Emergencies and resuscitation

How to treat an asthma attack

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

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

Judge severity fast and treat early. A quiet chest is a danger sign.

Step by step

  1. Severity

    Speech, breathing rate, accessory muscles, saturation, peak flow; silent chest and drowsiness are life-threatening. [1]

  2. Oxygen

    To keep saturation in the target range. [1]

  3. Bronchodilator

    Inhaled albuterol, repeated or continuous; add ipratropium for moderate to severe. [1]

  4. Steroids

    Early, by mouth or IV. [1]

  5. Severe

    IV magnesium; IM epinephrine if life-threatening per protocol. [1]

  6. Reassess

    After each treatment; prepare for airway support. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS 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.

VMS cases that train this skill

8 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  2. NREMT psychomotor skill sheets (EMT and Paramedic)

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