Deck 9: Airway Management

Question 1

Which of the following structures is found in the lower airway?

A) Bronchi
B) Uvula
C) Pharynx
D) Tonsils

Answer 1

Bronchi

Question 2

When inserting an oropharyngeal airway,how many degrees do you need to rotate the airway so the tip is pointing down into the patient's pharynx?

A) 45
B) 90
C) 180
D) 270

Answer 2

180

Question 3

What is the danger that an altered mental status can pose to a patient's breathing?

A) Depressed alveolar function
B) Loss of muscle tone and airway collapse
C) Bronchospasms
D) Hyperoxia

Answer 3

Loss of muscle tone and airway collapse

Question 4

Which of the following is a sign of an inadequate airway?

A) Regular chest movements
B) Nasal flaring
C) Equal expansion of both sides of the chest when patient inhales
D) Typical skin coloration

Question 5

To be effective,a suction unit must be able to generate air flow of ________ liters per minute and create a vacuum of ________ mmHg.

A) 300; 30
B) 30; 30
C) 300; 330
D) 30; 300

Question 6

What is the sound of the soft tissue of the upper airway creating impedance or partial obstruction to the flow of air?

A) Stridor
B) Hoarseness
C) Snoring
D) Gurgling

Question 7

Which of the following patients should NOT have their airway opened using a head-tilt,chin-lift maneuver?

A) A 35-year-old diabetic woman who is in the driver's seat of the car in her driveway, who becomes unresponsive while speaking to her husband.
B) A homeless person of undetermined age found lying unresponsive in an alley with no bystanders.
C) A 50-year-old woman who choked on a piece of food while dining in a restaurant and was lowered to the floor by a waiter.
D) A 25-year-old man who is still unresponsive after a grand mal seizure.

Question 8

All of the following can result in airway obstructions,except:

A) burns.
B) infections.
C) the tongue.
D) facial trauma.

Question 9

Which of the following is an advantage of using a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?

A) It eliminates the need for manual positioning of the patient's head to keep the airway open.
B) It is ideal for patients with a suspected skull fracture.
C) It may be tolerated by many patients with a gag reflex.
D) All of the above

Question 10

The high-pitched sound caused by an upper airway obstruction is known as:

A) gurgling.
B) stridor.
C) rhonchi.
D) rales.

Question 11

When suctioning the airway,suction should never be applied for longer than ________ seconds.

A) 10
B) 30
C) 45
D) 60

Question 12

The trachea branches off at the ________ and forms two mainstem bronchi.

A) bronchioles
B) pleura
C) alveoli
D) carina

Question 13

You are ventilating a cardiac arrest patient when he begins to vomit copious amounts of large pieces of undigested food.Which of the following would be most effective in clearing the airway?

A) Using a rigid pharyngeal suction tip
B) Irrigating the mouth with sterile water to dilute the material before suctioning
C) Using a 14 French suction catheter
D) Using large bore suction tubing without a tip or catheter attached

Question 14

Perhaps the simplest way to determine if a patient has a patent airway is to:

A) say "hello."
B) check for adequate chest rise.
C) determine a respiratory rate.
D) auscultate for breath sounds.

Question 15

On which of the following types of calls should you bring your portable suction unit to the patient's side upon arrival on the scene?

A) Motor vehicle collision
B) Cardiac arrest
C) Seizure
D) All of the above

Question 16

Which of the following is the correct method of suctioning?

A) Suction intermittently, both while inserting and withdrawing the suction tip or catheter.
B) Insert the catheter or tip to the desired depth prior to applying suction.
C) Begin suctioning as you insert the suction tip or catheter into the mouth.
D) Suction continuously, both while inserting and withdrawing the suction tip or catheter.

Question 17

Which of the following is true concerning the procedure for inserting a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)?

A) The bevel should be turned toward the nasal septum.
B) If a water-soluble lubricant is not available, a silicon spray can be substituted.
C) It can only be placed in the right nostril.
D) The length of the device is not as important as it is with oropharyngeal airways.

Question 18

The jaw-thrust maneuver is the only ________ airway procedure for an unconscious patient with possible head,neck,or spine injury or unknown mechanism of injury.

A) recommended
B) required
C) prohibited
D) forbidden

Question 19

Which of the following is a disadvantage of oropharyngeal airways (OPAs)?

A) They cannot be used in patients with a suspected skull fracture.
B) They do not come in pediatric sizes.
C) They require the use of a water-soluble lubricant.
D) They cannot be used in a patient with a gag reflex.

Question 20

Your patient is breathing 4 shallow breaths per minute due to overdosing on his pain medication but he has a palpable radial pulse.He vomited prior to your arrival and is choking.You should:

A) insert an oropharyngeal airway and ventilate.
B) roll him over onto his side to clear the airway.
C) perform chest thrusts to clear the lungs.
D) move the patient to the ambulance and suction.

Question 21

Which of the following should be kept in mind when assessing and managing the airway of a pediatric patient?

A) The trachea is easily obstructed by swelling.
B) The tongue is not as likely to obstruct the airway as in an adult.
C) Due to their short necks, pediatric patients require a greater degree of hyperextension to open the airway than do adults.
D) Gastric distention is unlikely.

Question 22

You are ventilating an 85-year-old male without difficulty.A nurse tells you that the patient has dentures.To ensure a good mask seal,you should:

A) tape the dentures in place.
B) remove the dentures.
C) leave the dentures in place.
D) use an infant mask over the nose.

Question 23

You have performed a head tilt-chin lift maneuver on a 17-month-old boy and are attempting to ventilate him with a bag-valve mask.You are experiencing a lot of resistance with each breath and the chest is barely rising.Prior to attempting ventilations again,you should:

A) finger sweep the airway.
B) tilt the head back further.
C) perform chest thrusts.
D) ease the head forward a little.