Paramedic Midterm Written Exam
Which of the following questions is the MOST effective when inquiring about a patient's chest pain?
"Can you describe the pain to me?"
Which of the following is an example of a closed-ended question?
"Does the pain radiate to your arm or jaw?"
If the wife of a critically ill man asks you if her husband is going to die, the MOST appropriate response should be:
"He is very sick, but we are doing everything we can to help him."
An elderly man states that he is sad and depressed because his wife recently died of cancer. Which of the following statements from the paramedic demonstrates empathy?
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't know how I would feel in your situation, but I am sure it would be similar."
Which of the following statements includes a pertinent negative?
"The patient complains of nausea but denies vomiting."
Which of the following statements includes a pertinent negative?
"The patient complains of nausea but denies vomiting." pg. 181
Medical control requests you to administer 50 micrograms of a drug. You should recognize that this is equivalent to:
0.05 mg pg. 209
By definition, infancy begins at:
1 month of age. pg. 477
In a small child, loss of as little as ____% of total body fluid can cause illness.
10 to 15 pg. 420-421
By the age of 1 year, an infant's tidal volume ranges from:
10 to 15 mL/kg. pg. 478
What is the target heart rate for a 35-year-old man with a resting heart rate of 75 beats per minute?
152 beats/min pg. 42
Which of the following would be a proper way of documenting a drug dosage?
5 mg pg. 208
What is the total blood volume for a man who weighs 75 kg?
5.3 L pg. 333
Acid-base balance normally remains in a physiologic pH range of:
7.35-7.45. pg. 425
Which of the following is a subjective finding?
A complaint of chest pressure
Which of the following is a subjective finding?
A complaint of chest pressure pg. 170
Which of the following situations is an example of an act of commission?
A paramedic sutures a patient's lacerated arm. pg. 113
Movement of an extremity toward the midline of the body is called:
Adduction
Which of the following is an example of secondary injury prevention?
Administering epinephrine to a patient in anaphylactic shock pg. 81
Which of the following is the BEST example of a teachable moment?
Advising the unrestrained passenger with minor injuries following a motor vehicle accident that she easily could have been killed pg.75-76
Which of the following statements regarding emergency vehicle laws is correct?
All state statutes require emergency vehicles to be operated in a safe and prudent manner.
When oxygen levels are low or absent, the cells revert to a process of:
Anaerobic metabolism
Which of the following prefixes are synonyms?
Angi/o ; vas/o
The most inferior portion of the heart is called the:
Apex
the myocardium is the only muscle that can generate its own electrical impulses. This process is called:
Automacity
Approximately 97% of the oxygen that diffuses out of the alveoli:
Binds to hemoglobin
Which of the following statements regarding growth spurts in adolescents is correct?
Boys generally experience this stage of growth later in life than girls do. pg. 485
Which of the following constitutes minimum data that must be included on every patient care report?
Chief complaint, level of consciousness, vital signs, assessment, and patient's age and gender
All of the following are functions of the parasympathetic nervous system except
Constriction of the pupils
End-diastolic volume is primarily a reflection of:
Contraction of the ventricles
The BEST teachable moments are those that:
Convey positive reinforcement
The substance that contains all cellular contents between plasma membrane and nucleus is called the:
Cytoplasm
Which of the following situations would be the LEAST likely to require a critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)?
Death of a 91-year-old patient with lung cancer pg. 63
A patient is found to have a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia). What is a cause of this?
Deficient insulin levels in the blood pg. 329
________ is a way of buffering bad news until a person can mobilize the resources to deal with that news more effectively.
Denial pg. 61
Which of the following is NOT an early warning sign of stress?
Dry, irritated skin
The term perfusion is best defined as"
Effective exchange of O2 and CO2 in the lungs
Which of the following is NOT a critical point addressed by the "White Paper" written in 1966 that was entitled "Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society"?
Ensuring that paramedics responded to every call
Which aspect of the HIPAA is MOST pertinent to the paramedic?
Ensuring that the patient's privacy is protected pg. 104-105
what type of tissue covers and lines internal organs?
Epithelial
What type of tissue covers and lines internal organs?
Epithelial pg. 253
What instructions or guidance would an emergency medical dispatcher MOST likely provide to a caller?
How to control bleeding and perform CPR
What instructions or guidance would an emergency medical dispatcher MOST likely provide to a caller?
How to control bleeding and perform CPR pg. 12
Your patient has a serum sodium level of 158 mEq/L. What condition does this indicate?
Hypernatremia pg. 422
A medication that possesses a positive chronotropic effect is one that:
Increases heart rate
Which of the following would be the MOST significant complication associated with incorrect use of medical terminology?
Ineffective treatment could be rendered. pg. 191
Which of the following organs/structures lie(s) in the retroperitoneal space of the abdomen?
Kidneys pg. 376
Which of the following is one of the 10 system elements developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in an effort to sustain EMS systems?
Medical direction
Which of the following statements regarding middle adults is correct?
Middle adults view crisis as a challenge to be overcome rather than a threat to be avoided. pg. 488
what is the medical term for a woman who has been pregnant eight times
Octivgravida
Which of the following statements regarding revisions or corrections to a patient care report is correct?
Only the person who wrote the original report can revise or correct it.
Which of the following structures comprise different types of tissues that work together to perform a particular function?
Organs pg. 240
Under the instructions of a good EMD, a layperson should be able to:
Perform chest compressions
Which of the following is addressed in the EMTALA?
Preventing medical facilities from denying medical screening and stabilization
According to the Haddon matrix, which of the following is an example of a pre-event strategy used to prevent injury of a child who is riding in a motor vehicle?
Reducing driving during high-risk times pg. 84
A _____________ receives a weak signal and retransmits it at a higher power on another frequency.
Repeater
Which of the following physical changes occurs in adults over 25 years of age?
Settling of the disks in the spine pg. 487
Which of the following is an example of a protocol?
Standing orders
The root word -phagia refers to:
Swallowing
Which of the following is a significant benefit of electronic documentation?
The ability of the data to be shared between health care facilities pg. 172-173
The term "frequency," as it applies to radio communications, is MOST accurately defined as:
The number of oscillations per second of the carrier wave.
Which of the following general statements regarding medical law is correct?
The patient or survivor must prove all elements of negligence before a lawsuit will be successful.
According to the American Public Health Association, public health is defined as:
The practice of preventing disease and promoting good health within groups of people
Which of the following statements regarding stress is correct?
The way one person reacts to stress may differ significantly from another person's reaction. pg. 53
If the receiving facility does not have adequate resources to take care of your patient, you should next determine whether:
There is an appropriate facility within a reasonable distance.
An imaginary plane passing horizontally through the body at the waist, creating top and bottom portions, is called the?
Transverse plane
The entity that was created in 1966 and that provides authority and financial support for the development of basic and advanced life support programs is the:
United States Department of Transportation.
Which of the following hazards would you LEAST likely encounter at the scene of a motor vehicle crash?
Unruly patient pg. 504-506
Using the NATO phonetic alphabet, how should you spell Dr. "Wilson"?
WHISKEY-INDIA-LIMA-SIERRA-OSCAR-NOVEMBER
The paramedic should suspect hyperkalemia in a patient with:
a crush injury. pg. 420
Proximate cause is MOST accurately defined as:
a link between the paramedic's improper action and the patient's injury.
Children are at higher risk for serious injury than adults because of:
a proportionately larger head.
The wrongful act that gives rise to a civil suit is called:
a tort.
A pH of 7.30 indicates:
acidosis
When the paramedic observes standard precautions on a call, he or she:
acknowledges that all bodily fluids are potentially infectious. pg. 47
As an advocate for your patient, you must:
act in the patient's best interest and remain respectful of his or her wishes and beliefs.
Repeating the key parts of a patient's responses to your questions demonstrates:
active listening. pg. 151
The MOST common cause of cardiogenic shock is:
acute myocardial infarction. pg. 435
An unblinded research study is one in which:
all research participants are advised of all aspects of the project.
Men with a defective X gene will:
always be affected because the defect cannot be masked. pg. 456
The abbreviation "amp" refers to:
ampule. pg. 210
Sonorous respirations are MOST likely caused by:
an anatomic airway obstruction. pg. 511
The MOST significant problem associated with making up your own medical abbreviations and documenting them on the patient care report is:
an error in patient care. pg. 170-171
A specific action intended to improve health and safety outcomes is called:
an intervention. pg. 77
molecules that bind to a receptor's cells and trigger a response by that cell, thereby resulting in some kind of action or biologic effect, are called:
angonists
Your entire assessment of a patient should:
appear to be a seamless process. pg. 500
Patterns of living that you develop in your youth:
are hard to modify in later life. pg. 41
The paramedic should address a patient:
as the patient wishes to be addressed. pg. 519- 520
The main goal of any CQI program is to:
assess for ongoing improvement before a problem arises. pg. 9
The first and second cervical vertebrae is called
atlas and axis
The Greek prefix burs/o refers to the:
back. pg. 193
You arrive at the scene of a major motor vehicle crash. The patient, a 29-year-old man, is in cardiac arrest from a severe head injury and has been receiving bystander CPR for approximately 10 minutes. A law enforcement official advises you that the patient's driver's license identifies him as an organ donor. You should:
begin full resuscitative efforts and transport the patient to a trauma center because certain tissues may be viable for harvesting. pg. 120-121
Mobile army surgical hospitals (M*A*S*H) saved thousands of soldiers' lives during the Korean war by:
bringing the hospital facilities closer to the battlefield. pg. 22
A patient experiencing a stroke involving the left cerebral hemisphere has contralateral hemiplegia. This means that the patient:
cannot move his right side
An exercise program should be targeted at maintaining or improving:
cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and physical strength.
Scope of practice is defined as:
care that a paramedic is permitted to perform under the certifying state.
A major distinction between a paramedic and an EMT is that the paramedic:
carries out advanced pharmacologic skills pg. 21
Severe, prolonged stress:
causes the body to lose its ability to fight disease. pg. 467
The National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS):
collects relevant data from each state and uses it for research.
The National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS):
collects relevant data from each state and uses it for research. pg. 172
The FIRST step in developing an injury prevention program is to:
conduct a community assessment.
At minimum, sending the 12-lead ECG of a patient with chest pain to the emergency department physician via telemetry would:
decrease the time from diagnosis to treatment.
The fight-or-flight response is characterized by all of the following physiologic responses, EXCEPT:
decreased sympathetic tone and pupil constriction
The leading cause of kidney failure in Americans 20 years of age and older is:
diabetes. pg.74
Beginning with the outermost layer, the three meningeal layers of the central nervous system are the:
dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater
Substances that release ions when dissolved in water are called:
electrolytes. pg. 293
The process of formulating the words or ideas to be sent and formatting the information for transmission is called:
encoding
When a competent adult patient refuses medical care, it is MOST important for the paramedic to:
ensure that the patient is well informed about the situation at hand.
When a competent adult patient refuses medical care, it is MOST important for the paramedic to:
ensure that the patient is well informed about the situation at hand. pg. 174-175
The kind of stress that motivates an individual to achieve is called:
eustress. pg. 53
When caring for a confused elderly patient, it is MOST important for the paramedic to:
explain what he or she is doing at all times.
Transporting a competent adult patient without his or her consent would MOST likely result in allegations of:
false imprisonment.
Topographically, the term distal means:
farther from the trunk
Teething is commonly accompanied by:
fever. pg. 483
The brain and spinal cord are connected through a large opening at the base of the skull called the:
foramen magnum. pg. 274
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital anomaly involving ___ anatomic abnormalities of the heart.
four pg. 196
During a 20-minute transport of a critical patient, you should make a concerted effort to reassess the patient ___ times.
four pg. 593
If the EMD suspects that your patient has a life-threatening emergency, the EMD should make you aware of the situation and then:
give prearrival instructions to the caller.
If an off-duty paramedic stops at the scene of a motor vehicle crash, the paramedic:
has a legal obligation to provide patient care.
In contrast to infants, toddlers:
have a slower respiratory rate. pg. 482
One of the major differences between laws and ethics is that laws:
have sanctions for violation that are enforceable. pg. 96
Patients with decision-making capacity:
have the right to refuse all or part of the emergency medical care offered to them. pg. 110
If a paramedic is on duty and receives a 9-1-1 call in his or her jurisdiction:
he or she is not covered by the Good Samaritan law. pg. 121
The MOST common of all hereditary risk factors are:
heart disease and cancer.
The leading cause of death in the United States is:
heart disease.
Ilium and ileum are examples of:
homonyms. pg. 193
When organizing a community illness or injury program, you should FIRST:
identify a lead person to coordinate the effort. pg. 88
Acute pulmonary edema:
impairs oxygen diffusion into the pulmonary capillaries. pg. 422
Criminal laws most likely to apply to paramedics include all of the following, EXCEPT:
inadequate patient care.
A major recommendation made by the 2009 National EMS Education Standards for paramedic training was the:
inclusion of a college-level anatomy and physiology course as part of the training program. pg. 13
The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of injury data essential to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice is called:
injury surveillance.
Assault on a patient occurs when the EMS provider:
instills the fear of immediate bodily harm in a patient.
Openness, honesty, and truthfulness are attributes that demonstrate:
integrity.
Objective patient information:
is based on fact or observation pg. 539
Insulin and glucagon are produced in specialized groups of cells in the pancreas known as the:
islets of Langerhans.
Because a lawsuit may not begin until several years after the paramedic cares for a patient:
it is essential to maintain good documentation on any call.
If the paramedic is unable to complete his or her patient care report before departing the emergency department, he or she should:
leave an abbreviated form with pertinent data with the receiving provider and complete the patient care report as soon as possible.
The chief white blood cell of the immune response is the:
lymphocyte. pg. 439
If you want reliable answers to personal questions, you should:
manage the scene so you can ask such questions quietly and privately. pg. 151
Additions or notations added to a completed patient care report by someone other than the original author:
may raise questions about the confidentiality practices of the EMS agency. pg. 184
The topographic term used to describe the location of body parts that are closer toward the midline or center of the body is:
medial.
The topographic term used to describe the location of body parts that are closer to the midline is:
medial. pg. 201
A paramedic is considered a health care professional, and as such should:
meet societal expectations whether he or she is on or off duty. pg. 17
a vertical plane that is parallel to the median plane and divides the body into unequal left and right parts is called the:
midsagittal plane
In order for the paramedic to talk and transmit an ECG simultaneously on one frequency, a __________ system is required.
multiplex
If you must deviate from your protocols because of unusual circumstances, you should FIRST:
notify medical control.
which of the following structures comprise different types of tissues that work together to perform a particular function?
organs
The statement, "The bicycle safety program will increase the rate of helmet use by children younger than 18 years of age from 30% to 50% within the next 18 months," is an example of a(n):
outcome objective.
HIPAA mandates that:
patient information shall not be shared with entities or persons not involved in the care of the patient.
On most runs, the two MOST important pieces of patient history information that you need to obtain initially are the:
patient's name and chief complaint. pg. 519
With regard to injury prevention, effective educational techniques include all of the following, EXCEPT:
penalties. pg. 77
Under the instructions of a good EMD, a layperson should be able to:
perform chest compressions. pg. 138
The thick fibrous sac that surrounds the heart is called the:
pericardium
Stimulation of alpha-1 receptors of the sympathetic nervous system results in:
peripheral vasoconstriction
Any cell that ingests microorganisms or other cells is called a(n):
phagocyte. pg. 301-302
The most important nerve of the cervical plexus, which innervates the diaphragm, is the:
phrenic nerve. pg. 365
Thromboxane A2 is a short-lived compound that causes:
platelet clumping. pg. 325
When responding to an emergency scene, it is MOST important to:
proceed in a manner that is timely and safe.
When responding to an emergency scene, it is MOST important to:
proceed in a manner that is timely and safe. pg.19
The BEST legal protection for the paramedic is to:
provide a detailed patient assessment and appropriate medical care, followed by complete and accurate documentation.
The patient care report:
provides for a continuum of patient care upon arrival at the hospital.
In order to ensure that all recorded times associated with an incident are accurate, the paramedic should:
radio the dispatcher after an event occurs. pg. 185-186
If an emergency medical responder is appropriately trained and competent, he or she should be able to:
recognize the seriousness of a patient's condition, provide basic life support care, and relay information to the paramedic. pg. 12
Vascular compensation for changes in blood pressure decreases with age due to:
reduced elasticity of the peripheral vessels secondary to decreases in elastin and collagen. pg. 488
If you have a bad cold, it is MOST appropriate to:
refrain from patient care. pg. 49
Records of your education, state or local credentials, and recertification are held by a recognized agency through a process called:
registration.
A _____________ receives a weak signal and retransmits it at a higher power on another frequency.
repeater pg. 140-141
The judicial branch at the state level is responsible for:
resolving disputes based on interpretation of law. pg. 100
When examining the anterior abdomen of a patient who complains of abdominal pain:
routinely palpate the least painful area(s) first. pg. 570
In conventional reasoning, school-age children:
seek approval from their peers and society. pg. 485
what position is generally a position of comfort for patients who do not require spinal immobilization
semi-fowler
An accurate and legible patient care report:
should be complete to the point where anyone who reads it understands exactly what transpired on the call.
When lifting, the paramedic should spread his or her legs_____________ apart.
shoulder width pg. 44
When communicating medical information via radio, you should be:
simple, brief, and direct. pg. 144
A patient with dysarthria has:
slurred speech. pg. 583
what organ(s) lie in the periumbilical region
small and large intestines
Osmosis is the movement of
solvent from an area of low solute concentration to one of high concentration.
From an injury prevention standpoint, the term "intervention" is defined as:
specific prevention measures or activities designed to increase positive health and safety outcomes.
From an injury prevention standpoint, the term "intervention" is defined as:
specific prevention measures or activities designed to increase positive health and safety outcomes. pg. 77
Every decision regarding patient care that a paramedic makes should be based on the:
standards of good medical care. pg. 109
It is important to become involved in a national or state EMS organization, such as the National Association of EMTs (NAEMT) or the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMO), because:
such organizations have an impact on the future direction of EMS. pg. 16
The part of the nervous system that prepares the body to deal with an emergency is the __________ nervous system.
sympathetic
When a caller requests EMS in an area that uses an enhanced 9-1-1 system:
the caller's name and address are automatically displayed. pg. 137
In addition to facilitating the uptake of sugar into the cells, insulin is responsible for:
the chemical conversion of glucose and glycogen
More often than not, the paramedic will form his or her general impression of a patient based on:
the initial presentation and chief complaint. pg. 509
When defining an injury problem in your community, it is MOST important to determine:
the most frequent causes of fatal and nonfatal injuries. pg. 87
Biologic stress is MOST accurately defined as:
the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.
The term "frequency," as it applies to radio communications, is MOST accurately defined as:
the number of oscillations per second of the carrier wave. pg. 139
Prior to submitting a patient care report to the receiving hospital, it is MOST important for:
the paramedic who authored the report to review it carefully. pg. 182
In which of the following situations would a medical necessity for ambulance transport MOST liekly be required?
the patient required a splint prior to moving
According to the qualified immunity doctrine, the paramedic can be held liable only if:
the plaintiff proves that the paramedic violated a clearly established law about which he or she should have known.
Something that is homogenous is:
the same. pg. 211
If health care providers show up to work in shape:
they are less likely to get hurt. pg. 39
When cells are hypoxic for more than a few seconds:
they produce substances that may damage other local or distant body systems. pg. 429
Compared to adults, children have:
thinner skin. pg. 73
If the body is sliced so the result is a top and bottom portion, this is referred to as the:
transverse plane. pg. 199
When communicating with a patient whose cultural background differs from the paramedic's, the paramedic should:
treat the patient with the utmost respect at all times. pg. 157-158
the atrioventricular valves of the heart include the:
tricuspid and mitral valves
The ability of multiple agencies or systems to share the same radio frequency is called:
trunking
which layer of the blood vessel wall is composed of elastic tissue and smooth muscle cells?
tunica media
Performing the functions of a paramedic prior to licensure is:
unlawful. pg. 6
When transmitting information via radio, you should:
use a normal conversational tone of voice. pg. 145
If you make an error when completing a written patient care report, you should:
use different colored ink when drawing a single line through the error.
Components of a thorough patient refusal document include:
willingness of EMS to return to the scene if the patient changes his or her mind.
Components of a thorough patient refusal document include:
willingness of EMS to return to the scene if the patient changes his or her mind. pg. 174-175
An advance directive is MOST accurately defined as a:
written document that expresses the wants, needs, and desires of a patient in reference to his or her future medical care. pg. 117
When caring for any patient, it is important to remember that:
your moral standards may conflict with the patient's best interests. pg. 97-98
When providing patient care, it is MOST important that you maintain effective communication with:
your partner. pg. 134-135