Free NREMT Practice Questions
Respiratory Emergencies
Work of breathing, oxygenation, ventilation failure. Escalate support early and reassess often.
What you'll master
- ✓Oxygen vs ventilation decisions
- ✓Failure pattern recognition
- ✓BVM timing and escalation
- ✓Red flags for transport urgency
Common misses
- –Treating hypoxia without ventilation
- –Delayed escalation
- –No reassessment
Sample questions.
8 free respiratory emergencies questions with answers and explanations. MedRelay's full question bank covers every NREMT domain, plus live scenarios that grade the decision, not just the answer.
Question 1
You respond to a 67-year-old male with COPD in moderate exacerbation. After applying low-flow oxygen at 2 LPM his SpO2 improves from 84% to 89%. He is still using accessory muscles and speaking in 3-4 word bursts. Should you increase the oxygen to target higher SpO2?
- A.Increase oxygen to achieve SpO2 96%
- B.SpO2 89% is approaching the target rangeCorrect
- C.Remove the oxygen
- D.Increase oxygen only if SpO2 drops below 85%
Why:Correct. COPD oxygen targeting: 88-92% SpO2. SpO2 89% is within the target range — the current 2 LPM is working. Do not increase toward 96% — over-oxygenation risks suppressing hypoxic drive in chronic CO2 retainers. The accessory muscle use reflects exacerbation severity, not oxygen inadequacy. ALS intercept given the moderate-severe exacerbation presentation.
Question 2
A patient with suspected CHF is sitting upright, pink frothy sputum present, and your protocol allows CPAP. Which finding would make CPAP unsafe?
- A.Awake and anxious
- B.Can follow commands
- C.Vomiting repeatedlyCorrect
- D.High blood pressure
Why:Correct. Vomiting prevents safe CPAP use because the patient cannot protect the airway well under positive pressure.
Question 3
You respond to a 32-year-old male with cystic fibrosis who has an acute exacerbation. He is in moderate distress with SpO2 89%, RR 30, HR 116. He has a significant productive cough with thick purulent sputum. He uses a flutter valve device at home for airway clearance. His parents say he has chronic hypoxia and his baseline SpO2 is 91%. What is the target SpO2 range for supplemental oxygen in this cystic fibrosis patient?
- A.Target SpO2 99-100% with high-flow oxygen
- B.Target SpO2 exactly 91% — his baseline
- C.Target SpO2 88-93%Correct
- D.SpO2 monitoring is not useful in cystic fibrosis
Why:Correct. Cystic fibrosis with chronic hypercapnia and hypoxia is managed like COPD — target SpO2 88-93% to avoid suppressing hypoxic respiratory drive. His baseline of 91% guides therapy. Over-oxygenation can worsen hypercapnia. Titrate low-flow oxygen to just above his baseline, not to 99%.
Question 4
At a bus terminal, a 52-year-old female has stridor and hives after an insect sting. What does stridor indicate?
- A.Simple anxiety
- B.Upper airway swellingCorrect
- C.Lower leg injury
- D.Normal finding
Why:Correct. Stridor suggests upper airway narrowing and is a serious sign in anaphylaxis.
Question 5
A young adult with asthma has wheezing, an empty rescue inhaler, and worsening fatigue. What is the best EMT-B plan?
- A.Request ALS and support ABCsCorrect
- B.Give IV albuterol
- C.Have him walk outside
- D.Delay oxygen use
Why:Correct. Without a usable prescribed inhaler and with fatigue, support airway and breathing, oxygenate, request ALS, and transport.
Question 6
You respond to a 34-year-old male with acute severe asthma. After two albuterol treatments he remains in severe distress. SpO2 is 88%, RR 38. His wheeze, which was very loud on arrival, is now almost inaudible. His partner says this means he is getting better. Is this correct?
- A.decreased wheeze always means the airway is opening
- B.decreased wheeze in a patient with worsening respiratoryCorrect
- C.The decreased wheeze indicates the albuterol is working
- D.Decreased wheeze only matters if the respiratory
Why:Correct. Silent chest in severe asthma is a pre-arrest sign. Wheeze requires turbulent airflow. When bronchospasm is so severe that air movement approaches zero, wheeze disappears. This is profoundly different from the wheeze-free breath sounds of a recovered asthmatic. Combined with SpO2 88% and RR 38, near-absent wheeze indicates imminent respiratory arrest. Prepare BVM, Priority 1 ALS intercept.
Question 7
A wheezing patient has a prescribed albuterol inhaler and is alert. What is appropriate for an EMT-B?
- A.Administer aspirin
- B.Give IV bronchodilator
- C.Withhold all medication
- D.Assist with the prescribed MDICorrect
Why:Correct. EMT-Basics may assist with the patient's prescribed MDI when wheezing is present and protocol allows.
Question 8
At a train platform, a 37-year-old female fire victim has hoarseness, facial burns, and soot around the mouth. SpO2 reads 98 percent. What is the key concern?
- A.Normal pulse ox clears him
- B.Airway edema riskCorrect
- C.Minor skin burn only
- D.Aspirin indication
Why:Correct. Hoarseness and soot suggest inhalation injury with possible delayed airway swelling.
Questions only get you so far.
Run a live respiratory emergencies scenario and get graded on decision order and timing, not just the right answer — plus the full 2025 question bank and PCR training in Student Pro.