CHAPTER 42 REVIEW
How far ahead of the vehicle can low-beam headlights illuminate the road?
150 feet
Which of these solutions is used for low-level disinfection?
1:100 bleach solution
With worn tires, what is the lowest speed at which you should anticipate hydroplaning with wet road conditions?
35 mph for any vehicle
By what amount does the construction and insulation of newer automobiles reduce the interior decibel level of an approaching siren?
35 to 40 decibels.
Which of these is a common cause of ambulance-involved intersection collisions?
A motorist enters the intersection on the yellow light to attempt to beat the red light.
Which feature of personnel identification badges is encouraged to deter impersonation of EMS personnel?
A photo of the employee on the identification badge
Your ambulance is the first emergency vehicle to arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle collision. How should you position your ambulance?
Create a physical barrier between traffic and the scene
A helicopter has been requested to the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which two people have been critically injured. As safety officer overseeing the incident, what would cause you to immediately intervene for the safety of all rescuers, bystanders, and patients?
Guiding the helicopter to the landing site using a bright spotlight
You walk into the station at the beginning of your shift and see another EMT laundering sheets and pillowcases used from the previous shift. Which one of the following observations should cause you to stop and correct the EMT in relation to this task?
He is using an EPA-registered sterilant as the detergent.
You are instructing a group of new EMTs on the basics of driving an emergency vehicle. What would you emphasize as the most frequent situation or location in which collisions involving ambulances occur?
Intersections
Which of these measures should be taken to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in ambulances?
Keep the heater or air conditioner on.
How can the EMT lower the risk of CO poisoning in older ambulances that are still in service?
Keep the windows shut in the patient compartment.
Using the analogy of a clock face, where should you position your hands on the steering wheel when driving an ambulance?
Left hand at 9:00 and right hand at 3:00.
Which of these statements concerning braking while driving an ambulance is CORRECT?
Rest your foot lightly on the brake pedal while decelerating to decrease your stopping distance.
Which statement is true regarding driving in inclement weather?
Stopping on wet pavement takes approximately twice the distance as stopping on dry pavement.
As an instructor for safe ambulance operations, which of the following statements should you make to new EMTs about responding with lights and sirens through curves in the road?
"At night, turn your high beams off prior to entering the curve."
When you are driving 55 mph at night with your high-beam headlights on, how many seconds does that allow you to see ahead?
4.5 seconds
When driving at night with high-beam headlights, at what distance should you switch to low beams for an approaching vehicle?
500 feet
Which of the following is a basic guideline for safe driving?
Adjusting your speed to allow for decreased visibility at night or in fog.
Which one of the following actions is appropriate when using a helicopter on the scene of an emergency?
Always approach the helicopter from the front and never from behind.
Which of the following, according to the CFR, any EMT working at a traffic collision must wear?
An ANSI/ISEA safety vest, Class 2 or 3, or a Public Safety Vest
Regarding your actions at the landing zone for a medical helicopter, which of these actions is appropriate?
Approach the aircraft from the front, allowing the pilot to maintain visual contact.
At what point should your daily vehicle inspection checklist be performed?
At the beginning of your shift, before your first call.
Assuming all patients below are 20 miles from the facility required to provide adequate care, which one would be a candidate for air medical transportation?
A 22-year-old male with shock and chest trauma sustained in head-on collision.
You are approaching a collision in the southbound lanes of an Interstate from the north. You see one of the vehicles in the median, and one of the vehicles parallel to it, across the right-hand lane. Which of these is the BEST place to park your vehicle at the scene?
Blocking traffic, ahead of the vehicles
Which of these is done during the daily vehicle inspection?
Checking door closing and latching mechanisms.
Which of these actions is taken upon arriving at the receiving hospital facility?
Complete your written report and leave a copy at the emergency department before you go.
Which of these guidelines should you follow for safety at roadway incidents?
Never trust approaching traffic.
Which of these is allowed of EMTs driving an emergency ambulance in MOST states?
Drive the wrong way down a one-way street.
In an EMS system, the first assessment of the call and the patient's condition is most often made by the:
Emergency Medical Dispatcher.
Which of these actions will improve your control of a vehicle at higher speeds?
Enter a curve at the outside, and start turning as early as possible.
Which of the following illustrates a basic medical supply that must be carried on an ambulance?
Exam gloves
Which of these figures increase the stopping distance while driving on ice or sleet?
Five times
Which of these statements regarding the general nature of state laws that govern emergency ambulance operations is TRUE?
If you do not exercise due regard for the safety of others, you are liable for the consequences.
Which of these actions should be taken to maintain control of the ambulance if you must enter an area of standing water?
If you need to brake, pump gently on the brakes to avoid sliding.
Which of the following has been shown to be an effect on emergency vehicle drivers as a result of using the siren while driving?
Increasing their driving speed
When she is dispatched to an emergency call, which piece of information is it most essential that the EMT obtain first?
Location of the call
Which of these measures is required to prevent unauthorized access to ambulances?
Maintain a key log to account for all keys to restricted areas and to vehicles.
For which of these purposes would low-level disinfection be appropriate?
Mopping the ambulance floor.
Concerning traffic congestion, which of these situations should you MOST anticipate?
More traffic to and from resort areas on Fridays and Sundays.
You are the third ambulance to arrive at the scene of a nighttime motor vehicle collision on a busy road. As you approach the scene, which one of the following observations should cause you to alert the incident commander of a problem?
One ambulance has been positioned with its lights facing oncoming traffic.
What is the estimated proportion of vehicle fatalities that occur at night?
One-half
You are on the scene of a motor vehicle collision and must look for an area to land a medical helicopter. As such, what would be best?
Open field that is level, but 250 feet from the accident
Which of these concepts should you always keep in mind when operating an emergency vehicle?
Other drivers' reactions to lights and sirens can be unpredictable.
Which of these is an appropriate infection control measure to be taken at the completion of a call?
Place soiled linens in an approved dirty linen bag or hamper.
While cleaning the ambulance following an emergency call, you find a syringe and a needle that were used by the paramedic to give a patient an injection. Which one of the following is the proper way to dispose of used syringes and needles?
Place the syringe and needle in a special puncture resistant container.
A 43-year-old male is entrapped in a car that struck a tree at a high rate of speed. He suffered blunt trauma to the chest and has a decreased level of consciousness. In this situation, which one of the following is the best reason to transfer the patient by helicopter to the hospital?
Prolonged extrication was necessary.
Which of these types of headlights should an ambulance have to allow the BEST visibility at night?
Quartz-halogen
What is NOT a recommendation for increasing the security and safety of EMS providers?
Security or safety briefing of the crew at the end of the shift
Which of these guidelines should you adhere to when setting up a landing zone for a helicopter?
Select an area that is a flat square with 100-foot sides for a small helicopter.
What would cause you to start transporting a critically injured patient to a local hospital (not equipped for major trauma) instead of waiting on a helicopter for rapid transport to a trauma center 50 miles away?
Start of lightning and poor weather
Which of these is a proper infection control measure?
Sterilizing equipment that will be used invasively.
While responding to an emergency call, what should you do if you encounter a school bus unloading students?
Stop and wait for all children to cross the road safely.
An ambulance, responding to a call using lights and sirens, is involved in a collision at an intersection. Witnesses state that the ambulance slowly went through the red light without first stopping, resulting in a collision with a car. No one is injured, and the driver of the car is insured. Based on the witnesses' account of the collision, which one of the following may occur?
The EMT driving the ambulance may be liable for the collision.
Which of the following is a legitimate reason for requesting air medical transport of a critical patient?
The facility capable of caring for the patient is 45 minutes away by ground.
In terms of high-visibility vests, which of the following is true?
They make EMS personnel more visible to passing motorists.
When driving in winter weather, which of these safety guidelines should you keep in mind?
Tire chains best minimize skidding.
Which of these statements BEST explains the rationale for performing a daily vehicle maintenance, inspection checklist, and having a routine maintenance schedule?
To increase patient safety and efficiency of response and transport
Of these factors that affect control of the ambulance, over which do you have LEAST control?
Traffic patterns
Which of these is considered a "trouble area" that should be avoided when driving the ambulance, if possible?
Tunnels
What strategy will NOT help to reduce the accumulation of carbon monoxide in the patient compartment of the ambulance?
Turning on the exhaust fan in the back of the ambulance
By which of the following figures is stopping time increased on wet pavement.
Two times
Which of these security measures should be in place to safeguard against unauthorized personnel obtaining EMS uniforms and emblems.
Uniform stores must verify the identity of anyone seeking to purchase uniforms and emblems, and should cross-reference the identification to a list of authorized personnel.
Which of these serves as a safety benchmark regarding parking at the scene of a collision or other roadway incident?
Use the first-arriving vehicle as a block and physical barrier to upstream traffic.
Which of the following is TRUE concerning your actions when driving an ambulance to an emergency call?
You must exercise due regard for the safety of others.
Which color emergency light is visible at the greatest distance?
White
Which action would reduce the chance of being involved in a response-related collision?
White strobe lights should be used in conjunction with the red flashing lights.
Which of the following is the recommended color scheme to promote recognition of ambulances?
White with an orange stripe around the body and blue Star of Life.
What is part of the daily vehicle inspection checklist?
Windshield wipers
Since supplies and materials used to treat the sick or injured may be used on every call, it is good practice to replace or restock the ambulance:
after every call.
You are driving an ambulance with antilock brakes. A deer darts out in front of the ambulance. Your most appropriate action would be to:
apply constant and firm pressure to the brakes.
You have been dispatched for a 2-year-old female who is not breathing. When responding, you realize that your primary goal is to:
arrive at the scene safely with no mishaps.
The use of high-visibility vests when operating on a roadway is a requirement of the:
federal government.
You are responding to a possible pediatric overdose. It is raining and suddenly the ambulance starts to hydroplane. Your immediate action should be to:
gently pump the brakes and decrease pressure on the accelerator pedal.
A paramedic has asked you to sterilize a laryngoscope blade, which was placed in the mouth of a patient during an endotracheal intubation procedure. To sterilize this piece of equipment, you should:
immerse and leave the blade in an EPA-registered (approved) chemical sterilant.
When an EMT is driving an ambulance in emergency mode (lights and sirens), most states do not permit the EMT to:
proceed through a red light without stopping.
The EMT recognizes that preventive mechanical maintenance performed regularly on the ambulance results in:
safer patient transports.
For routine disinfection of a stethoscope after each call, the EMT should:
wipe it with a solution of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water.
An EMT asks you how he can decrease the chances of being involved in a collision when driving with lights and siren at night. Your advice would be:
"If blinded by the lights of an oncoming car, look to the right side of the road and not at the car."
Which one of the following statements about the use of an escort to drive a critical patient to the hospital is true?
"It should be used as a last resort, because it increases the risk of an accident."
The EMT shows that she understands the concept of driving with due regard when she states:
"When approaching an intersection, I wait for all traffic to stop before proceeding through."
Which level of infection control is appropriate for stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, or reusable splints?
Intermediate-level disinfection.
