Deck 12: Airway Management

Question 1

Which part of the upper airway opens into the mouth and serves as a passageway for both food and air?

A) Oropharynx
B) Nasopharynx
C) Pharynx
D) Laryngopharynx

Answer 1

Oropharynx

Question 2

The piece of cartilage that protects the lower airway from aspiration is the

A) thyroid cartilage.
B) epiglottis.
C) cricoid cartilage.
D) esophagus.

Answer 2

epiglottis.

Question 3

What is the ridge of cartilage that reinforces the junction where the trachea splits to form the right and left primary bronchi?

A) Carina
B) Bronchi
C) Alveolar ducts
D) Bronchioles

Answer 3

Carina

Question 4

The area between the vocal cords where air passes is called the

A) cricoid cartilage.
B) glottis.
C) epiglottis.
D) vestibular fold

Question 5

The external intercostals muscles, located between the ribs, assist with

A) aspiration.
B) respiration.
C) inspiration.
D) exhalation.

Question 6

Which of the following is the correct term for the exchange of gases in tissues outside the lungs?

A) Capillary-cellular
B) Capillary-alveolar
C) Tidal volume exchange
D) Artery-capillary

Question 7

The _____________ sometimes becomes barrel-shaped, known as a "barrel chest."

A) lower airway
B) thoracic cage
C) sternum
D) diaphragm

Question 8

When ventilating an infant or child, you must be particularly careful to avoid gastric

A) bleeding.
B) bruising.
C) distention.
D) rupture.

Question 9

You are assessing your female patient who is unable to speak. You hear a snoring sound when she breathes. You suspect

A) respiratory arrest.
B) agonal breathing.
C) swelling in her lower airway.
D) a partial upper airway obstruction.

Question 10

When using the Crossed-Finger technique to clear a patient's airway, you should

A) use the index finger of each hand.
B) cross the thumb and first two fingers of one hand.
C) cross the thumb and forefinger of one hand.
D) use both of your thumbs.

Question 11

Your patient fell asleep on the couch. His wife called you because she cannot wake him. What technique should you use to open his airway?

A) Crossed Finger
B) Trauma Chin Lift
C) Jaw Thrust Maneuver
D) Head Tilt-Chin Lift

Question 12

Your male patient fell while skiing. He is lying on his back and is unresponsive and apneic. Your partner tried to open his airway with a modified jaw-thrust, but failed. You should attempt a

A) second modified jaw thrust.
B) standard jaw thrust maneuver.
C) head tilt-chin lift.
D) crossed finger technique.

Question 13

Which of the following groups is most at risk for a foreign body airway obstruction?

A) Adults (18+)
B) Children 6 years to 12 years
C) Infants and children 6 months to 5 years
D) Teenagers 13 years to 18 years

Question 14

Your patient is having difficulty breathing and speaking. He also has a weak cough. While you are completing your assessment, you hear him making a gurgling sound in his throat. You should

A) finger sweep his throat.
B) perform back blows.
C) suction his mouth.
D) start abdominal/chest thrusts.

Question 15

Another name for a hard suction catheter that is used to clear the mouth and throat is

A) whistletip.
B) french suction.
C) yankauer.
D) flexible.

Question 16

For which patient would you use an oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?

A) An unresponsive patient without a gag reflex
B) A highly intoxicated patient
C) A patient who has just had a stroke
D) A diabetic patient who is hypoglycemic

Question 17

You need to insert a nasal airway. You successfully opened your patient's airway and chose the proper size nasal airway. You should

A) suction excess saliva from her mouth.
B) gently push the tip of her nose up slightly.
C) insert it with the bevel pointing at the nasal septum.
D) lubricate the outside of the nasal airway.

Question 18

Your patient is unresponsive and no trauma is suspected. Which of the following techniques would you use to open his mouth and sweep for a visual obstruction?

A) Modified Jaw Thrust Maneuver
B) Trauma Chin Lift
C) Head Tilt-Chin Lift
D) Crossed Finger

Question 19

You are the first on the scene in the home of an elderly man who was found lying in his bed. He is not breathing and no trauma is suspected. After placing him on his back on a stretcher, how should you open his airway?

A) Jaw Thrust Maneuver
B) Head Tilt-Chin Lift
C) Crossed Finger
D) Trauma Chin Lift

Question 20

Your neighbor fell off the roof of his house. He is lying on his back and is unresponsive with no pulse. You are alone and need to open his airway. Which of the following techniques would you use?

A) Trauma Chin Lift
B) Jaw Thrust
C) Head Tilt-Chin Lift
D) Crossed Finger technique

Question 21

You assess your patient and find that she is having trouble breathing, is unable to cough and is displaying cyanosis. She has a __________ airway obstruction.

A) nonexistent
B) minor
C) severe
D) moderate

Question 22

Your patient is unresponsive and has a gag reflex. You could use any of the following techniques to try to clear an upper airway obstruction EXCEPT

A) head tilt-chin lift.
B) blind finger sweep.
C) back slap.
D) abdominal thrust.

Question 23

Another name for a soft suction catheter that is used to clear the mouth and throat is

A) tonsil sucker.
B) tonsil tip.
C) french suction.
D) yankauer.

Question 24

When using an oropharyngeal airway (OPA), you should choose one that extends from the corner of the patient's mouth to the

A) angle of the jaw.
B) cheek bone.
C) tip of the earlobe.
D) tip of the eyebrow.

Question 25

You need to insert a nasal airway. After placing your patient on his back, you should

A) insert the nasal airway with the bevel pointing toward the nasal septum.
B) choose the proper size nasal airway.
C) position yourself at his head to open his airway.
D) gently push the tip of his nose back slightly.