EMT - Sectional Exam #1

The EMT is legally obligated to protect a patient's privacy according to _____________.

HIPPA

CPAP is indicated for patients who:

Have pulmonary edema and can follow verbal commands.

Critical incident stress management (CISM) can occur at an ongoing scene in all of the following circumstances, EXCEPT:

When patients are being assessed or treated.

In infants and children, a capillary refill time (CRT) of greater than ______ second(s) is a sign of poor peripheral perfusion.

2

The full-body scan of a patient that occurs following the primary assessment should take no longer than:

60-90 seconds

On which of the following patients would it be MOST appropriate to use the flow-restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation device?

A 21-year-old man with traumatic cardiac arrest.

Which of the following is LEAST important when obtaining a medical history from a patient with a chief complaint of chest discomfort?

A family history of hypertension.

Which of the following destinations is most appropriate for a 41-year-old male patient, unconscious and unresponsive, involved in a rollover motor vehicle collision assuming that travel times to each is equal?

A level I or Level II trauma center.

Hyperventilation could be associated with all of the following, EXCEPT:

A narcotic overdose

When administering supplemental oxygen to a hypoxemic patient with chronic lung disease, you should:

Adjust the flow rate accordingly until you see symptom improvement, but be prepared to assist with ventilation.

A 15-year-old boy was killed when he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle. He has numerous disfiguring injuries and has been placed in the back of the ambulance to shield him from curious bystanders. When the child's parents arrive at the scene, they demand to see him. You should:

Advise them that their son had severely disfiguring injuries and ask them if there is anyone they would like to contact first.

In the presence of oxygen, the mitochondria of the cells convert glucose into energy through a process called:

Aerobic metabolism

What occurs when a patient is breathing very rapidly and shallowly?

Air moves primarily in the anatomic dead space and does not participate in pulmonary gas exchange.

The general adaptation syndrome is characterized by which of the following phases?

Alarm response, reaction and resistance, and recovery.

The actual exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the:

Alveolar sacs

Which of the following injuries would MOST likely occur as a direct result of the third collision in a motor vehicle crash?

Aortic rupture

A 62-year-old man with a history of congestive heart failure presents with severe respiratory distress and an oxygen saturation of 82%. When you auscultate his lungs, you hear widespread rales. He is conscious and alert, is able to follow simple commands, and can only speak in two- to three-word sentences at a time. You should:

Apply a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, monitor his blood pressure, and observe him for signs of improvement or deterioration.

You are transporting a 40-year-old man with respiratory distress. The patient tells you that he recently had a positive tuberculosis (TB) skin test and is currently being evaluated for TB. You should:

Apply a nonrebreathing mask on the patient and a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirator on yourself.

Upon arriving at the residence of a patient with a possible cardiac problem, it is MOST important to:

Assess the scene for potential hazards.

Common factors that influence how a patient reacts to the stress of an illness or injury include all of the following, EXCEPT:

Assessment by the EMT.

When treating a patient who experienced a pulmonary blast injury, you should:

Avoid giving oxygen under positive pressure.

Alkalosis is a condition that occurs when:

Blood acidity is reduced by excessive breathing.

Which of the following oxygen flowmeters is NOT affected by gravity and can be used in any position when attached to an oxygen cylinder?

Bourdon-gauge flowmeter.

The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood to the right side of the heart from all of the following areas, EXCEPT the:

Brain

The central nervous system is composed of the:

Brain and spinal cord

Which of the following structures is NOT found in the upper airway?

Bronchus

While assessing a young male who was struck in the chest with a steel pipe, you note that his pulse is irregular. You should be MOST suspicious for:

Bruising of the heart muscle.

The connecting nerve, a nerve of the peripheral nervous system, functions by:

Connecting the sensory and motor nerves and bypassing the brain.

A 56-year-old man is found semiconscious by his wife. Your assessment reveals that his respirations are rapid and shallow, his pulse is rapid and irregular, and his blood pressure is low. The patient's wife states that he complained of left arm pain and nausea the day before, but would not allow her to call 9-1-1. The MOST likely cause of this patient's present condition is:

Cardiogenic hypoperfusion

Pulmonary edema and impaired ventilation occur during:

Cardiogenic shock

Your patient has a decreased cardiac output and poor myocardial contractility. This will likely lead to ___________.

Cardiogenic shock

The respiratory distress that accompanies emphysema is caused by:

Chronic stretching of the alveolar walls.

Your patient is in shock, but the body's defense mechanisms are currently able to maintain adequate circulation. This is called ___________.

Compensated shock

When palpating a patient's pulse, you note that it is grossly irregular. You should:

Count the pulse rate for a full minute to obtain an accurate reading.

What type of stress reaction occurs when an EMT is exposed to many insignificant stressors over a period of several months or years?

Cumulative stress reaction.

A 40-year-old man is in cardiac arrest. Your partner is performing CPR. You are attaching the AED when the patient's wife tells you that he has an automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator (AICD). The AED advises that a shock is indicated. What should you do?

Deliver the shock followed by immediate resumption of CPR.

What should an EMT do to limit errors in the field?

Follow the agency's written protocols.

Which of the following findings would be LEAST suggestive of the presence of high-energy trauma?

Deployment of the airbag.

Your partner, a veteran EMT who you have worked with regularly for the past 4 years, seems unusually agitated during a call involving an elderly patient. Upon arrival back at your station, you note the obvious smell of alcohol on his breath. What should you do?

Discreetly report your suspicions to your supervisor.

When should nonlifesaving interventions be performed for your multisystem trauma patient?

En route to the hospital.

A 12-year-old male jumped approximately 12¢ from a tree and landed on his feet. He complains of pain to his lower back. What injury mechanism is MOST likely responsible for his back pain?

Energy transmission to the spine.

The EMT certification exam is designed to __________.

Ensure that EMTs are competent and have the same level of knowledge and skills.

A 30-year-old man presents with acute shortness of breath, widespread hives, and facial swelling. He denies any past medical history and takes no medications. During your assessment, you hear wheezing over all lung fields. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg and his heart rate is 110 beats/min. In addition to giving him 100% oxygen, the MOST important treatment for this patient is:

Epinephrine

At the onset of an acute asthma attack, patients commonly experience difficulty breathing and:

Expiratory wheezing

Blood that is ejected from the right ventricle:

Flows into the pulmonary arteries.

The ____________ deals with the well-being of the EMT, career progression, and EMT compensation.

Human resources department.

___________ pressure is the pressure exerted by a liquid and occurs when blood is moved through the artery at relatively high pressures.

Hydrostatic

Common side effects of nitroglycerin include all of the following, EXCEPT:

Hypertension

Your patient has a chronic respiratory condition. His stimulus to breathe is triggered by low oxygen levels in the blood. This is known as the ___________.

Hypoxic drive

You and your partner are EMTs and have been dispatched to standby at the scene of a residential fire. While standing next to the ambulance observing the fire fighters, you see a woman frantically moving around in her burning house. You should:

Immediately notify the incident commander or safety officer.

You are assisting an asthma patient with his prescribed metered-dose inhaler. After the patient takes a deep breath and depresses the inhaler, you should:

Instruct him to hold his breath for as long as he comfortably can.

Following a blunt injury to the head, a 22-year-old female is confused and complains of a severe headache and nausea. On the basis of these signs and symptoms, you should be MOST concerned with the possibility of:

Intracranial bleeding

The diaphragm is a unique muscle because it:

Is both a voluntary and involuntary muscle.

Which of the following organs or structures lies within the retroperitoneal space?

Kidneys

You are dispatched to a residence where a middle-aged man was found unconscious in his front yard. There are no witnesses who can tell you what happened. You find him in a prone position; his eyes are closed and he is not moving. Your FIRST action should be to:

Log roll him as a unit to a supine position.

A patient with atherosclerotic heart disease experiences chest pain during exertion because the:

Lumen of the coronary artery is narrowed and cannot accommodate increased blood flow.

End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) is defined as the:

Maximal concentration of CO2 at the end of an exhaled breath.

When assessing the interior of a crashed motor vehicle for damage, you are gathering information regarding the:

Mechanism of injury.

The distal aspect of the tibia forms the:

Medial malleous

EMT training in nearly every state meets or exceeds the guidelines recommended by the:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

While en route to a major motor vehicle crash, an on-scene police officer advises you that a 6-year-old male who was riding in the front seat is involved. He further states that the child was only wearing a lap belt and that the air bag deployed. On the basis of this information, you should be MOST suspicious that the child has experienced:

Neck and facial injuries.

Foods, medications, and insects are common causes of ________.

Neurogenic shock

A patient who is suspected of being hypoxic and is breathing adequately should be given supplemental oxygen with a:

Nonrebreathing mask

The part of the brain that controls the left side of the body is the:

Right side of the cerebrum

When assessing an elderly patient who fell, it is important to remember that:

Osteoporosis can cause a fracture that may have resulted in the fall.

Common signs and symptoms of AMI include all of the following, EXCEPT:

Pain exacerbated by breathing.

During your assessment of a 6-month-old infant with vomiting and diarrhea, you note that the capillary refill time is approximately 4 seconds. From this information, you should conclude that the infant's:

Peripheral circulation is decreased.

You suspect your patient is in shock. You note the patient's skin is pale. This is likely due to ___________.

Peripheral vasoconstriction

The EMT's first priority is __________.

Personal Safety.

The bones that comprise the fingers and toes are called:

Phalanges

A 67-year-old woman presents with difficulty breathing and chest discomfort that awakened her from her sleep. She states that she has congestive heart failure, has had two previous heart attacks, and has prescribed nitroglycerin. She is conscious and alert with adequate breathing. Her blood pressure is 94/64 mm Hg and her heart rate is 120 beats/min. Treatment for this patient includes:

Placing her in an upright position.

In relation to the chest, the back is:

Posterior

When assessing a patient who experienced a blast injury, it is important to remember that:

Primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.

During the primary assessment, circulation is evaluated by assessing:

Pulse quality, external bleeding, and skin condition.

A 25-year-old woman who was not wearing a seatbelt struck the steering wheel of her car with her chest when she hit a tree while traveling at a high rate of speed. She has signs and symptoms of shock, which you suspect are the result of intrathoracic bleeding. Which of the following interventions will provide this patient with the greatest chance for survival?

Rapid transport to a trauma center.

When caring for an occupant inside a motor vehicle equipped with an air bag that did not deploy upon impact, it is MOST important to:

Remember that it could still deploy and seriously injure you.

A 19-year-old man was stung multiple times by fire ants. He is experiencing obvious signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock. You administer 100% oxygen and give him epinephrine via subcutaneous injection. Upon reassessment, you determine that his condition has not improved. You should:

Repeat the epinephrine injection after consulting with medical control.

Your ability to remain awake is a function of the:

Reticular activating system

A 75-year-old man with a terminal illness has died at home. As you and your partner enter the residence, a family member becomes verbally abusive, pushes you, and states that you took too long to get there. You should:

Retreat and notify law enforcement personnel.

What types of motor vehicle collisions present the greatest potential for multiple impacts?

Rotational and rollover.

A 70-year-old woman was recently discharged from the hospital following a total hip replacement. Today, she presents with restlessness, tachycardia, and a blood pressure of 100/64 mm Hg. Her skin is warm and moist. You should be MOST suspicious that she is experiencing:

Septic shock

Shock due to severe infection is called ________.

Septic shock

Inadequate circulation of blood throughout the body is called ________.

Shock

The standards for prehospital emergency care and the individuals who provide it are typically regulated by the:

State office of EMS.

Which of the following would the EMT most likely NOT perform on a responsive patient with a headache and no apparent life-threatening conditions?

Systemic head-to-toe examination.

All of the following conditions would make you suspect shock, EXCEPT:

Tachycardia

While on duty, your partner asks you out on a date and touches you in an inappropriate location without your consent. You should:

Tell your partner to stop and report the incident to your supervisor.

What is an EMT's primary service area?

The main area in which the EMS agency operates.

Which of the following is true about a patient experiencing a prolonged tonic/clonic (grand mal) seizure?

The patient has no airway control.

Reassessment is performed to determine all of the following, EXCEPT:

The reason why the patient called EMS.

You are caring for a driver who struck a light pole. She admits to drinking alcohol but orders you not to tell anyone. You should report the information to __________.

The receiving nurse or doctor.

Which of the following statements regarding the secondary assessment is correct?

The secondary assessment should focus on a certain area or region of the body as determined by the chief complaint.

When a patient's respirations are shallow:

Tidal volume is markedly reduced.

The ability to handle multiple tasks based on their priority is called __________.

Time Management

The driver of a sport utility vehicle lost control and struck a utility pole head-on. The driver was killed instantly. The passenger, a young female, is conscious and alert and has several small abrasions and lacerations to her left forearm. Treatment for the passenger should include:

Transport to a trauma center.

Sudden death following an AMI is MOST often caused by:

Ventricular fibrillation

Which of the following clinical signs is unique to anaphylactic shock?

Wheezing

Which of the following statements regarding positive-pressure ventilation is correct?

With positive-pressure ventilation, more volume is required to have the same effects as normal breathing.

A patient with spontaneous respirations is breathing:

Without assistance

Force acting over a distance defines the concept of:

Work