Chapter 13- Medical Overview

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

Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness?

Asking questions related to the chief complaint

Which of the following medications would the AEMT LEAST likely administer to a patient with a medical complaint?

Atropine

Which of the following medications would the AEMT be LEAST likely to administer to a patient with a medical complaint?

Atropine

Which of the following statements regarding hepatitis A is correct?

Hepatitis A can only be transmitted by a patient who has an acute infection

When assessing a patient with a medical complaint, which of the following would MOST likely reveal the cause of his or her problem?

History taking

Which of the following statements regarding the H1N1 virus is correct?

It is only one type of influenza among the many other strains of influenza that exist and infect humans.

Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem?

Jugular venous distention

Which of the following statements regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is correct?

MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections and is resistant to most antibiotics.

Which of the following statements regarding severe 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.

Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital?

Stroke and heart attack

Which of the following conditions is NOT categorized as a psychiatric condition?

Substance abuse

Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct?

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?

The risk of HIV infection is greatest when the virus is 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:

West Nile virus

An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as:

a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small harmful organisms within the body.

The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies:

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

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.

The determination of whether a medical patient is a high-priority or low-priority transport is typically made:

after the primary assessment has been completed.

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:

assess the rate, regularity, and quality of her carotid pulse.

Upon initial contact with a patient who appears to be unresponsive, you should:

attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient.

Syphilis is a:

bloodborne disease that can successfully be treated with penicillin.

In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the responsive patient should involve:

checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of his or her skin.

Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they:

cough

A 58-year-old man complains of chest pain 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. The patient tells you that he was recently discharged from the hospital and takes numerous medications for his heart and blood pressure. You should:

determine what medications he takes, and ask him if he has been compliant with them.

Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include:

fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.

When performing a secondary assessment on a responsive patient with nontraumatic abdominal pain and stable vital signs, you should:

focus on his or her chief complaint.

Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it:

has a greater ability to produce disease.

Ten days after you treat a 34-year-old patient with tuberculosis, you are given a tuberculin skin test, which yields a positive result. This finding MOST likely indicates that:

you were exposed to another infected person before treating the 34-year-old patient.

In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient:

is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and the patient's symptoms.

In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis:

is not a communicable disease.

The secondary assessment of a medical patient:

is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short.

Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following EXCEPT:

jaundice and abdominal pain.

Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following, EXCEPT:

jaundice and abdominal pain.

When caring for a patient with an altered mental status and signs of circulatory compromise, you should:

limit your time at the scene before transport to 10 minutes or less, if possible.

You and your 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 a paramedic unit.

A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having:

meningitis.

It is especially important to assess pulse, sensation, and movement in all extremities as well as pupillary reactions in patients with a suspected ___________ problem.

neurologic

The greatest danger in displaying a personal bias or "labeling" a patient who frequently calls EMS is:

overlooking a potentially serious medical condition.

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:

prepare the patient for immediate transport.

Factors that increase the risk for developing MRSA include:

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?

recent travel

Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by:

repeating the primary assessment.

End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring is clearly indicated for patients who present with:

respiratory distress.

When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to:

take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report.

After sizing up a scene involving a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to:

take standard precautions

After sizing up the scene of a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to:

take standard precautions.

When forming your general impression of a patient with a medical complaint, it is important to remember that:

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:

you were exposed to another infected person before treating the 34-year-old patient.

Index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:

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