NREMT Updated EMT Exam Questions and Answers by inara

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Defusingis an informal, short-term intervention after acritical incident. It should:

Occur within hoursof the event (ideally the same shift)

Encourage voluntary open discussionin a confidential setting

It isnot a full debriefor counseling session and doesn’t requiremental health professionalspresent. Forcing participation or waiting too long (e.g., 72+ hours) can reduce its effectiveness.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Thetripod position— sitting upright, leaning forward, supporting the upper body with arms on knees — is a classic sign ofrespiratory distress. This position:

Maximizes diaphragmatic movement

Engages accessory muscles of respiration

Improves air exchange in patients with obstructive airway diseases (e.g., COPD, asthma)

It is rarely used by patients with abdominal pain or seizures and is not associated with cardiac arrest (where unconsciousness is expected).

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The patient is in hypoperfusion (shock) from blood loss. In shock states, tissues are deprived of oxygen, leading to anaerobic metabolism, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. This causes metabolic acidosis, which is a critical sign of systemic oxygen debt.

Carbon dioxide rises with respiratory failure, but lactic acid is a more specific indicator of cellular hypoxia.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

In infants, improper insertion of an OPA (oropharyngeal airway) can stimulate the vagus nerve, leading to bradycardia or even complete airway obstruction. If cyanosis and bradycardia develop after OPA insertion, immediate removal and resumption of ventilations with a bag-valve mask is critical.

The OPA must be properly sized and inserted only in patients without a gag reflex. Ventilations alone often reverse vagally induced bradycardia.