EMT Exam 1 Questions
What is an EMT's primary service area?
The main area in which the EMS agency operates
While evaluating a noncritical patient in the field, you receive a call from dispatch regarding a serious four-car accident. You inform the patient you are treating to have someone take him to his doctor to get checked out before leaving to attend to the more seriously injured people. This is an example of what?
abandonment
You are transporting an elderly woman who has possibly experienced a stroke. She is obviously scared but is unable to talk and cannot move the entire right side of her body. In addition to providing the medical care that she needs, you should:
acknowledge that she is scared and tell her that you will take good care of her
during ____________________ you feel nervous and excited, and your ability to focus increases.
acute stress reactions
the ____________________ course ranges between 200 and 400 hours and teaches skills such as IV therapy, the use of advanced airway adjuncts, and the knowledge and skills necessary to administer a limited number of medications.
advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT)
Vector-borne transmission of an infectious organism occurs via:
animals or insects
You respond to the home of a 59-year-old man who is unconscious; has slow, shallow breathing; and has a weak pulse. The family states that the patient has terminal brain cancer and does not wish to be resuscitated. They further state that there is a DNR order for this patient, but they are unable to locate it. You should:
begin treatment and contact medical control as needed
Once your ambulance is dispatched to an emergency, you have an obligation to respond. What is this called?
duty to act
Which of the following statements would be appropriate for an EMT to make when responding to a grieving parent?
"It's okay to be angry" and "I'm sorry for your loss."
Which of the following would provide the EMT with the BEST cover in a situation involving active gunfire?
A concrete barricade
Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reaction?
An EMT becomes distracted at the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving the same type of car in which a child was previously killed.
What are the three stages of general adaptation syndrome?
An alarm response, reaction and resistance, and recovery/exhaustion
What program, often available for EMS personnel, involves contracted agencies that provide a wide array of mental health, substance abuse, crisis management, and counseling services?
An employee assistance program (EAP)
You are responding to an accident scene involving an overturned semi truck carrying diesel fuel. Which reference source will be most helpful in this case?
DOT Emergency Response Guidebook
Prehospital patient care decisions should be based on __________.
EMS research
The determination that prompt surgical care in the hospital is more important than performing time-consuming procedures in the field on a major trauma patient is based MOSTLY on:
EMS research
At what level is an individual who has training in basic life support, including automated external defibrillation, use of a definitive airway adjunct, and assisting patients with certain medications?
EMT
Which of the following courses requires about 150 hours of training?
EMT
What is the primary feature of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)?
It limits the availability of a patient's health care information.
Which of the following statements is the most accurate?
The individual's reaction to stress determines how much it will strain the body's resources.
In which of the following circumstances can the EMT legally release confidential patient information?
The patient is competent and signs a release form
Which of the following statements regarding HIV is correct?
There is no vaccine against HIV infection.
When is forcible restraint permitted?
When the patient poses a significant threat to self or others
When decontaminating the back of your ambulance after a call, you should:
allow surfaces to air dry unless otherwise indicated in the product directions.
You respond to a call and find a 30-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He is conscious and responsive, but a little hostile and agitated. As you begin to treat him, you need to ________.
ask open-ended questions
in ________________ , providers receive advanced training including performing health evaluations and administering immunizations.
community paramedicine
________________ is the presence of infectious organisms on or in objects such as dressings, water, food, needles, wounds, or a patient's
contamination
TRUE or FALSE. There are five common hazards in a fire: Smoke, oxygen deficiency, toxic gases, building collapse, and equipment
false - there are seven common hazards in a fire. In addition to those listed, high ambient temperature and explosion are also hazards
TRUE or FALSE. You should wear clothing made from cotton in cold, wet environments.
false - you should not wear cotton for cold weather as it absorbs moisture, causing chilling from wetness
______________ occurs when a person is unconscious or otherwise incapable of making a rational, informed decision about care, and unable to give consent, and the law assumes that the patient would consent to care and transport to a medical facility if he or she were able to do so.
implied consent
The abnormal invasion of a host or host tissues by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites, with or without signs or symptoms of disease is called an ______________.
infection
_________________ occurs when an adult patient who is mentally incompetent is not able to give informed consent. Consent for emergency care should be obtained from someone who is legally responsible for the patient, such as a guardian or conservator.
involuntary consent
What was the focus of Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's On Death and Dying?
it introduced the stages of grief
_____________ is the process by which a competent authority, usually the state, grants permission to practice a job, trade, or profession.
licensure
the ________________ completes an extensive course of training, from 1,000 to more than 1,300 hours, that significantly increases knowledge and mastery of basic skills and covers a wide range of ALS skills.
paramedic
A ______________ is a microorganism that is capable of causing disease in a susceptible host.
pathogen
The right of a patient to make decisions concerning his or her health is called what?
patient autonomy
_______________ may develop after a person has experienced a psychologically distressing event and is characterized by reexperiencing the event.
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
National guidelines for EMS care are intended to __________.
provide more consistent delivery of EMS care across the United States
a ___________ can be reached by dialing 9-1-1
public safety access point
The responsibility of the medical director to ensure the appropriate medical care standards are met by EMTs on each call is called what?
quality control
While treating a patient with a high fever and cough, you accidentally expose yourself to the illness. What should you do?
report the incident to the infection control officer
After assessing a patient's blood glucose level, you accidentally stick yourself with the contaminated lancet. You should:
report the incident to your supervisor after the call
Quid pro quo, a type of sexual harassment, occurs when the harasser:
requests sexual favors in exchange for something else
The ability to handle multiple tasks based on their priority is called __________.
time management
TRUE or FALSE. ALS-level instructors and directors must hold a four-year degree.
true
Which organization developed and published the first curriculum that served as the guideline for EMT training?
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence?
Duty to act, breach of duty, injury/damages, and causation
You have responded to a vehicle accident call. Initially, the male patient allows you to splint his broken arm and complete a primary assessment. However, he rescinds consent during transport and demands to be let out of the ambulance. If you refuse, which of the following might you be charged with?
False imprisonment
Which of the following statements about health care in the United States is true?
Health care in the United States is expensive but does not necessarily provide better health outcomes.
Which of the following agencies is the source of the EMS Agenda for the Future, the multidisciplinary national review of all aspects of EMS delivery?
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Which of the following is an example of secondary prevention?
Providing cervical spine immobilization (secondary prevention attempts to limit the effects of an injury or illness that cannot be prevented)
Which of the following statements regarding the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is correct?
The ADA prohibits employers from failing to provide full and equal employment to those who are disabled
Which of the following should you do when lifting something heavy?
bend your legs, not your waist
What blocks the ability of the hemoglobin to transport oxygen to body tissues?
carbon monoxide
Which of the following is the process in which a person, institution, or program is evaluated and recognized as meeting predetermined standards to provide safe and ethical care?
certification
______________ is the process by which an individual, institution, or program is evaluated and recognized as meeting certain predetermined standards to ensure safe and ethical patient care.
certification
A ___________________ can be spread from one person or species to another.
communicable disease
The ability to understand others and have them understand you is known as __________.
communication
You belong to a small volunteer EMS company and are treating a patient with chest pain, and you feel that the administration of aspirin is indicated. You ask the patient if he is allergic to aspirin and he says no. Shortly after you administer the aspirin, the patient develops signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. Later in the hospital, the doctor advises you that the patient's medical history indicates that the patient has an allergy to aspirin. The patient later sues you. Which of the following is your best defense strategy?
contributory negligence (may be raised when the defendant feels that the conduct of the plaintiff somehow contributed to any injuries or damages that were sustained by the plaintiff)
The tactical use of an impenetrable barrier for protection that law enforcement agents use is called what?
cover
______________ is an established process to determine the qualifications necessary to be allowed to practice a particular profession, or to function as an organization.
credentialing
Recently you started noticing that a coworker is disinterested in his work. He has started coming in late and has taken to sitting alone and not socializing with other members of the team. The job has been stressful lately. Call volume has increased and you rarely have any downtime between calls. What is your coworker most likely experiencing?
cumulative stress reaction
_________________ is/are a strong contributor to heart disease, hypertension, cancer, alcoholism, and depression.
cumulative stress reactions
During ______________ you may be left with nervous, excited energy that continues to build and becomes a distraction.
delayed stress reactions
An obvious sign of death caused by discoloration of the body from pooling of the blood to the lower parts of the body is called what?
dependent lividity
Where would you MOST likely find information regarding a patient's wishes to be an organ donor?
driver's license
Which of the following gives surrogates the right to make decisions for patients regarding their health care in the event that the patient is incapacitated and unable to make such decisions?
durable power of attorney for health care
__________________ training provides skills necessary to initiate immediate care and focuses on providing immediate BLS and urgent care with limited equipment.
emergency medical responder (EMR)
the ___________________ course requires approximately 150 hours (more in some states) and provides essential knowledge and skills required to provide basic emergency care in the field.
emergency medical technician (EMT)
What is the best way to care for your patient once he tells you he does not want to go to the hospital?
encourage him to call 9-1-1 again if his condition worsens
American Heart Association protocols are based on __________.
evidence-based research
When a person comes into contact with blood, body fluids, tissues, or airborne particles in a manner that suggests disease transmission may occur, the situation is known as _____________.
exposure
Which type of consent is involved when a 39-year-old mentally competent female with a severe headache asks you to take her to the hospital?
expressed consent
You arrive at the scene of a call to find an elderly man complaining of chest pain. You introduce yourself and ask permission to examine him. He nods and extends his arm. Which type of consent is this?
expressed consent
______________ is the type of consent given when the patient verbally or otherwise acknowledges that he or she wants you to provide care or transport.
expressed consent
TRUE or FALSE. The manner in which principles of ethics are incorporated into professional conduct is known as bioethics.
false - Bioethics addresses issues that arise in the practice of health care.
TRUE or FALSE. Criminal lawsuits for battery are common in health care.
false - Civil lawsuits for battery are common in health care but criminal suits are rare.
TRUE or FALSE. Defamation that is spoken is known as libel.
false - Defamation that is spoken is known as slander.
TRUE or FALSE. OSHA requires all EMS providers to utilize a high-visibility public safety vest while on or near the roadway.
false - the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requires all EMS providers to utilize a high-visibility public safety vest while on or near the roadway
TRUE or FALSE. The development of airbags in vehicles is an example of primary prevention.
false - the development of airbags in vehicles is an example of secondary prevention
TRUE or FALSE. The focus of the public health arm of health care is education.
false - the focus of the public health arm of health care is prevention.
______________ means that you explained the nature of the treatment being offered, along with the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives to treatment, as well as potential consequences of refusing treatment, and the patient has given consent.
informed consent
As an EMT, the standards of emergency care are often partially based on:
locally accepted protocols
The EMT's scope of practice within his or her local response area is defined by the:
medical director
a _____________ determines appropriate care in a set of written standing orders and protocols
medical director
in ______________ , an integrated team of health care professionals delivers health care services and connects patients with other resources.
mobile integrated healthcare (MIH)
Which of the following describes a code of conduct that can be defined by society, religion, or a person, affecting character and conscience?
morality
Maintaining the chain of evidence at the scene of a crime should include:
not cutting through holes in clothing that were caused by weapons.
Public health examines the health needs of entire populations. In the United States, public health focuses on education and what else?
prevention
______________ is how a reasonably prudent person with similar training and experience would act under similar circumstances, with similar equipment, and in the same or similar place.
standard of care
The MOST serious consequence of drug or alcohol abuse among EMS personnel is:
substandard or inappropriate patient care.
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 entities controls licensure of EMTs?
the state in which the EMT practices
You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle-versus-pedestrian accident. The patient, a 13-year-old male, is unconscious and has multiple injuries. As you are treating the child, a law enforcement officer advises you that the child's parents will be at the scene in approximately 15 minutes. What should you do?
transport the child immediately and have the parents meet you at the hospital.
TRUE or FALSE. Ambulances should be parked at least 100 feet away from all crash sites.
true
TRUE or FALSE. Evidence-based research is the primary means of determining if changes need to be made in patient care.
true
TRUE or FALSE. Immunity laws, which vary from state to state, do not provide immunity when injury or damage is caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct.
true
TRUE or FALSE. In sufficiently high concentrations, cyanide causes signs and symptoms of shock and severe hypoxia, leading to death.
true
Which of the following involves the spread of infection by animals or insects that carry an organism from one person or place to another?
vector-borne transmission
