EMT - Chapter 15 - Medical Overview

Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital? Select one: A. Stroke and heart attack B. Diabetes and migraines C. Seizure and infection D. Cardiac arrest and shock

A. Stroke and heart attack

Upon initial contact with a patient who appears to be unconscious, you should: Select one: A. attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient. B. direct your partner to apply oxygen via nonrebreathing mask. C. squeeze the trapezius muscle to see if the patient responds. D. assess breathing depth and determine the respiratory rate.

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

Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they: Select one: A. cough. B. vomit. C. are bleeding. D. have a fever.

A. cough.

When assessing a patient with a medical complaint, which of the following would MOST likely reveal the cause of the problem? Select one: A. Medical history B. Primary assessment C. Baseline vital signs D. Index of suspicion

A. medical history

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: Select one: A. you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old patient. B. you contracted the disease by casual contact instead of exposure to secretions. C. the disease is dormant in your body, but will probably never cause symptoms. D. you are actively infected with tuberculosis and should be treated immediately.

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

Which of the following medications would the EMT be LEAST likely to administer to a patient with a medical complaint? Select one: A. Albuterol B. Ibuprofen C. Aspirin D. Oral glucose

B. Ibuprofen

Which of the following patients is at greatest risk for complications caused by the influenza virus? Select one: A. 50-year-old woman with moderate obesity B. 68-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes C. 12-year-old child with a fractured arm D. 39-year-old man with mild hypertension

B. 68-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes

Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness? Select one: A. Trending of the patient's vital signs over time B. Asking questions related to the chief complaint C. Focusing solely on how the call is dispatched D. Refraining from asking open-ended questions

B. Asking questions related to the chief complaint

Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include: Select one: A. crushing chest pain, vomiting, and weakness. B. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing. C. joint pain, muscle aches, and blurred vision. D. headache, low back pain, and arm numbness.

B. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.

Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that: A. is less resistant to treatment, B. has a greater ability to produce disease. C. leads to chronic infection after exposure. D. is a more contagious type of disease.

B. has a greater ability to produce disease.

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

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

You and your EMT 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: Select one: A. perform a detailed secondary assessment, assess his vital signs, and then transport rapidly. B. manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting an ALS unit. C. administer oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and obtain as much of his medical history as possible. D. load him into the ambulance, begin transport, and perform all treatment en route to the hospital.

B. manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting an ALS unit.

The greatest danger in displaying a personal bias or "labeling" a patient who frequently calls EMS is: Select one: A. making the entire EMS system look unprofessional. B. overlooking a potentially serious medical condition. C. demeaning or humiliating the patient and his or her family. D. discouraging the patient from calling EMS in the future.

B. overlooking a potentially serious medical condition.

Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by: Select one: A. reviewing all treatment performed. B. repeating the primary assessment. C. taking another set of vital signs. D. reassessing the nature of illness.

B. repeating the primary assessment.

In addition to obtaining a SAMPLE history and asking questions related to the chief complaint, what else should you specifically inquire about when assessing a patient with a potentially infectious disease? A. HIV status B. Sexual practices C. Recent travel D. Drug allergies

C. Recent travel

An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as: A. a disease that can be spread from one person or species to another through a number of mechanisms. B. the invasion of the human body by a bacterium that cannot be destroyed by antibiotics or other drugs. C. a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body. D. any disease that enters the body via the bloodstream and renders the immune system nonfunctional.

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

The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies: Select one: A. involves transport only until treatment can be performed at the hospital. B. typically does not require the EMT to contact medical control. C. addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process. D. focuses on definitive care because a diagnosis can usually be made.

C. address 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: Select one: A. retrieve the stretcher and prepare for transport. B. assess her oxygen saturation and blood pressure. C. administer oxygen with the appropriate device. D. perform a head-to-toe secondary assessment.

C. administer oxygen with the appropriate device.

The BEST way to prevent infection from whooping cough is to: Select one: A. routinely place a surgical mask on all respiratory patients. B. wear a HEPA mask when treating any respiratory patient. C. get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. D. ask all patients if they have recently traveled abroad.

C. get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.

In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient: Select one: A. almost exclusively focuses on physical signs that indicate the patient is experiencing a problem. B. requires a thorough head-to-toe exam that involves a detailed assessment of all body systems. C. is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms. D. is not as complex for the EMT because most patients typically present with classic symptoms.

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

A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having: A. MERS-CoV. B. tuberculosis. C. meningitis. D. hepatitis.

C. 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. Select one: A. endocrine B. respiratory C. neurologic D. cardiac

C. neurologic

Factors that increase the risk for developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) include: A. a history of a respiratory illness within the past 6-8 weeks. B. prior exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. C. prolonged hospitalization especially in an intensive care unit. D. failure to be vaccinated against any strain of hepatitis.

C. prolonged hospitalization, especailly in an intensive care unit.

After sizing up the scene of a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to: A. notify law enforcement. B. contact medical control. C. take standard precautions. D. quickly access the patient.

C. take standard precautions.

An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as: A. determining the underlying cause of a patient's medical condition based on signs and symptoms. B. the EMT's prediction of the type of illness a patient has based on how the call is dispatched. C. your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness. D. ruling out specific medical conditions based on the absence of certain signs and symptoms.

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

Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem? Select one: A. Use of the accessory muscles B. Unequal breath sounds C. Palpable pain in the epigastrium D. Jugular venous distention

D. Jugular venous distention

Your patient's symptoms include high fever, cough, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Which of the following should you suspect? Select one: A. Hepatitis B B. Whooping cough C. Influenza D. MERS-CoV

D. MERS-CoV

In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the conscious patient should involve: Select one: A. applying a pulse oximeter probe to the finger to determine if peripheral perfusion is adequate. B. palpating the carotid pulse to determine the approximate rate and checking capillary refill time. C. taking a blood pressure and determining if the patient is alert and oriented or confused. 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.