TL;DR
Study drug classifications, mechanisms of action, and clinical applications of commonly used medications. Pharmacology knowledge is essential for safe medication administration and heavily tested.
Free Pain Management Pharmacology Practice Questions
NREMT Paramedic Certification · Trauma (Advanced)
This module covers Pain Management Pharmacology as part of the Trauma (Advanced) section, testing your understanding of core concepts and their practical application.
| Exam | NREMT Paramedic Certification |
| Pass Rate | 67% |
| Duration | 150 minutes |
| Module | Pain Management Pharmacology |
Why Pain Management Pharmacology matters
Pain Management Pharmacology is one of the most tested areas because medication errors are among the most preventable causes of patient harm.
Sample Practice Questions (5)
1. A multimodal analgesia approach for a trauma patient with a femur fracture might include which combination?
- Sub-dissociative ketamine (0.2 mg/kg IV) plus a reduced dose of fentanyl (0.5 mcg/kg IV), providing synergistic analgesia with reduced opioid side effects
- Full-dose morphine (0.1 mg/kg) plus full-dose fentanyl (1 mcg/kg IV) simultaneously
- Ketamine at dissociative dose (2 mg/kg IV) plus morphine at full dose
- Naloxone plus fentanyl administered simultaneously
2. A trauma patient received naloxone for opioid-induced respiratory depression. After initial improvement, 45 minutes later the patient becomes obtunded again with a respiratory rate of 4. What has occurred, and what is the appropriate management?
- Renarcotization — naloxone's duration (30-90 min) is shorter than most opioids; redose naloxone and consider a naloxone infusion
- The original opioid dose has caused permanent brain damage
- The patient has developed a new intracranial hemorrhage
- Naloxone has caused a paradoxical respiratory depression
3. A 70 kg patient requires a fentanyl dose of 1 mcg/kg via intranasal route. Fentanyl is supplied as 100 mcg/2 mL. How many mL should be administered?
- 1.4 mL total, divided between both nares (0.7 mL per nare)
- 2 mL in one nare
- 0.7 mL in one nare only
- 4 mL total
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- Assist ventilations with BVM and administer naloxone 0.4-2 mg IV, titrated to restore adequate respirations
- Administer flumazenil 0.2 mg IV
- Wait for the fentanyl to wear off while monitoring
- Administer another 100 mcg of fentanyl to deepen sedation and reduce respiratory effort
5. An advantage of sub-dissociative ketamine over opioids for trauma analgesia is that ketamine:
- Does not cause significant respiratory depression at analgesic doses and maintains protective airway reflexes
- Has no psychoactive side effects
- Provides longer duration of action than morphine
- Can be safely administered to patients with severe hypertension
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