Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Test with focused study methods including flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Practice with hints and detailed explanations to boost your readiness for the exam.

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When caring for a patient with blunt head trauma and signs of brain herniation, what should you monitor if you are providing mild hyperventilation?

Heart rate
Blood pressure
End-tidal CO2 levels
Oxygen saturation

The correct answer is: End-tidal CO2 levels

Monitoring end-tidal CO2 levels is essential when providing mild hyperventilation to a patient with blunt head trauma and signs of brain herniation. This is because hyperventilation causes a decrease in carbon dioxide levels in the blood, which in turn leads to vasoconstriction of cerebral blood vessels. Managing the levels of CO2 can help to reduce intracranial pressure and potentially mitigate the complications associated with brain herniation. Maintaining appropriate end-tidal CO2 levels ensures that the therapeutic effects of hyperventilation are achieved without causing excessive respiratory alkalosis, which could have adverse effects. Therefore, close monitoring of end-tidal CO2 provides critical feedback on the patient’s respiratory effort and helps to guide treatment decisions.