chapter 14
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. examine the patient from head to toe. C. prepare the patient for transport first. D. only palpate tender areas of the abdomen.
A. Focus on his or her chief of complaint
Which of the following statements regarding hepatitis A is correct? A. Hepatitis A can only be transmitted by a patient who has an acute infection. B. Infection with hepatitis A causes chronic illness with a high mortality rate. C. Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted via contact with blood or other body fluids. D. Although there is no vaccine against hepatitis A, treatment is usually successful.
A. 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 the problem? A. Medical history B. Index of suspicion C. Baseline vital signs D. Primary assessment
A. Medical history
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. Recent travel B.. HIV status C. Sexual practices D. Drug allergies
A. Recent travel
Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they: A. cough. B. vomit. C. are bleeding. D. have a fever.
A. cough.
Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include: A. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing. B. crushing chest pain, vomiting, and weakness. C. headache, low back pain, and arm numbness. D. joint pain, muscle aches, and blurred vision.
A. fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis: A. is not a communicable disease. B. typically does not cause yellow skin. C. is a far more transmittable disease. D. can be prevented with a vaccination.
A. is not a communicable disease.
When caring for a patient with an altered mental status and signs of circulatory compromise, you should: A. limit your time at the scene to 10 minutes or less, if possible. B. perform a detailed secondary assessment prior to transporting the patient. C. transport immediately and begin all emergency treatment en route to the hospital. D. have a paramedic unit respond to the scene if it is less than 15 minutes away.
A. limit your time at the scene to 10 minutes or less, if possible.
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. obtain a manual blood pressure. B. prepare for immediate transport. C. conclude that she has hypertension. D. reassess her blood pressure in 5 minutes.
A. obtain a manual blood pressure.
A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having: A. hepatitis. B. meningitis. C. MERS-CoV. D. tuberculosis.
B meningitis
Which of the following patients is at greatest risk for complications caused by the influenza virus? A. 12-year-old child with a fractured arm B. 68-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes C. 39-year-old man with mild hypertension D. 50-year-old woman moderate obesity
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? A. Trending of the patient's vital signs over time B. Asking questions related to the chief complaint C. Refraining from asking open-ended questions D. Focusing solely on how the call is dispatched
B. Asking questions related to the chief complaint
Which of the following questions would be the MOST pertinent to ask a patient who recently returned from Europe and is now ill? A. What was the purpose of your travel? B. Is anyone else in your travel party sick? C. Will you be traveling again in the future? D. How much time did you spend in Europe?
B. Is anyone else in your travel party sick?
Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem? A. Unequal breath sounds B. Jugular venous distention C. Use of the accessory muscles D. Palpable pain to the epigastrium
B. Jugular venous distention
A 58-year-old man complains of chest discomfort 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. Your partner has applied supplemental oxygen. Prior to assisting the patient with one of his prescribed nitroglycerin tablets, you ask him if he takes medication to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) and he tells you that he does. You should: A. avoid giving him nitroglycerin and transport him at once. B. ask him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it. C. recall that erectile ED drugs can cause significant hypertension. D. administer his nitroglycerin and then reassess his blood pressure.
B. ask him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it.
The BEST way to prevent infection from whooping cough is to: A. ask all patients if they have recently traveled abroad. B. get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. C. wear a HEPA mask when treating any respiratory patient. D. routinely place a surgical mask on all respiratory patients.
B. get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient: A. almost exclusively focuses on physical signs that indicate the patient is experiencing a problem. B. is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms. C. requires a thorough head-to-toe exam that involves a detailed assessment of all body systems. D. is not as complex for the EMT because most patients typically present with classic symptoms.
B. is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms.
When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to: A. document the medications on your patient care report, but leave them at home so they do not get misplaced. B. take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report. C. send the patient's medications to the hospital with a family member or other person who will safeguard them. D. let the hospital staff retrieve the patient's medical records, which should show a list of his or her current medications.
B. take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report.
Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital? A. Seizures and infection B. Cardiac arrest and shock C. Stroke and heart attack D. Diabetes and migraines
C. Stroke and heart attack
Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct? A. HIV is far more contagious than hepatitis B and is easily transmitted in the health care setting. B. The risk of HIV infection is high, even if an infected person's blood comes in contact with your intact skin. C. The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream. D. Most patients who are infected with HIV experience chronic symptoms that vary in duration and severity.
C. The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream.
The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies: A. typically does not require the EMT to contact medical control. B. focuses on definitive care because a diagnosis can usually be made. C. addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process. D. involves transport only until treatment can be performed at the hospital.
C. addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process.
Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it: A. is less resistant to treatment. B. is a more contagious type of disease. C. has a greater ability to produce disease. D. leads to chronic infection after exposure.
C. has a greater ability to produce disease.
Three months after returning home from West Africa, a 50-year-old man begins experiencing a fever, cough, and muscle aches. The EMT should suspect: A. Ebola. B. hepatitis. C. influenza. D. whooping cough.
C. influenza.
The secondary assessment of a medical patient: A. should routinely include a comprehensive examination from head to toe. B. should be performed at the scene, especially if the patient is critically ill. C. is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short. D. 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.
Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by: A. reassessing the nature of illness. B. taking another set of vital signs. C. repeating the primary assessment. D. reviewing all treatment performed.
C. repeating the primary assessment.
In which of the following situations would it be MOST appropriate to utilize an air medical transportation service? A. 29-year-old woman who is 18 weeks pregnant, has light vaginal bleeding, and stable vital signs B. 43-year-old man experiencing a heart attack, and the closest appropriate hospital is 15 minutes away C. 50-year-old conscious woman with severe nausea and vomiting, fever, and chills of 3 days' duration D. 61-year-old man with signs and symptoms of a stroke and your ground transport time is 50 minutes
D. 61-year-old man with signs and symptoms of a stroke and your ground transport time is 50 minutes
An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as: A. any disease that enters the body via the bloodstream and renders the immune system nonfunctional. B. the invasion of the human body by a bacterium that cannot be destroyed by antibiotics or other drugs. C. a disease that can be spread from one person or species to another through a number of mechanisms. D. a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.
D. a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.
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. assess her oxygen saturation and blood pressure. C. retrieve the stretcher and prepare for transport. 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.
Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following, EXCEPT: A. loss of appetite and a cough. B. vomiting, fever, and fatigue. C. pain in the muscles and joints. D. jaundice and abdominal pain.
D. jaundice and abdominal pain.
It is especially important to assess pulse, sensation, and movement in all extremities as well as pupillary reactions in patients with a suspected ___________ problem. A. cardiac B. endocrine C. respiratory D. neurologic
D. neurologic
When forming your general impression of a patient with a medical complaint, it is important to remember that: A. the majority of medical patients you encounter are also injured. B. it is during the general impression that assessment of the ABCs occurs. C. most serious medical conditions do not present with obvious symptoms. D. the conditions of many medical patients may not appear serious at first.
D. 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: A. you are actively infected with tuberculosis and should be treated immediately. B. the disease is dormant in your body, but will probably never cause symptoms. C. you contracted the disease by casual contact instead of exposure to secretions. D. you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old patient.
D. you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old patient.