HomeEMR Emergency Medical PrepQuestion 7 of 10
EMR Emergency Medical PrepQuestion 7 / 10

You are working as a paramedic and have been trained as an EMR. You respond to a call from a construction site where a pregnant woman has collapsed and is having a tonic-clonic seizure. When you arrive, her colleagues inform you that she has been lying on a concrete floor since the seizure started. How should you manage the pregnant woman's airway during the seizure?

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Multiple choice — select the best answer
✓ Correct answer: C. Wait until the seizure stops and do the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver Answer: Wait until the seizure stops and do the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver When a patient, including a pregnant woman, is having a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, do not intervene with their airway until the seizure has ended. This applies regardless of their physical condition. Although the patient may temporarily cease breathing and exhibit cyanosis, it's critical to wait until the seizure subsides before performing any airway maneuvers. The head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver is the preferred method for opening an airway unless a spinal injury is suspected. In the absence of trauma or injury, this is the safe approach for ensuring an open airway post-seizure. Turning a seizure patient on their left side is a consideration for late pregnancy to avoid compressing the inferior vena cava, but airway management remains the priority and should only be addressed after the seizure ends. While a patient is seizing, restraining or attempting airway maneuvers can cause harm. Wait for the seizure to end and then proceed with the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver.

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