Chapter 14: Medical Overview

When performing a secondary assessment on a conscious patient with nontraumatic abdominal pain and stable vital signs, you should: a. focus on his or her chief complaint. b. prepare the patient for transport first. c. only palpate tender areas of the abdomen. d. examine the patient from head to toe.

a. focus on his or her chief complaint.

When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to: a. take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report. b. send the patient's medications to the hospital with a family member or other person who will safeguard them. c. let the hospital staff retrieve the patient's medical records, which should show a list of his or her current medications. d. document the medications on your patient care report, but leave them at home so they do not get misplaced.

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

Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they: a. are bleeding. b. cough. c. have a fever. d. vomit.

b. cough.

Which of the following statements regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) correct? a. The communicable period for MRSA is 10 days to 2 weeks after being infected. b. Most cases of MRS A transmission occur following an accidental needlestick. c. MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections and is resistant to most antibiotics. d. Studies have shown that fewer than 1% of health care providers are MRSA carriers.

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

The secondary assessment of a medical patient: a. should be performed at the scene, especially if the patient is critically ill. b. is typically limited to a focused exam for patients who are unconscious. c. is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short. d. should routinely include a comprehensive examination from head to toe.

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

Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by: a. reviewing all treatment performed. b. taking another set of vital signs. c. repeating the primary assessment. d. reassessing the nature of illness.

c. repeating the primary assessment.

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: a. perform a head-to-toe secondary assessment. b. retrieve the stretcher and prepare for transport. c. assess her oxygen saturation and blood pressure. d. administer oxygen with the appropriate device.

d. administer oxygen with the appropriate device.

In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the conscious patient should involve: a. palpating the carotid pulse to determine the approximate rate and checking capillary refill time. b. taking a blood pressure and determining if the patient is alert and oriented or confused. c. applying a pulse oximeter probe to the finger to determine if peripheral perfusion is adequate. d. checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of the skin.

d. checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of the skin.

In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis: a. typically does not cause yellow skin. b. is a far more transmittable disease. c. can be prevented with a vaccination. d. is not a communicable disease.

d. is not a communicable disease.

Assessment of a patient's blood pressure with an automatic BP cuff reveals that it is 204/120 mm Hg. The patient is conscious and alert and denies any symptoms. The EMT should: a. prepare for immediate transport. b. reassess her blood pressure in 5 minutes. c. conclude that she has hypertension. d. obtain a manual blood pressure.

d. obtain a manual blood pressure.