EMS 110 Exam 2 (Chapters 12-17)
You are dispatched to a convenience store for a patient who passed out. Upon arriving at the scene, you find two off-duty EMTs performing CPR on the patient, a 58-year-old male. Your initial action should be to:
Feel for a pulse while compressions are ongoing
When performing a secondary assessment on a conscious patient with nontraumatic abdominal pain and stable vital signs, you should:
Focus on his or her chief complaint
The spinal cord exits the cranium through the:
Foramen magnum
Signs of a sudden severe upper airway obstruction include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Forceful coughing
What are the three components of the "perfusion triangle"?
Heart, blood vessels, blood
Common side effects of nitroglycerin include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Hypertension
Which of the following medications would the EMT be LEAST likely to administer to a patient with a medical complaint?
Ibuprofen
Basic life support (BLS) is defined as:
Noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions such as airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest
Assessment of a patient's blood pressure with an automatic BP cuff reveals that it is 204/120 mm Hg. The patient is conscious and alert and denies any symptoms. The EMT should:
Obtain a manual blood pressure
The proper depth of chest compressions on a 9-month-old infant is:
One-third the diameter of the chest, or about 1 1/2 inches
Common signs and symptoms of AMI include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Pain exacerbated by breathing
When transporting a stable stroke patient with a paralyzed extremity, place the patient in a:
Recumbent position with the paralyzed side down
If an object is visible in the unconscious patient's airway, you should __________.
Remove it
Common signs and symptoms of acute hyperventilation syndrome include:
Tachypnea and tingling in the extremities
When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to:
Take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report
Which of the following statements regarding the hypoxic drive is correct?
The hypoxic drive stimulated a person to breathe on the basis of low oxygen levels
A young male is unresponsive after overdosing on an opioid. He is not breathing and his pulse is weak. The EMT should immediately:
Ventilate with a BVM
Sudden death following AMI is MOST often caused by:
Ventricular fibrillation
Which of the following statements regarding anaphylaxis is correct?
Anaphylaxis is characterized by airway swelling and hypotension
Cardiogenic shock following AMI is caused by:
Decreased pumping force of the heart muscle
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 imp
Deliver the shock followed by immediate resumption of CPR
What is the minimum number of chest compressions that should be delivered per minute to a 4-month-old infant?
100
What is the correct ratio of compressions to ventilations when performing two-rescuer child CPR?
15:2
What is the correct compression-to-ventilation ratio for adult CPR?
30:2
Most prehospital cardiac arrests occur as the result of:
A cardiac dysrhythmia
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a term used to describe:
A group of symptoms that are caused by myocardial ischemia
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:
A small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms
Clinical signs of compensated shock include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Absent peripheral pulses
An alert patient presents with a regular pattern of inhalation and exhalation and breath sounds that are clear and equal on both sides of the chest. These findings are consistent with:
Adequate air exchange
When administering supplemental oxygen to a hypoxemic patient with a chronic lung disease, you should:
Adjust the flow rate accordingly until you see symptoms improvement, but be prepared to assist his or her ventilations
Your primary assessment of an elderly woman reveals that she is conscious and alert, but is experiencing difficulty breathing. She has a history of emphysema, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. As you assess the patient's circulatory status, you should direct your partner to:
Administer oxygen with the appropriate device
The MOST appropriate treatment for a patient with a mild upper airway obstruction includes:
Administering oxygen and transporting immediately
Between each chest compression, you should __________.
Allow full chest recoil
A 62-year-old man with a history of congestive heart failure presents with severe respiratory distress and with 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 CPAP device, monitor his blood pressure, and observe him for signs of improvement or deterioration
You respond to a residence for a patient with a severe leg injury following an accident with a chainsaw. When you arrive, you find the patient, a 44-year-old male, lying supine in the backyard. He has a partial amputation of his right lower leg that is actively bleeding. The patient is conscious and breathing adequately; however, he is restless and his skin is diaphoretic. You should:
Apply direct pressure to the wound
Febrile seizures:
Are usually benign but should be evaluated
When performing chest compressions on an adult, the EMT should compress:
At least 2 inches
Initial treatment to dislodge a severe foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive infant involves:
Back slaps
Which of the following MOST accurately describes septic shock?
Bacterial damage to the vessel wall, leaking blood vessels, and vasodilation
A 60-year-old man is found to be unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. You should:
Begin CPR until an AED is available
You and your EMT partner are the first to arrive at the scene of an unresponsive 70-year-old man. Your assessment reveals that he is apneic and pulseless. A paramedic unit is en route to the scene and will arrive in approximately 5 minutes. You should:
Begin CPR, apply the AED, and deliver a shock if it is indicated
Ischemic heart disease is defined as:
Decreased blood flow to one or more portions of the myocardium
You are dispatched to a residence for a 56-year-old male with an altered mental status. Upon arrival at the scene, the patient's wife tells you that he complained of chest pain the day before, but would not allow her to call EMS. The patient is semiconscious; has rapid, shallow respirations; and has a thready pulse. You should:
Begin ventilatory assistance
Alkalosis is a condition that occurs when:
Blood acidity is reduced by excessive breathing
When assessing the pulse of an unresponsive infant, you should palpate the ________ artery.
Brachial
The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood to the right side of the heart from all of the following areas, EXCEPT the:
Brain
The most basic functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, and swallowing, are controlled by the:
Brain stem
You are off duty at a park when you witness an apparently healthy 12-year-old child suddenly collapse. There are no bystanders around and your mobile phone is in your car. After confirming that the child is in cardiac arrest, you should:
Call 9-1-1 and then return and begin CPR on the child
A 56-year-old male 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
The head and brain receive their supply of oxygenated blood from the:
Carotid arteries
Your assessment of an unresponsive patient reveals that her breathing is inadequate. Your MOST immediate action should be to:
Check her airway for obstructions
In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the conscious patient should involve:
Checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of the skin
Which of the following techniques should you use to dislodge a foreign body airway obstruction in a patient who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy or who is very obese?
Chest thrusts,
You should deliver chest compressions to an unresponsive adult patient in cardiac arrest by:
Compressing the sternum between the nipples
Rapid, labored breathing in a patient with signs and symptoms of AMI should make you suspicious for:
Congestive heart failure
The myocardium receives oxygenated blood from the __________, which originate(s) from the __________.
Coronary arteries, aorta
Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they:
Cough
Without practice, your CPR skills will __________.
Deteriorate over time
You are dispatched to a residence for a 40-year-old female who fainted. Upon your arrival, the patient is conscious and alert, and states that she is fine. Her husband tells you that she fainted after receiving news that her sister was killed in a car crash. You offer oxygen to the patient, but she refuses to accept it. At this point, your primary concern should be to:
Determine if she was injured when she fainted
Nitroglycerin relieves cardiac-related chest pain by:
Dilating the coronary arteries and improving cardiac blood flow
The MOST common error associated with the use of the AED is:
Failure of the EMT to ensure the battery is charged
Neurogenic shock occurs when:
Failure of the nervous system causes widespread vasodilation
You are dispatched to a residence for a 66-year-old male who, according to family members, has suffered a massive stroke. Your primary assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. You should:
Initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible
You are dispatched to an apartment complex where a 21-year-old female has apparently overdosed on several narcotic medications. She is semiconscious and has slow, shallow respirations. You should:
Insert a nasopharyngeal airway and begin assisted ventilation
The mental status of a patient who has experienced a generalized seizure:
Is likely to improve over a period of 5 to 30 minutes
In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis:
Is not a communicable disease
The secondary assessment of a medical patient:
Is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short
What is the function of the left atrium?
It received oxygenated blood from the lungs
Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem?
Jugular venous distention
Individuals with chronic alcoholism are predisposed to intracranial bleeding and hypoglycemia secondary to abnormalities in the:
Liver
Which of the following statements regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is correct?
MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections and is resistant to most antibiotics
You arrive at the residence of a 33-year-old woman who is experiencing a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. She has a small amount of vomitus draining from the side of her mouth. After protecting her from further injury, you should:
Maintain her airway with manual head positioning, suction her airway to remove the vomitus, insert a nasopharyngeal airway, and administer high-flow oxygen
You arrive at a local grocery store approximately 5 minutes after a 21-year-old female stopped seizing. She is confused and disoriented; she keeps asking you what happened and tells you that she is thirsty. Her brother, who witnessed the seizure, tells you that she takes valproate (Depakote) for her seizures, but has not taken it in a few days. He also tells you that she has diabetes. In addition to administering oxygen, you should:
Monitor her airway and breathing status and assess her blood glucose level
While rescuer one is finishing his or her fifth cycle of 30 compressions, rescuer two should:
Move to the opposite side of the patient's chest
Hyperventilation could be associated with all of the following, EXCEPT:
Narcotic overdose
A 67-year-old female 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 been 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
Which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure?
Poisoning
CPR will NOT be effective if the patient is:
Prone
A 22-year-old female patient is complaining of dyspnea and numbness and tingling in her hands and feet after an argument with her fiancé. Her respirations are 40 breaths/min. You should:
Provide reassurance and give oxygen as needed
The AED has delivered a shock to an elderly male in cardiac arrest. Following 2 minutes of CPR, you re-analyze the patient's cardiac rhythm and receive a "no shock advised" message. After further resuscitation, you restore a palpable carotid pulse. Your next action should be to:
Reassess airway and breathing and treat accordingly
You are transporting a 33-year-old male who was involved in a major motor vehicle crash. You have addressed all immediate and potentially life-threatening conditions and have stabilized his condition with the appropriate treatment. With an estimated time of arrival at the hospital of 20 minutes, you should:
Reassess his condition in 5 minutes
After assisting your patient with prescribed nitroglycerin, you should:
Reassess his or her blood pressure within 5 minutes to detect hypotension
Your partner is performing one-rescuer CPR on a middle-aged woman in cardiac arrest. When you apply the AED pads, you note that she has a medication patch over the same area where one of the AED pads will be placed. You should:
Remove the medication patch, wipe away any medication residue, and apply the AED pads
You are assessing a 49-year-old man who complains of chest pressure that began the night before. He is conscious, but anxious, and tells you he has a history of angina and hypertension. After applying high-flow oxygen, you expose his chest to auscultate his lungs and note that he has a nitroglycerin patch on his right upper chest. His skin is cool and pale, his blood pressure is 78/50 mm Hg, and his pulse is 110 beats/min and irregular. You should:
Remove the nitroglycerin patch, place him in a supine position and elevate his lower extremities, and prepare for immediate transport
You are assessing the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale on a 60-year-old woman. When she holds both of her arms out in front of her and closes her eyes, both of her arms immediately fall to her sides. You should:
Repeat the arm drift test, but move the patient's arms into position yourself
A 19-year-old male was stung multiple times by fire ants. He is experiencing obvious signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock. You administer high-flow oxygen and give him epinephrine via intramuscular injection. Upon reassessment, you determine that his condition has not improved. You should:
Repeat the epinephrine injection after consulting with medical control
Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by:
Repeating the primary assessment
If gastric distention begins to make positive-pressure ventilation difficult, you should:
Reposition the patient's airway
When the level of arterial carbon dioxide rises above normal:
Respirations increase in rate and depth
In most cases, cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children is caused by:
Respiratory arrest
End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is clearly indicated for patients who present with:
Respiratory distress
Shock due to severe infection is called ________.
Septic chock
Dyspnea is MOST accurately defined as:
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
The purpose of defibrillation is to:
Stop the chaotic, disorganized contraction of the cardiac cells
Which of the following statements regarding anaphylactic shock is correct?
Subsequent exposure after sensitization often produces a more severe reaction
You are caring for a 70-year-old female with signs and symptoms of an acute stroke. She is conscious, has secretions in her mouth, is breathing at a normal rate with adequate depth, and has an oxygen saturation of 96%. You should:
Suction her oropharynx and transport immediately
Most patients are instructed by their physician to take up to _______ doses of nitroglycerin before calling EMS.
Three
Acute pulmonary edema would MOST likely develop as the result of:
Toxic chemical inhalation
Distributive shock occurs when:
Widespread dilation of the blood vessels causes blood to pool in the vascular beds
When performing CPR on a child, you should compress the chest:
With one or two hands