Chapter 12 EMT
The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies:
B. addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process.
In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the conscious patient should involve:
B. checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of his or her skin.
It is especially important to assess pulse, sensation, and movement in all extremities as well as pupillary reactions in patients with a suspected ___________ problem.
B. neurologic
Factors that increase the risk for developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) include:
B. prolonged hospitalization, especially in an intensive care unit.
In addition to obtaining a SAMPLE history and asking questions related to the chief complaint, what else should you inquire about when assessing a patient with a potentially infectious disease?
B. recent travel
Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by:
B. repeating the primary assessment.
End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is clearly indicated for patients who present with:
B. respiratory distress.
Which of the following conditions is NOT categorized as a psychiatric condition?
B. substance abuse
When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to:
B. take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report.
An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
B. your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness.
In which of the following situations would it be MOST appropriate to utilize an air medical transportation service?
C. 61-year-old man with signs and symptoms of a stroke and your ground transport time is 50 minutes
Which of the following statements regarding severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is correct?
C. SARS is caused by a virus and usually starts with flulike symptoms that deteriorate to pneumonia and respiratory failure.
Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness?
C. asking questions related to the chief complaint
Syphilis is a:
C. bloodborne disease that can successfully be treated with penicillin.
Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it:
C. has a greater ability to produce disease.
You have just completed your primary assessment of a 48-year-old man with crushing chest pain. The patient has been given 324 mg of aspirin and is receiving high-flow oxygen via nonrebreathing mask. As you begin your secondary assessment, you note that his mental status has deteriorated and he is now bradycardic. You should:
C. prepare the patient for immediate transport.
Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital?
C. stroke and heart attack
After sizing up the scene of a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to:
C. take standard precautions.
Which of the following statements regarding hepatitis A is correct?
D. Hepatitis A can only be transmitted by a patient who has an acute infection.
Which of the following statements regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is correct?
D. MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections and is resistant to most antibiotics.
Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct?
D. The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream
Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct?
D. The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream.
A patient who was bitten by a mosquito and presents with signs and symptoms of illness should be suspected of having:
D. West Nile virus.
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:
D. administer oxygen with the appropriate device.
A 58-year-old man complains of chest discomfort and nausea. He is conscious and alert; his blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg, his pulse is 104 beats/min, and his respirations are 16 breaths/min. Your partner has applied supplemental oxygen. Prior to assisting the patient with one of his prescribed nitroglycerin tablets, you ask him if he takes medication to treat erectile dysfunction and he tells you that he does. You should:
D. ask him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it.
A 33-year-old female presents with lower abdominal quadrant pain. She is conscious and alert, but in moderate pain. While your partner is asking her questions about her medical history, you take her vital signs. When you assess her radial pulse, you are unable to locate it. You should:
D. assess the rate, regularity, and quality of her carotid pulse.
Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include:
D. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it:
D. has a greater ability to produce disease.
When assessing a patient with a medical complaint, which of the following would MOST likely reveal the cause of his or her problem?
D. history taking
In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient:
D. is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms.
In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis:
D. is not a communicable disease.
The secondary assessment of a medical patient:
D. is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short.
When caring for a patient with an altered mental status and signs of circulatory compromise, you should:
D. limit your time at the scene to 10 minutes or less, if possible.
Which of the following medications would the EMT LEAST likely administer to a patient with a medical complaint?
D. naloxone (Narcan)
The greatest danger in displaying a personal bias or "labeling" a patient who frequently calls EMS is:
D. overlooking a potentially serious medical condition.
In addition to obtaining a SAMPLE history and asking questions related to the chief complaint, what else should you inquire about when assessing a patient with a potentially infectious disease?
D. recent travel
When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to:
D. take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report.
When forming your general impression of a patient with a medical complaint, it is important to remember that:
D. the conditions of many medical patients may not appear serious at first.
Ten days after treating a 34-year-old patient with tuberculosis, you are given a tuberculin skin test, which yields a positive result. This MOST likely indicates that:
D. you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old patient.
An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
D. your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness.
Which of the following statements regarding sever acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is correct?
SARS is caused by a virus and usually starts with flulike symptoms that deteriorate to pneumonia and respiratory failure
In which of the following situations would it be MOST appropriate to utilize an air medical transportation service?
61 year old man with signs and symptoms of a stroke and your ground transport time is 50 minutes
A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having:
>D. meningitis.
Which of the following statements regarding hepatitis A is correct?
A. Hepatitis A can only be transmitted by a patient who has an acute infection.
Which of the following statements regarding the H1N1 virus is correct?
A. It is only one type of influenza among the many other strains of influenza that exist and infect humans.
An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as:
A. a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small harmful organisms within the body.
The determination of whether a medical patient is a high-priority or low-priority transport is typically made:
A. after the primary assessment has been completed.
A 58-year-old man complains of chest discomfort and nausea. He is conscious and alert; his blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg, his pulse is 104 beats/min, and his respirations are 16 breaths/min. Your partner has applied supplemental oxygen. Prior to assisting the patient with one of his prescribed nitroglycerin tablets, you ask him if he takes medication to treat erectile dysfunction and he tells you that he does. You should:
A. ask him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it.
Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness?
A. asking questions related to the chief complaint
A 33-year-old female presents with lower abdominal quadrant pain. She is conscious and alert, but in moderate pain. While your partner is asking her questions about her medical history, you take her vital signs. When you assess her radial pulse, you are unable to locate it. You should:
A. assess the rate, regularity, and quality of her carotid pulse.
Upon initial contact with a patient who appears to be unconscious, you should:
A. attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient.
Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they:
A. cough.
Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include:
A. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
When performing a secondary assessment on a conscious patient with nontraumatic abdominal pain and stable vital signs, you should:
A. focus on his or her chief complaint.
When assessing a patient with a medical complaint, which of the following would MOST likely reveal the cause of his or her problem?
A. history taking
Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following, EXCEPT:
A. jaundice and abdominal pain.
Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem?
A. jugular venous distention
You and your EMT partner arrive at the residence of a 50-year-old man who complains of weakness. Your primary assessment reveals that he is critically ill and will require aggressive treatment. The closest hospital is 25 miles away. You should: .
A. manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting an ALS unit.
End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is clearly indicated for patients who present with:
A. respiratory distress.
Which of the following conditions is NOT categorized as a psychiatric condition?
A. substance abuse
After sizing up the scene of a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to:
A. take standard precautions.
You and your EMT partner arrive at the residence of a 50 year old man who complains of weakness. Your primary assessment reveals that he is critically ill and will require aggressive treatment. The closest hospital is 25 miles away. You should:
manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting an ALS unit
A patient presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having:
meningitis
In addition to obtaining a SAMPLE history and asking questions related to the chief complaint, what else should you inquire about when assessing a patient with a potentially infectious disease?
recent travel
End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is clearly indicated for patients who present with:
respiratory distress
An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injured or illness
Patients with TB pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they:
cough
Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it:
has a greater ability to produce disease
In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient:
is focused on the nature of the illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms
The secondary assessment of a medical patient:
is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short
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
An infection disease is most accurately described as:
a medical condition caused by growth and spread of small harmful organisms within the body
An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as:
a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small harmful organisms within the body.