Patient Assessment

The goal of oxygenation for most patients is an oxygen saturation of: 100% 94% to 99% 90% to 94% 88% to 90%

94% to 99%

Which of the following patients does NOT have signs of an altered mental status? A patient with an acute allergic reaction and dizziness A diabetic who opens his eyes when you ask questions A patient with a head injury who is slow to answer questions A patient who overdosed and moans when he is touched

A patient with an acute allergic reaction and dizziness

Which of the following scenarios does NOT involve the presence of any symptoms? Select one: A. A 61-year-old female who is unconscious with facial cyanosis B. A 49-year-old female with blurred vision and ringing in the ears C. A 44-year-old male with abdominal pain and severe dizziness D. A 55-year-old male with a severe headache and 2 days of nausea

A. A 61-year-old female who is unconscious with facial cyanosis

An injured patient is assigned a total score of 9 on the GCS. He is assigned a score of 2 for eye opening, a score of 3 for verbal response, and a score of 4 for motor response. Which of the following clinical findings is consistent with his GCS score? Select one: A. Opens eyes in response to pain, uses inappropriate words, withdraws from pain B. Opens eyes spontaneously, is confused when spoken to, exhibits abnormal flexion C. Opens eyes in response to voice, makes incomprehensible sounds, localizes pain D. Eyes remain closed, makes incomprehensible sounds, exhibits abnormal extension

A. Opens eyes in response to pain, uses inappropriate words, withdraws from pain

Which of the following actions would NOT be performed during the scene size-up? Select one: A. Rapidly assessing a patient's respiratory status B. Noting the position of a crashed motor vehicle C. Asking a neighbor to secure the patient's dog D. Notifying the dispatcher to send fire personnel

A. Rapidly assessing a patient's respiratory status

When you shine a light into one pupil, the normal reaction of the other pupil should be to: Select one: A. become smaller. B. dilate. C. not react. D. become larger.

A. become smaller.

You should suspect that a patient is experiencing respiratory failure if he or she: Select one: A. has bradycardia and diminished muscle tone. B. is restless and is working hard to breathe. C. is anxious, tachycardic, and leaning forward. D. has an increased heart rate and retractions.

A. has bradycardia and diminished muscle tone.

You are assessing a 72-year-old man with abdominal pain. The patient is sitting in a chair; he is conscious, alert, and calm. As you are talking to the patient, your partner discreetly directs your attention to a handgun, which is located on a nearby table. You should: Select one: A. position yourself in between the patient and the gun and ask your partner to request law enforcement assistance. B. immediately cease all patient care, carefully back out of the residence, and request law enforcement assistance. C. direct your partner to move the gun to a safe area and then advise the patient that his weapon has been secured. D. document the presence of the weapon, including its specific location, and continue your assessment of the patient.

A. position yourself in between the patient and the gun and ask your partner to request law enforcement assistance.

Which of the following conditions would be LEAST likely to cause an altered level of consciousness? Select one: A. Inadequate perfusion B. Acute anxiety C. Drug overdose D. Poisoning

B. Acute anxiety

Which of the following statements regarding the mechanism of injury (MOI) is correct? Select one: A. A significant MOI always results in patient death or permanent disability. B. The MOI may allow you to predict the severity of a patient's injuries. C. The exact location of a patient's injuries can be determined by the MOI. D. A nonsignificant MOI rules out the possibility of serious trauma.

B. The MOI may allow you to predict the severity of a patient's injuries.

An elderly patient has fallen and hit her head. Your initial care should focus on: Select one: A. obtaining baseline vital signs. B. airway, breathing, and circulation. C. providing immediate transport. D. gathering medical history data.

B. airway, breathing, and circulation.

Treatment and transport priorities at the scene of a mass-casualty incident should be determined after: Select one: A. a physician arrives at the scene. B. all the patients have been triaged. C. the number of patients is known. D. area hospitals have been notified.

B. all the patients have been triaged.

A 39-year-old male sustained a stab wound to the groin during an altercation at a bar. As you approach the patient, you note that he is conscious. He is screaming in pain and is attempting to control the bleeding, which is bright red and spurting from his groin area. You should: Select one: A. elevate his legs and keep him warm. B. apply direct pressure to the wound. C. ensure that his airway is patent. D. administer 100% supplemental oxygen.

B. apply direct pressure to the wound.

Which of the following pupillary changes would indicate depressed brain function? Both pupils dilate when a bright light is removed. Both pupils constrict when a bright light is introduced. Both pupils react briskly to light instead of sluggishly. Both pupils dilate with introduction of a bright light.

Both pupils dilate with introduction of a bright light.

What maneuver should be used to open the airway of an unresponsive patient with suspected trauma? Select one: A. Tongue-jaw lift B. Head tilt-neck lift C. Jaw-thrust maneuver D. Head tilt-chin lift

C. Jaw-thrust maneuver

Reassessment is performed to determine all of the following, EXCEPT: Select one: A. the patient's response to your treatment. B. the nature of any newly identified problems. C. the reason why the patient called EMS. D. whether or not the patient is deteriorating.

C. the reason why the patient called EMS.

The rapid exam of a patient that occurs following the primary assessment should take no longer than: Select one: A. 30 seconds. B. 90 to 120 seconds. C. 120 to 180 seconds. D. 60 to 90 seconds.

D. 60 to 90 seconds.

Which of the following statements regarding the secondary assessment is correct? Select one: A. A secondary assessment should always be performed, even if you must continually manage life threats that were identified in the primary assessment. B. During the secondary assessment, the EMT's primary focus should be on taking the patient's vital signs and obtaining a SAMPLE history. C. The secondary assessment should be performed en route to the hospital, regardless of the severity of the patient's condition. D. The secondary assessment should focus on a certain area or region of the body as determined by the chief complaint.

D. The secondary assessment should focus on a certain area or region of the body as determined by the chief complaint.

During an EMS call, you should take standard precautions: Select one: A. before you load the patient into the ambulance. B. after it has been determined that the patient is bleeding. C. immediately after completion of your primary assessment. D. before exiting the ambulance and before actual patient contact.

D. before exiting the ambulance and before actual patient contact.

In patients with deeply pigmented skin, changes in color may be apparent only in certain areas, such as the: Select one: A. back of the neck. B. dorsum of the hand. C. forehead and face. D. lips or oral mucosa.

D. lips or oral mucosa.

The chief complaint is MOST accurately defined as the: Select one: A. condition that exacerbates an underlying problem. B. gross physical signs that you detect on assessment. C. most life-threatening condition that you discover. D. most serious thing the patient is concerned about.

D. most serious thing the patient is concerned about.

A palpable pulse is created by: Select one: A. the pressure that is caused when venous blood returns to the heart. B. the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of the arteries. C. electrical conduction in the heart producing ventricular contraction. D. pressure waves through the arteries caused by cardiac contraction.

D. pressure waves through the arteries caused by cardiac contraction.

Which of the following is an example of a symptom? Cyanosis Headache Tachycardia Hypertension

Headache

or which of the following patients is spinal immobilization clearly indicated? Woman who fell from a standing position and has a deformed shoulder Man with an arrow impaled in his leg and no pulse distal to the injury Man who was struck in the head and is now confused and has slurred speech Woman in a minor motor-vehicle collision who complains of severe knee pain

Man who was struck in the head and is now confused and has slurred speech

When is it MOST appropriate to consider requesting additional ambulances at an accident scene? After you have triaged all the critical patients When you determine there are multiple patients After noncritical patients have been identified When all the deceased patients are accounted for

When you determine there are multiple patients

Which of the following statements regarding the secondary assessment is correct? If your general impression of a patient does not reveal any obvious life threats, you should proceed directly to the secondary assessment. The purpose of the secondary assessment is to systematically examine every patient from head to toe, regardless of the severity of his or her injury. You may not have time to perform a secondary assessment if you must continually manage life threats that were identified during the primary assessment. A focused secondary assessment would be the most appropriate approach for a patient who experienced significant trauma to multiple body systems.

You may not have time to perform a secondary assessment if you must continually manage life threats that were identified during the primary assessment.

While en route to the scene of a shooting, the dispatcher advises you that the caller states that the perpetrator has fled the scene. You should: ask the dispatcher if he or she knows the location of the perpetrator. confirm this information with law enforcement personnel at the scene. request law enforcement personnel if the scene is unsafe upon arrival. proceed to the scene as usual but exercise extreme caution upon arrival.

confirm this information with law enforcement personnel at the scene.

A 50-year-old male is found unconscious in his car. There were no witnesses to the event. When gathering medical history information for this patient, the EMT should: wait for family members to arrive before asking any questions. defer SAMPLE history questions until you arrive at the hospital. determine if the patient has a medical alert bracelet or wallet card. ask law enforcement officials if they are familiar with the patient.

determine if the patient has a medical alert bracelet or wallet card.

When evaluating a patient with multiple complaints, the EMT's responsibility is to: direct his or her attention to the most obvious signs and symptoms. determine which complaint poses the greatest threat to the patient's life. definitively rule out serious causes of each of the patient's complaints. assess each complaint based on the patient's perception of its seriousness.

determine which complaint poses the greatest threat to the patient's life.

The pulse oximeter is an assessment tool used to evaluate the: percentage of red blood cells. effectiveness of oxygenation. saturation level of venous blood. amount of exhaled carbon dioxide.

effectiveness of oxygenation.

When approaching a 32-year-old male who is complaining of traumatic neck pain, you should: Select one: A. assess his mental status by having him move his head. B. stand behind him and immediately stabilize his head. C. ensure that the patient can see you approaching him. D. approach him from behind and ask him not to move.

ensure that the patient can see you approaching him.

The goal of the primary assessment is to: determine if the patient's problem is medical or traumatic. identify patients that require transport to a trauma center. determine the need to perform a head-to-toe assessment. identify and rapidly treat all life-threatening conditions.

identify and rapidly treat all life-threatening conditions.

You respond to a call for a female pedestrian who has been struck by a car. As your partner maintains manual stabilization of her head, you perform a primary assessment. She is unconscious, has ineffective breathing, and has bloody secretions in her mouth. You should: assist her breathing with a bag-valve mask. quickly insert an oropharyngeal airway. assess the rate and quality of her pulse. immediately suction her oropharynx.

immediately suction her oropharynx.

In infants and small children, skin color should be assessed on the: forehead. palms and soles. chest and abdomen. underside of the arms.

palms and soles.

The MOST effective way to determine whether your patient's problem is medical or traumatic in origin is to: perform a careful and thorough assessment. establish the patient's medical history early. take note of the patient's general appearance. ask if bystanders are familiar with the patient.

perform a careful and thorough assessment.

During your assessment of a 6-month-old male with vomiting and diarrhea, you note that his capillary refill time is approximately 4 seconds. From this information, you should conclude that the infant's: respiratory status is adequate. systolic blood pressure is normal. peripheral circulation is decreased. skin temperature is abnormally cold.

peripheral circulation is decreased.

During the primary assessment, circulation is evaluated by assessing: skin quality, blood pressure, and capillary refill. pulse quality, external bleeding, and skin condition. blood pressure, pulse rate, and external bleeding. external bleeding, skin condition, and capillary refill.

pulse quality, external bleeding, and skin condition.

When performing a reassessment of your patient, you should first: obtain updated vital signs. reassess your interventions. repeat the primary assessment. confirm medical history findings.

repeat the primary assessment.