Chest pain and shortness of breath only
Correct answer: Shakiness, confusion, sweating, and pale skin
Hypoglycemia causes adrenergic symptoms including tremors, diaphoresis, pallor, and altered mental status due to insufficient brain glucose.
Question 4: When performing CPR chest compressions on an adult, the correct compression depth is:
- At least 1 inch
- At least 2 inches (but not more than 2.4 inches) (Correct answer)
- At least 3 inches
- As deep as possible without restriction
Correct answer: At least 2 inches (but not more than 2.4 inches)
AHA guidelines specify compressions of at least 2 inches but caution against exceeding 2.4 inches to avoid internal injuries.
Question 5: A person is having a grand mal (tonic-clonic) seizure. What is the MOST appropriate action by the officer?
- Restrain the person to prevent self-injury
- Insert an object in the mouth to prevent tongue biting
- Protect the person from nearby hazards and time the seizure (Correct answer)
- Perform CPR immediately
Correct answer: Protect the person from nearby hazards and time the seizure
Officers should clear hazards, protect the head, time the seizure, and never restrain the person or place objects in the mouth.
Question 6: Heat stroke differs from heat exhaustion primarily because heat stroke involves:
- Heavy sweating and pale skin
- Altered mental status and a core temperature above 104°F (40°C) (Correct answer)
- Muscle cramps and weakness only
- Normal mental status with fatigue
Correct answer: Altered mental status and a core temperature above 104°F (40°C)
Heat stroke is a true emergency characterized by hyperthermia above 104°F and neurological dysfunction, unlike heat exhaustion where mental status is intact.
Question 7: When treating a suspected spinal injury patient who is unconscious and not breathing, an officer should:
- Not open the airway in order to protect the spine
- Use the jaw-thrust maneuver rather than head-tilt chin-lift to open the airway (Correct answer)
- Roll the patient face down to clear the airway
- Begin abdominal thrusts to clear the airway
Correct answer: Use the jaw-thrust maneuver rather than head-tilt chin-lift to open the airway
The jaw-thrust maneuver opens the airway with minimal cervical spine movement and is the recommended technique when spinal injury is suspected.
POST First Aid and Emergency Medical Response 2
A subject is found unresponsive with slow, gasping breaths after an opioid overdose is suspected.
An officer with naloxone (Narcan) available should: