EMT Missed Exam Questions

While working out at the gym, you witness someone collapse. The patient is apneic with a pulse. You begin performing mouth-to-mask ventilations. What percentage of oxygen is your patient receiving? A. 16% B. 21% C. 44% D. 60%

A. 16% Exhaled air/mask to mask ventilations contains about 16% oxygen; Atmospheric air contains 21% oxygen.

When there are signs and symptoms that your patient is hypoxic, you should: A. Administer oxygen at 15 lpm via nonrebreather mask. B. Always obtain a pulse oximeter reading before administering oxygen. C. Contact medical direction to determine the correct oxygen therapy. D. Assess baseline vitals before determining how oxygen should be administered.

A. Administer oxygen at 15 lpm via nonrebreather mask

Which of the following is true regarding the Emergency Response Guide (ERG): A. The ERG helps identify the evacuation distance for specific hazardous materials. B. The ERG provides off-line medical direction for emergency responders. C. The ERG identifies all additional resources needed for a hazardous materials incident. D. The ERG describes the triage protocol for a hazardous materials incident.

A. The ERG helps identify the evacuation distance for specific hazardous materials

Which of the following is true during inhalation of a spontaneously breathing patient? A. There is a drop in pressure within the thorax. B. There is an increase in pressure within the thorax. C. Air is being pushed into the lungs. D. The diaphragm and intercostal muscles are relaxed.

A. There is a drop in pressure within the thorax During inhalation of a spontaneously breathing patient, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles are contracting. There is a drop in pressure within the thorax and air is pulled in, not pushed

An elderly female reportedly had a severe headache for the last 24 hours. She was recently found unconscious in bed. Her family reports she has a history of hypertension and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). The patient's current condition is most likely due to: A. a hemorrhagic stroke. B. a cardiac emergency. C. another TIA. D. a migraine headache.

A. a hemorrhagic stroke

Acute hypoglycemia typically causes: A. a sudden loss of consciousness. B. a gradual decrease in level of consciousness. C. severe respiratory distress. D. an increase in blood glucose levels.

A. a sudden loss of consciousness

Which of the following signs of hypoxia is more common in pediatric patients? A. bradycardia B. anxiety C. tachycardia D. restlessness

A. bradycardia

Nerve agents and choking agents are examples of: A. chemical agents. B. nuclear weapons. C. biological agents. D. radiological weapons.

A. chemical agents

You are caring for a 10-year-old child who was an unrestrained passenger in a vehicle that was struck from the rear. The child complains of neck pain. Which of the following should be done first? A. manual cervical spine precautions. B. apply an appropriately sized cervical collar. C. assess pulse, motor, sensation in all extremities. D. perform a secondary assessment.

A. manual cervical spine precautions

Which of the following is a common cause of seizures? A. poisoning B. orthopedic injury C. myocardial infarction D. Burn injuries

A. poisoning Common causes of seizures include acidosis, epilepsy, infection, diabetic emergencies, poisoning and overdose, head injury, and stroke.

Your patient is a construction worker who fell from a residential rooftop. He is responsive to pain. Breaths are shallow and irregular. You should: A. provide artificial ventilations with a bag-mask device and high flow oxygen. B. obtain an SaO2 reading before determining if oxygen is necessary. C. apply a nonrebreather mask with high flow oxygen. D. apply a nasal cannula and reassess the patient.

A. provide artificial ventilations with a bag-mask device and high flow oxygen This patient has a significant mechanism of injury, decreased LOC, and shallow, irregular breaths. BVM ventilations are indicated. Do not withhold ventilations to obtain a pulse oximeter reading. The NRB and nasal cannula are inappropriate for patients with inadequate ventilations.

You are caring for an apneic patient with a suspected overdose. You have loaded the patient into the ambulance and entered the patient compartment. You should first: A. put on your seat belt. B. reassess vital signs. C. assess the patient's SaO2. D. contact medical direction.

A. put on your seat belt

A 19-year-old female is found unconscious in her apartment living room. While surveying the apartment, your partner yells from the patient's bedroom "she has an SVN machine in here". This suggests the patient has a history of: A. respiratory problems. B. heart disease. C. drug abuse. D. sleep apnea.

A. respiratory problems An SVN machine is used to nebulize bronchodilator medications.An SVN machine is used to nebulize bronchodilator medications.

You are called for a drowning victim at a family barbecue. Upon arrival, two family members approach you yelling, swearing, and demanding to know what took so long. One of the family members pushes you. You should: A. retreat and request immediate assistance from law enforcement. B. explain to the family where you responded from and why you were delayed. C. order the family members to back off and take you to the patient. D. tell the family that assaulting an EMS provider is a felony.

A. retreat and request immediate assistance from law enforcement

When a pulse oximeter is available, how should oxygen be administered to a patient experiencing chest pain? A. Administer oxygen to maintain a pulse oximeter reading of 93% or less. B. Administer oxygen to maintain a pulse oximeter reading of at least 94%. C. Always administer oxygen at 15 lpm via nonrebreather mask. D. Contact medical direction to determine the correct oxygen therapy.

B. Administer oxygen to maintain a pulse oximeter reading of at least 94% Oxygen should be administered as needed to maintain a pulse oximeter of at least 94%. High flow oxygen is no longer recommended for patients with no signs of hypoxia and a pulse oximeter reading of at least 94%

Which of the following is a component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale? A. Blood pressure B. Arm drift C. Family history D. Grip strength

B. Arm drift FAST

You are caring for an unresponsive diabetic patient with deep, rapid respirations. The patient's blood glucose is 480 mg/dL. What is the most likely cause of this patient's hyperventilations? A. This patient is likely hyperventilating due to severe alkalosis. B. This patient is likely hyperventilating due to severe acidosis. C. This patient's hyperventilations will increase CO2 levels in the blood. D. This patient's hyperventilations will rapidly lower the blood glucose level.

B. This patient is likely hyperventilating due to severe acidosis

Your 67-year-old patient recently began taking a new medication. He is complaining of a sudden onset of severe respiratory distress. He quickly becomes semi-conscious and unable to follow verbal commands. His pulse oximeter (SaO2) is 89%. You should: A. insert an oropharyngeal airway. B. assist ventilations with a BVM. C. apply a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. D. apply high-flow oxygen via NRB.

B. assist ventilations with a BVM

You respond to a preschool facility for an ill child. Upon arrival, you find an unresponsive 8-month-old. The infant has a palpable pulse of 50 beats per minute. Your next action should be to: A. open the airway and assess breathing. B. begin chest compressions. C. immediately transport the child. D. attach the AED.

B. begin chest compressions

In unresponsive patients over one year of age, you should palpate the: A. radial pulse B. carotid pulse C. brachial pulse D. femoral pulse

B. carotid pulse

Which of the following accurately describes supine hypotensive syndrome? A. compression of the descending aorta by the uterus. B. compression of the inferior vena cava by the uterus. C. compression of the heart by the pericardial sac. D. compression of the lung due to air in the thorax.

B. compression of the inferior vena cava by the uterus

Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes: A. decreased respiratory rates. B. increased cardiac output. C. peripheral vasodilation. D. increased blood flow to the digestive tract.

B. increased cardiac output

Which of the following conditions would most likely cause hypovolemic shock? A. a spinal cord injury. B. laceration of the liver. C. insulin shock. D. appendicitis.

B. laceration of the liver

You are treating a patient with respiratory distress. He has a history of multiple myocardial infarctions. Lung sounds indicate pulmonary edema. You note the patient does NOT have any JVD or pedal edema. The patient is most likely experiencing: A. angina. B. left heart failure. C. right heart failure. D. asthma.

B. left heart failure Pulmonary edema indicates possible left heart failure. Pedal edema and JVD indicate possible right heart failure.

Which of the following physiological responses helps protect the body from overheating: A. shivering. B. peripheral vasodilation. C. peripheral vasoconstriction. D. syncope.

B. peripheral vasodilation

Epinephrine stimulates which of the following physiological effects? A. bradypnea. B. tachycardia. C. peripheral vasodilation. D. sedation.

B. tachycardia

Select the patient condition that is most likely to require transport to a specialized facility. A. Dyspnea. B. Diabetic emergency. C. Cerebrovascular accident. D. Syncopal episode.

C. Cerebrovascular accident

While attempting to restrain a combative patient, your partner was bitten on the arm. Which of the following is true of bite wounds? A. Human bites pose little risk of infection. B. Human saliva carries strong anticoagulant enzymes. C. Human bites pose a high risk of infection. D. Human bites are not dangerous if all vaccines are up to date.

C. Human bites pose a high risk of infection

Severe internal bleeding is most likely following an injury to which of the following organs? A. The stomach. B. The appendix. C. The spleen. D. The gallbladder.

C. The spleen The risk of internal bleeding is much greater with injury to solid organs, such as the spleen. The stomach, appendix, and gallbladder are hollow organs (Infectious).

While assessing an unresponsive patient, you discover a penetrating wound to the anterior chest. You should first: A. apply a trauma dressing. B. continue your assessment. C. apply an occlusive dressing. D. assess the blood pressure.

C. apply an occlusive dressing

Your female patient complains of vaginal bleeding. She is alert, denies trauma, and states she is not pregnant. You should: A. expose the patient and assess for signs of trauma. B. advise the patient to refuse treatment. C. assess the patient for signs of hypoperfusion. D. call for law enforcement and wait to begin treatment.

C. assess the patient for signs of hypoperfusion

Which of the following provides oxygenated blood directly to the heart? A. cerebral arteries. B. carotid arteries. C. coronary arteries. D. femoral arteries.

C. coronary arteries The coronary arteries provide oxygenated blood to the heart. The carotid and cerebral arteries provide blood to the brain. The femoral arteries are located in the leg.

You are called for a child with an altered level of consciousness. Her parents report a recent history of increased appetite, thirst, and frequent urination. The child's blood glucose is 350 mg/dL. The child is most likely experiencing: A. insulin shock. B. hypoglycemia. C. diabetic ketoacidosis. D. water intoxication.

C. diabetic ketoacidosis The patient is presenting with the classic signs of untreated DKA (polydipsia, polyuria, polyphagia)

A patient with an isolated concussion injury will likely: A. get progressively worse over time. B. lose consciousness for long periods. C. progressively improve over time. D. require an extended hospital stay.

C. progressively improve over time Concussion patients typically improve over time, they do NOT typically get worse. A head injury patient that loses consciousness for long periods or requires an extended hospital stay likely has injuries beyond a concussion.

You are caring for a 3-year-old patient in cardiac arrest. What is the correct compression to ventilation ratio for two-person CPR on this patient? A. 3 compressions to 1 ventilation. B. 5 compressions to 1 ventilation. C. 15 compressions to 2 ventilations. D. 30 compressions to 2 ventilations.

D. 30 compressions to 2 ventilations

Which of the following statements about use of the automated external defibrillator (AED) is correct? A. The AED should not be used on children less than 1 year of age. B. The AED should not be used on children weighing less than 90 pounds. C. Adult AED pads should never be used on pediatric patients. D. Adult AED pads can be used on pediatric patients if pediatric pads are not available.

D. Adult AED pads can be used on pediatric patients if pediatric pads are not available

Your 5-year-old patient is unresponsive. A carotid pulse is present at 40 beats per minute. Breaths are shallow at six per minute. You should immediately: A. Apply a nonrebreather mask B. Begin artificial ventilations C. Place the patient in the recovery position D. Begin chest compressions

D. Begin chest compressions CPR, beginning with chest compressions, is indicated for unresponsive children with a pulse rate below 60

Your patient is unresponsive following blunt trauma to the head. Which of the following is the EMT's first priority for an unresponsive patient? A. Assess respiratory rate. B. Open the airway. C. Perform a SAMPLE history. D. Determine if CPR is indicated

D. Determine if CPR is indicated

Which of the following statements regarding febrile seizures is correct? A. Febrile seizures are the most dangerous type of seizure for pediatric patients. B. Febrile seizures are usually the result of trauma. C. Febrile seizures typically occur due to hypoglycemia. D. Febrile seizures pose little risk of permanent injury.

D. Febrile seizures pose little risk of permanent injury

Esophageal varices typically occurs in patients with a history of: A. nose bleeds. B. appendicitis. C. epiglottitis. D. alcohol abuse.

D. alcohol abuse

A nonrebreather mask should be administered to patients who: A. have slow, shallow respirations. B. have a reduced tidal volume. C. are breathing inadequately. D. are breathing adequately with signs of hypoxia.

D. are breathing adequately with signs of hypoxia

Your 6-year-old patient jumped from a swing and injured his right leg. You note deformity to the right leg above the ankle. The patient most likely has a fracture to the: A. proximal radius. B. distal ulna. C. proximal fibula. D. distal tibia.

D. distal tibia The radius and ulna are located in the arm, not the leg. A proximal fibula injury would be closer to the knee, not the ankle.

The most common weapon of mass destruction used by terrorists is: A. nuclear weapons. B. biological weapons. C. chemical weapons. D. explosive weapons.

D. explosive weapons

Recommendations for an EMS call involving a behavioral patient include: A. telling the patient you will determine if he is competent. B. blocking the exits so the patient does not leave. C. asking your partner to leave you alone with the patient. D. not lying to the patient when answering his questions.

D. not lying to the patient when answering his questions

You are called for a 24-year-old female who is 28 weeks pregnant. You find the patient supine in bed complaining of severe weakness, dizziness, and nausea. Which of the following is your first priority? A. ask the patient if she is expecting twins. B. assess the patient's blood glucose level. C. determine the patient's SAMPLE history. D. place the patient on her left side.

D. place the patient on her left side

Which of the following vessels carries deoxygenated blood? A. aorta. B. renal artery. C. pulmonary veins. D. pulmonary arteries.

D. pulmonary arteries The pulmonary arteries are the only arteries which carry deoxygenated blood. The pulmonary veins are the only veins which carry oxygenated blood.

Your patient has been exposed to a chemical that over-stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. You would expect this patient to exhibit: A. dilated pupils. B. dry mouth. C. hypertension. D. vomiting.

D. vomiting The parasympathetic nervous system exerts control over digestive functions. Over stimulation can lead to vomiting. Dilated pupils, dry mouth, and hypertension are more likely caused by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system.