EMS Mastery 1 Exam

The anterior fontanelle fuses together between the ages of:

9-18 months

What is the functions of platelets?

Initial formation of a blood clot

Which of the following describes the Moro reflex?

The neonate opens his or her arms wide, spreads his or her fingers, and seems to grasp at something after being startled.

When is forcible restraint permitted?

When the patient poses a significant threat to self or others

A patient has bilateral femur fractures. This means that:

both femurs are fractured

The compliance monitoring component of an infection control plan should:

ensure that employees understand what they should do and why it is important

Deoxygenated blood from the abdomen, pelvis, and lower extremities is returned to the right atrium via the:

inferior vena cava

The diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract during:

inhalation

A 16-year-old female complains of vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping that began several hours ago. During your assessment interview, you should:

inquire about the possibility of pregnancy in private, if possible

Relative to an adult's airway anatomy, the child's:

pharynx is smaller and less deeply curved

With increasing age, the heart must work harder to move the blood effectively because:

the blood vessels become stiff

Your BEST protection against legal liability when a patient with decision-making capacity refuses EMS care and transport is to:

thoroughly document the entire event

The bones of the forearm are called the:

radius and ulna

When pulling a patient, you should extend your arms no more than ________ in front of your torso.

15" to 20"

In which of the following situations does a legal duty to act clearly exist?

A call is received 15 minutes prior to shift change

Shortly after you load your patient, a 50-year-old man with abdominal pain, into the ambulance, he tells you that he changed his mind and does not want to go to the hospital. The patient is conscious and alert and has no signs of mental incapacitation. You are suspicious that the man has a significant underlying condition and feel strongly that he should go to the hospital. Which of the following statements regarding this situation is correct?

A mentally competent adult can withdraw his or her consent to treat at any time

Which of the following statements regarding patient refusal is correct?

A mentally competent adult has the legal right to refuse EMS care and transport

Which of the following statements regarding agonal respirations is correct?

Agonal respirations are ineffective and need to be assisted

Which of the following skills would a layperson most likely be trained to perform before the arrival of EMS?

Bleeding control using a tourniquet

Which of the following scenarios most accurately depicts a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reaction?

An EMT becomes distracted at the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving the same type of car in which a child was previously killed

After assuming care of a cardiac arrest patient from an EMT, the paramedic should remember that:

BLS efforts must continue throughout the patient care continuum

Which of the following components are needed to prove negligence?

Duty to act, breach of duty, injury/damages, and causation

You have two patients who were involved in a motor vehicle crash when their SUV struck a tree—one with neck and back pain, and the other with a deformed left femur. The patient with the deformed femur states that he does not want to be placed on a hard board, nor does he want a collar around his neck. What is the MOST appropriate and practical method of securing these patients and placing them into the ambulance?

Immobilize the patient with neck and back pain on a long backboard and place him on a wheeled stretcher, place the patient with the deformed femur on a folding stretcher to the squad bench

EMT training in nearly every state meets or exceeds the guidelines recommended by the:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

A patient has kidney disease that is causing him severe pain. What condition does he have and what would be administered for his pain?

Nephropathy; analgesic

Which of the following statements regarding the hepatitis B vaccine is correct?

OSHA requires that your employee offer you the vaccine free of charge

Which of the following is a physical change that typically occurs in the adolescent age group?

Secondary sexual development begins

After being dispatched on an emergency call, you should expect the dispatcher to provide you with all of the following information, EXCEPT:

The general geographic location of the incident

Which of the following is an example of closed-loop communication?

The team leader assigns the EMT a task, and the EMT repeats the request back to the team leader

During your assessment of a patient with a chest injury, you note that only one side of his chest moves when he breathes. How should you describe his chest movement?

Unilateral

Information included in a radio report to the receiving hospital should include all of the following, EXCEPT:

a preliminary diagnosis of the patient's problem

The final stage of death and dying most commonly takes the form of

acceptance

Medical control gives you an order that seems inappropriate for the patient's condition. After confirming that you heard the physician correctly, you should:

advise the physician that the order is unclear and ask for clarification

A team of EMTs is caring for a critically injured patient. The team leader advises the EMT that transport will not begin until the patient's closed forearm fracture is splinted. Utilizing the crew resource management model, the EMT should:

advise the team leader that immediate transport is more important than splinting

You are transporting a 40-year-old male with respiratory distress. The patient tells you that he recently had a positive tuberculosis (TB) skin test and is currently being evaluated for possible TB. You should:

apply a nonrebreathing mask on the patient and a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirator on yourself

During your monthly internal quality improvement (QI) meeting, you review several patient care reports (PCRs) with the staff of your EMS system. You identify the patient's name, age, and sex, and then discuss the treatment that was provided by the EMTs in the field. By taking this approach to the QI process, you:

are in violation of HIPPA because you did not remove the PHI from the PCR beforehand

A proximal humeral fracture is one that is located:

at the upper part of the humerus

To avoid injury when pushing a patient or other object, you should:

avoid pushing the patient with your elbows fully extended

An EMT might injure his or her back, even if it is straight, if the:

back is bent forward at the hips

When faced with a situation in which a patient is in cardiac arrest, and a valid living will or DNR order cannot be located you should:

begin resuscitation at once

When you begin an oral report, you should state the patient's age, sex, and:

chief complaint

While transporting a woman with diabetes, you inadvertently give her oral glucose even though her blood glucose level was high. You reassess the patient and note that her condition did not change; she remained stable. You should:

contact medical control and notify them of the error

You are assessing a woman who was thrown from a horse. She is located in a large field and you can see that a thunderstorm is rapidly approaching. Suddenly, you feel your skin begin to tingle and the hair on your arms stands on end. The ambulance is located about 30 yards away. You should:

crouch down in a position so that only your feet are touching the ground

You are dispatched to the residence of an Asian family for a child with a high fever. When you assess the child, you note that the numerous red marks on his back. The child's parents explain these marks represent coining- a traditional Asian healing practice in which hot coins are rubbed on the back. You should:

document this finding on your patient care report and advise the emergency department staff of what the child's parents told you

After delivering your patient to the hospital, you sit down to complete the handwritten PCR. When documenting the patient's last blood pressure reading, you inadvertently write 120/60 instead of 130/70. To correct the mistake, you should

draw a single horizontal line through the error, initial it, and write the correct data next to it

The leaf-shaped flap or cartilage that prevents food and liquid from entering the trachea during swallowing is called the :

epiglottis

You are assessing a middle-aged man with chest pain that you suspect is caused by a cardiac problem. The patient tells you that he does not want to go to the hospital and insists that you leave him alone. You should:

explain the seriousness of the situation to him, but avoid causing undue alarm

The brain connects to the spinal cord through a large opening at the base of the skull called the:

foramen magnum

The official transfer of patient care does not occur until the EMT:

gives an oral report to the emergency room physician or nurse

Breathing occurs as the result of a(n):

increase in carbon dioxide, which decreases the pH of the cerebrospinal fluid.

According to the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, an EMT would require special permission from the medical director and the state EMS office to:

insert a peripheral intravenous catheter

If an action or procedure that was performed on a patient is not recorded on the written report:

it was not performed, according to the eyes of the law

The proper technique for using the power grip is to:

lift with your palms up

All of the following are considered to be protected health information (PHI), except:

location of the call

A critical aspect of the rapid extrication technique is to:

maintain stabilization of the spines at all times

The person who is responsible for authorizing EMTs to perform emergency medical care in the field is the:

medical director

As an EMT, you may be authorized to administer aspirin to a patient with chest pain based on:

medical director approval

When caring for a 65-year-old male with respiratory distress, you place him in a comfortable position but do not apply oxygen. The patient's condition continues to deteriorate: He develops cardiac arrest and dies at the hospital. This scenario is an example of:

negligence

According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, an employer must:

offer a workplace that reduces the risk of exposure

In the recovery position, the patient is:

on his or her side

The circulation of blood within an organ or tissue in adequate amounts to meet the cells' current needs is called:

perfusion

You are dispatched to a middle school for a 16-year-old female experiencing an asthma attack. She is conscious and alert but in severe respiratory distress. The school nurse informs you that she has tried several times to contact the patient's parents but has not been successful. You should:

provide treatment up to your level of training and transport the child at once

If it is not possible to adequately clean your ambulance at the hospital following a call, you should:

quickly wipe down all high-contact surfaces with an antibacterial solution

You are dispatched to an apartment complex to respond to a shooting. Law enforcement personnel are present and have the suspect in custody. You find the patient lying in a narrow space between the couch and coffee table of his small apartment. He is semiconscious and has a large gunshot wound to his chest. You should:

quickly move the coffee table so you can assess and treat the patient

After receiving online orders from medical control to perform a patient care intervention, you should:

repeat the order to medical control word for word

You and your partner respond to the scene of a 49-year-old male with acute abdominal pain. As you enter his residence, you find him lying on the floor in severe pain. He is conscious and alert. The patient appears to weigh in excess of 350 pounds. Your first action should be to:

request additional personnel before making any attempts to lift him

How does respiration differ from ventilation?

respiration is the process of gas exchange, whereas ventilation is the simple movement of air between the lungs and the environment

A 75-year-old male with a terminal illness has died at home. As you and your partner enter the residence, a family member verbally abusive, pushes you, and states that you took too long to get there. You should:

retreat and notify law enforcement personnel

You arrive at the scene of a domestic violence situation. As you approach the doorway of the apartment, you hear screaming and the statement, "He has a gun!". Your most appropriate action should be to:

seek a safe place and request law enforcement assistance

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommended immunizations and tests include a:

tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis booster every 10 years

You and your partner are dispatched to a residence for an "ill person." when you arrive, you find the patient, a 44-year-old man, does not speak English. There are no relatives or bystanders present who can act as an interpreter. You should:

use short, simple questions and point to specific parts of your body to try to determine the source of the patient's complaint

A patient has a blood pressure of 130/70 mm Hg. The "130" in this measurement represents:

ventricular contraction

If you use a waterless handwashing substitute in the field, it is important to:

wash your hands with soap and water at the hospital

Gloves, a mask, eye protection, and a face shield should be used:

when performing endotracheal intubation

While trying to make a family member feel better after a loved one has died, your partner states, "I know how you are feeling.". The family members may view this as:

your partner's attempt to diminish their grief