Chapter 14: Medical Overview

What is an index of suspicion? (a) An awareness that unseen life-threatening injuries or illness may exist (b) An outcome of scene size-up that indicates whether law enforcement should be called (c) The ability to determine how contagious an infectious disease is (d) A level of understanding whereby you can determine multiple NOIs

(a) An awareness that unseen life-threatening injuries or illness may exist

Jaundice is a sign of which disease? (a) Hepatitis (b) Herpes simplex (c) HIV (d) Meningitis

(a) Hepatitis

In addition to obtaining a SAMPLE history and asking questions related to the chief complaint, what else should you specifically inquire about when assessing a patient with a potentially infectious disease? (a) Recent travel (b) HIV status (c) Sexual practices (d) Drug allergies

(a) Recent travel

Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include: (a) fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing. (b) crushing chest pain, vomiting, and weakness. (c) headache, low back pain, and arm numbness.

(a) fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.

The greatest danger in displaying a personal bias or labeling a patient who frequently calls EMS is: (a) overlooking a potentially serious medical condition. (b) making the entire EMS system look unprofessional. (c) demeaning or humiliating the patient and his family. (d) discouraging the patient from calling EMS in the future.

(a) overlooking a potentially serious medical condition.

Which of the following best describes a communicable disease? (a) The growth and spread of small harmful organisms within the body (b) A disease that can be spread from one person or species to another (c) A disease that is transmitted through contaminated drinking water (d) Presence of infectious organisms on or in objects

(b) A disease that can be spread from one person or species to another

Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness? (a) Trending of the patient's vital signs over time (b) Asking questions related to the chief complaint (c) Refraining from asking open-ended questions (d) Focusing solely on how the call is dispatched

(b) Asking questions related to the chief complaint

A(n) ________ can be spread from one person or species to another. (a) Infectious disease (b) Communicable disease (c) Contamination (d) Virulence

(b) Communicable disease

Which of the following diseases is the most virulent? (a) HIV (b) Hepatitis B (c) Herpes simplex (d) Tuberculosis

(b) Hepatitis B

Which of the following questions would be the MOST pertinent to ask a patient who recently returned from Europe and is now ill? (a) What was the purpose of your travel? (b) Is anyone else in your travel party sick? (c) Will you be traveling again in the future? (d) How much time did you spend in Europe?

(b) Is anyone else in your travel party sick?

Which of the following statements regarding medical emergencies is correct? (a) Medical emergencies always take priority over traumatic injuries. (b) Medical emergencies can appear to be traumatic in nature. (c) Medical emergencies and traumatic injuries always have distinctive presentations. (d) Medical emergencies rarely precipitate traumatic injuries.

(b) Medical emergencies can appear to be traumatic in nature.

At what point should you make a preliminary transport decision? (a) During scene size-up (b) Once the preliminary assessment is complete (c) After secondary assessment (d) During reassessment

(b) Once the preliminary assessment is complete

In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient: (a) almost exclusively focuses on physical signs that indicate the patient is experiencing a problem. (b) is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms. (c) requires a thorough head-to-toe exam that involves a detailed assessment of all body systems. (d) is not as complex for the EMT because most patients typically present with classic symptoms.

(b) is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms.

A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having: (a) hepatitis. (b) meningitis. (c) MERS-CoV. (d) tuberculosis.

(b) meningitis.

You have just completed your primary assessment of a 48-year-old man with crushing chest pain and difficulty breathing. The patient has been given 324 mg of aspirin and is receiving supplemental oxygen. As you begin your secondary assessment, you note that his mental status has deteriorated and he is now bradycardic. You should: (a) continue with your secondary assessment. (b) prepare the patient for immediate transport. (c) insert a nasal airway and assist his breathing. (d) request an ALS unit to respond to the scene.

(b) prepare the patient for immediate transport.

An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as: (a) the EMT's prediction of the type of illness a patient has based on how the call is dispatched. (b) your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness. (c) ruling out specific medical conditions based on the absence of certain signs and symptoms. (d) determining the underlying cause of a patient's medical condition based on signs and symptoms.

(b) your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness.

You are dispatched to a home where you find a 45-year-old woman in apparent respiratory distress. She is using accessory muscles to help breathe and can only respond with short answers. What is the first step in your assessment process? (a) Manage the airway (b) Obtain vital signs (c) Determine scene safety (d) Perform a secondary assesssment

(c) Determine scene safety

An anaphylactic reaction constitutes what type of medical emergency? (a) Cardiovascular (b) Hematologic (c) Immunologic (d) Toxicologic

(c) Immunologic

Why is tuberculosis not more common than it is? (a) The BCG vaccine is 95% effective. (b) Droplet nuclei that spread the infection have a very short lifespan. (c) Infected air is easily diluted with uninfected air, so transmission is inefficient. (d) Human beings have natural immunity.

(c) Infected air is easily diluted with uninfected air, so transmission is inefficient.

Your patient's symptoms include high fever, cough, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Which of the following should you suspect? (a) Influenza (b) Hepatitis B (c) MERS-CoV (d) Whooping cough

(c) MERS-CoV

What mnemonic is used to determine a patient's chief complaint? (a) AVPU (b) SAMPLE (c) OPQRST (d) TACOS

(c) OPQRST

Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital? (a) Seizures and infection (b) Cardiac arrest and shock (c) Stroke and heart attack (d) Diabetes and migraines

(c) Stroke and heart attack

Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct? (a) HIV is far more contagious than hepatitis B and is easily transmitted in the health care setting. (b) The risk of HIV infection is high, even if an infected person's blood comes in contact with your intact skin. (c) The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream. (d) Most patients who are infected with HIV experience chronic symptoms that vary in duration and severity.

(c) The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream.

The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies: (a) typically does not require the EMT to contact medical control. (b) focuses on definitive care because a diagnosis can usually be made. (c) addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process. (d) involves transport only until treatment can be performed at the hospital.

(c) addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process.

Upon initial contact with a patient who appears to be unconscious, you should: (a) assess breathing depth and determine the respiratory rate. (b) squeeze the trapezius muscle to see if the patient responds. (c) attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient. (d) direct your partner to apply oxygen via nonrebreathing mask.

(c) attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient.

Three months after returning home from West Africa, a 50-year-old man begins experiencing a fever, cough, and muscle aches. The EMT should suspect: (a) Ebola. (b) hepatitis. (c) influenza. (d) whooping cough.

(c) influenza.

HIV is caused by what type of organism? (a) Bacteria (b) Fungus (c) Protozoa (d) Virus

(d) Virus

The acronym "TACOS" is used to _________. (a) rule out certain medical conditions (b) determine the nature of the patient's chief complaint (c) confirm your patient's priority for transport (d) identify factors that may complicate the patient's condition or your treatment

(d) identify factors that may complicate the patient's condition or your treatment Tobacco, Alcohol, Caffeine, OTC pills, Sexual/Street Drugs

Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following, EXCEPT: (a) loss of appetite and a cough. (b) vomiting, fever, and fatigue. (c) pain in the muscles and joints. (d) jaundice and abdominal pain.

(d) jaundice and abdominal pain.

Factors that increase the risk for developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) include: (a) prior exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. (b) failure to be vaccinated against any strain of hepatitis. (c) a history of a respiratory illness within the past 6 to 8 weeks. (d) prolonged hospitalization, especially in an intensive care unit.

(d) prolonged hospitalization, especially in an intensive care unit.

"Tunnel vision" occurs when ___________. (a) there appears to be no explanation for the patient's condition (b) you have confirmed the field impression for your patient (c) all but one possibility for the patient's condition has been eliminated (d) you exclude certain possibilities for the patient's condition

(d) you exclude certain possibilities for the patient's condition