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Emergencies and resuscitation

How to treat a COPD flare

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In Making Synapses you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

Too much oxygen can raise CO2 in some COPD patients. Aim for the target range.

Step by step

  1. Assess

    Breathing effort, saturation, mental status, CO2 if available. [1]

  2. Controlled oxygen

    Target 88 to 92%, Venturi or low-flow cannula. [1]

  3. Bronchodilators

    Albuterol and ipratropium. [1]

  4. Steroids

    Short course. [2]

  5. Antibiotics

    If sputum is more purulent or other signs of infection. [2]

  6. Ventilation support

    CPAP or BiPAP for rising CO2 or tiring; intubation if failing. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in Making Synapses

In Making Synapses you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

Making Synapses cases that train this skill

Sources

  1. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  2. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
  3. NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)

Facts and steps follow NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines; NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic). Making Synapses is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.