Airway, Breathing, & Ventilation (1–15)
Q1. A 58-year-old male is unresponsive, gurgling, with shallow breathing at 8/min.
What is your priority?
A) Apply a non-rebreather at 15 LPM
B) Insert an NPA
C) Suction the airway
D) Assist ventilations with a BVM
Answer: C
Rationale: Gurgling indicates fluid in the airway. Suction first to clear the airway
before assisting ventilations.
Q2. A patient has a stoma and is in respiratory distress. You attach a BVM. Where
do you apply it?
A) Over the nose and mouth
B) Directly over the stoma
,C) Over the stoma and mouth
D) Use a pediatric mask over the stoma
Answer: B
Rationale: For a stoma, you ventilate directly through the stoma with a pediatric
mask or stoma adapter.
Q3. What is the correct flow rate for a nasal cannula?
A) 1–6 LPM
B) 6–10 LPM
C) 10–15 LPM
D) 15–25 LPM
Answer: A
Rationale: Nasal cannula delivers 24–44% FiO2 at 1–6 LPM.
Q4. A 7-year-old is choking, unable to speak or cough. Next step?
A) Back blows and chest thrusts
B) Abdominal thrusts
,C) Blind finger sweep
D) Oxygen via non-rebreather
Answer: B
Rationale: For a conscious child >1 year with severe airway obstruction, perform
abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver).
Q5. A patient has agonal respirations after cardiac arrest. You should:
A) Start CPR immediately
B) Give high-flow oxygen
C) Insert an OPA
D) Ventilate at 20/min
Answer: A
Rationale: Agonal breathing is not effective breathing. Start CPR immediately.
Q6. Which oxygen device provides the highest FiO2?
A) Nasal cannula
B) Simple face mask
, C) Non-rebreather
D) Venturi mask
Answer: C
Rationale: Non-rebreather at 15 LPM provides up to 90% FiO2.
Q7. When auscultating breath sounds, you hear high-pitched sounds on
expiration. This is:
A) Rhonchi
B) Crackles
C) Wheezes
D) Stridor
Answer: C
Rationale: Wheezes are continuous, high-pitched during expiration
(asthma/COPD).
Q8. You are ventilating a patient via BVM. The stomach becomes distended. What
should you do?
A) Increase ventilation rate