EMT Tests
Which of the following medications would indicate that a patient has a history of seizures?
Levetiracetam (Keppra)
When assessing the pulse of an unresponsive infant, you should palpate the ________ artery. Group of answer choices
brachial
A medication with antagonistic properties is one that:
blocks receptor sites and prevents other chemicals from attaching to them.
Which of the following interventions is the MOST critical to the outcome of a patient with multisystem trauma?
Rapid transport to a trauma center
Common signs and symptoms of severe hyperglycemia include all of the following, EXCEPT:
cool, clammy skin.
Classic signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia include
cool, clammy skin; weakness; tachycardia; and rapid respirations.
All of the following snakes are pit vipers, except for the:
coral snake
Nitroglycerin relieves cardiac-related chest pain by:
dilating the coronary arteries and improving cardiac blood flow.
A patient in cardiac arrest is wearing an external defibrillator vest, which is interfering with effective chest compressions. The EMT should:
remove the battery from the monitor and then remove the vest.
The first step in assessing a patient with a behavioral emergency is to:
ensure your safety
It is common for young females who experience their first menstrual period to:
experience abdominal cramping, which may be misinterpreted
At the onset of an acute asthma attack, patients commonly experience difficulty breathing and:
expiratory wheezing.
Posttraumatic stress disorder can happen after:
exposure to or injury from a traumatic occurrence
Anaphylaxis is MOST accurately defined as a(n):
extreme allergic reaction that may affect multiple body systems.
Reassessment of a patient with a medical complaint should begin by:
repeating the primary assessment.
A 56-year-old male has an incomplete avulsion to his right forearm. After controlling any bleeding from the wound, you should:
replace the avulsed flap to its original position and cover it with a sterile dressing.
An 8-year-old male was bitten by a stray dog. He has a large laceration to the back of his left hand, which your partner covered with a sterile dressing and bandage. In addition to transporting the child to the hospital, you should:
report the incident to the appropriate authorities.
Risk factors for AMI that cannot be controlled include:
family history.
Status epilepticus is characterized by:
prolonged seizures without a return of consciousness.
Nitroglycerin, when given to patients with cardiac-related chest pain:
relaxes the walls of the coronary arteries.
When treating a patient with chest pain, you should assume that he or she is having an AMI because:
the cause of the pain cannot be diagnosed in the field.
When forming your general impression of a patient with a medical complaint, it is important to remember that:
the conditions of many medical patients may not appear serious at first.
An air embolism associated with diving occurs when
the diver holds his or her breath during a rapid ascent.
The main benefit of using a mechanical piston device for chest compressions is:
the elimination of rescuer fatigue that results from manual compressions.
A person who routinely misuses a substance and requires increasing amounts to achieve the same effect is experiencing:
tolerance
Most of the serious injuries associated with scuba diving are caused by:
too rapid of a descent.
Which of the following statements regarding the use of an AED in children is correct?
AEDs can be used safely on infants and children by using pediatric pads and an energy reducer.
Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of artifact on an ECG tracing?
Abnormal cardiac electrical activity
Which of the following is a major difference between angina pectoris and AMI?
Anginal pain typically subsides with rest.
Which of the following is a severe burn in a 2-year-old child?
Any full-thickness burn, regardless of its location on the body
Which of the following is not considered a basic technique when controlling bleeding?
Apply a cervical collar and place the patient on a long backboard.
A patient is bleeding severely from a severed femoral artery high in the groin region. Which of the following would most likely control the bleeding?
Apply a topical hemostatic agent with direct pressure.
A 58-year-old male presents with confusion, right-sided weakness, and slurred speech. His airway is patent, and his breathing is adequate. His wife is present and is very upset. Which of the following has the MOST immediately priority?
Asking his wife when she noticed the symptoms
Which of the following will MOST reliably allow you to determine the nature of a patient's illness?
Asking questions related to the chief complaint
While auscultating an elderly woman's breath sounds, you hear low-pitched "rattling" sounds at the bases of both of her lungs. This finding is MOST consistent with which of the following conditions?
Aspiration pneumonia
Activated charcoal may be indicated for a patient who ingested:
Aspirin
Which of the following is an example of a generic of a drug?
Aspirin
Which of the following medications is commonly given to patients with chest pain to prevent blood clots from forming or getting bigger?
Aspirin
Which of the following is the MOST reliable method of estimating a patient's cardiac output?
Assess the heart rate and strength of the pulse.
According to the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, an EMT should be able to:
Assist a patient with certain prescribed medications
An EMT may administer aspirin to a patient if:
Authorization from medical control has been obtained
Which of the following skills or interventions is included at every level of prehospital emergency training?
Automated external defibrillation
Which of the following sets of vital signs would the EMT most likely encounter in a patient with acute cocaine overdose?
BP, 200/100 mm Hg; pulse, 150 beats/min
Which of the following MOST accurately describes septic shock?
Bacterial damage to the vessel wall, leaking blood vessels, and vasodilation
You are treating a 45-year-old woman who was stung by a hornet and has a rash. She tells you that she is allergic to hornets and has her own epinephrine auto-injector. She also tells you that she takes medication for hypertension. Her breath sounds do not reveal any wheezing, her breathing is unlabored, and her blood pressure is 154/94 mm Hg. What should you do if you are not able to make contact with medical control?
Begin transport to the hospital and closely monitor her condition while en route.
____________ is what you can see of a person's response to the environment.
Behavior
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 conditions is the diabetic patient at an increased risk of developing?
Blindness
Which of the following MOST accurately describes the cause of an ischemic stroke?
Blockage of a cerebral artery
Which of the following is NOT a function of the sympathetic nervous system?
Constriction of blood vessels in the muscles
Which of the following statements regarding glucose is correct?
Glucose is a simple sugar that is readily absorbed by the cells.
When a woman presents with abdominal pain or other vague symptoms, the EMT is often unable to determine the nature of the problem until he or she:
Has gathered patient history information
A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped before you arrived at the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your questions appropriately, and refuses EMS transport. Which of the following would be the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of transport?
He is currently not prescribed any medications.
Which of the following statements regarding hepatitis A is correct?
Hepatitis A can only be transmitted by a patient who has an acute infection.
Which of the following would be the least likely cause of an altered level of consciousness in a patient with a burn?
Hypertension
Which of the following conditions is NOT a common cause of seizures?
Hypotension
Which of the following signs or symptoms would you NOT expect to encounter in a patient with congestive heart failure?
Hypotension and flat jugular veins
Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and symptoms of a stroke?
Hypovolemia
The continuous quality improvement (CQI) process is designed to:
Identify areas of improvement and provide remedial training if needed
In which of the following situations should the EMT splint an injured limb in the position of deformity?
If resistance is encountered or the patient experiences severe pain
Which of the following statements regarding the pain associated with AMI is correct?
It can occur during exertion or when the patient is at rest.
Which of the following statements regarding striated muscle is correct?
It forms the major muscle mass of the body and usually crosses at least one joint.
What is the function of the left atrium?
It receives oxygenated blood from the lungs.
Heroin is an example of a(n):
Opioid
Which of the following medication routes has the slowest rate of absorption?
Oral
Airborne substances should be diluted with:
Oxygen
Which of the following statements regarding the epinephrine auto-injector is correct?
The epinephrine auto-injector delivers a preset amount of the drug.
Which of the following body systems or components is the least critical for supplying and maintaining adequate blood flow to the body?
The filtering of blood cells in the spleen
Which of the following statements regarding the hypoxic drive is correct?
The hypoxic drive stimulates a person to breathe on the basis of low oxygen levels.
Which of the following processes occurs during the inflammation phase of the healing process?
The immune system releases histamines, which cause vasodilation and increased capillary permeability, resulting in local redness and swelling.
Which of the following symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's headache is caused by sinus congestion?
The pain is worse when bending over.
Which of the following is a specific example of the Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) model?
The paramedic administers a patients flu vaccination
Which of the following findings would be the mostsignificant when assessing a patient with possible internal bleeding?
The patient takes rivaroxaban (Xarelto).
Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is correct?
The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the bloodstream
Which of the following statements regarding gunshot wounds is correct?
The speed of a bullet has the greatest impact on the injury produced.
EMRs such as firefighters, cops, and park rangers are and integral part of the EMS system because:
They often arrive at the scene before the ambulance and EMTS.
Rapid, labored breathing in a patient with signs and symptoms of AMI should make you suspicious for:
congestive heart failure.
When assessing a patient who is displaying bizarre behavior, the EMT should:
consider that an acute medical illness may be causing the patient's behavior.
The body's natural protective mechanisms against heat loss are:
constriction of blood vessels in the skin and shivering.
You are dispatched to a movie theater for a 39-year-old female with signs and symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. As you are assessing her, she pulls an epinephrine auto-injector out of her purse and hands it to you. After confirming the drug's name and expiration date, you should:
contact medical control
Cardiogenic shock following AMI is caused by:
decreased pumping force of the heart muscle.
A young female is unconscious after intentionally ingesting a large amount of aspirin. You will MOST likely find her respirations:
deep and rapid.
During your assessment of a 70-year-old woman, she tells you that she takes blood-thinning medication and has to wear compression stockings around her legs. This information should make you suspect that she has:
deep vein thrombosis.
Proper procedure for administering oral glucose to a patient includes all of the following, EXCEPT:
ensuring the absence of a gag reflex.
What layer of the skin forms a watertight, protective seal for the body?
epidermis
Which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure?
Which of the following is a metabolic cause of a seizure?
Which of the following is a severe burn in a 65-year-old patient?
Which of the following is a severe burn in a 65-year-old patient?
Which of the following statements regarding sickle cell disease is correct?
Which of the following statements regarding sickle cell disease is correct?
The MOST appropriate treatment for a patient with a mild upper airway obstruction includes:
administering oxygen and transporting immediately.
After taking diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for an allergic reaction, a person begins experiencing drowsiness and a dry mouth. These findings are an example of a(n):
adverse effect.
The determination of whether a medical patient is a high-priority or low-priority transport is typically made:
after the primary assessment has been completed.
Which of the following splinting devices would be most appropriate to use for a patient who has an open fracture of the forearm with external bleeding?
air splint
Delirium tremens (DTs) is a syndrome associated with withdrawal from:
alcohol
Which of the following conditions or situations would MOST likely make excited delirium worse?
alcohol withdrawal
The foreign substance responsible for causing an allergic reaction is called a(n):
allergen
In addition to severe bleeding, the most life-threatening complication associated with an open neck injury is:
an air embolism
An area of swelling or enlargement in a weakened arterial wall is called:
an aneurysm.
An open fracture is most accurately defined as a fracture in which:
an external wound is present over the fracture site.
Which of the following injuries would MOST likely occur as a direct result of the third collision in a motor vehicle crash?
aortic rupture
You respond to the residence of a 55-year-old woman with a possible allergic reaction to peanuts that she ate approximately 30 minutes ago. The patient is conscious and alert, but has diffuse urticaria and the feeling that she has a lump in her throat. As your partner applies oxygen to the patient, you should:
ask her if she has prescribed epinephrine
The MOST common reason that many people experiencing AMI do not seek immediate medical attention is because they:
are in denial.
In general, injected poisons are impossible to dilute or remove because they:
are usually absorbed quickly into the body.
Febrile seizures:
are usually benign but should be evaluated
Regarding musculoskeletal injuries, the zone of injury is defined as the:
area of soft-tissue damage surrounding the injury.
Components of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale include:
arm drift, speech, and facial droop.
The smaller vessels that carry blood away from the heart and connect the arteries to the capillaries are called the:
arterioles
In moving joints, the ends of the bones are covered with:
articular cartilage
The ability of cardiac muscle cells to contract spontaneously without a stimulus from a nerve source is called:
automaticity.
The electrical stimulus that originates in the heart's primary pacemaker is controlled by impulses from the brain that arrive by way of the:
autonomic nervous system.
Your priority in caring for a patient with a surface contact poisoning is to:
avoid contaminating yourself
When treating a patient who experienced a pulmonary blast injury, you should:
avoid giving oxygen under positive pressure.
When treating a partial-thickness burn, you should:
avoid the use of creams, lotions, or antiseptics.
An injury that separates various layers of soft tissue, resulting in complete detachment or a flap of skin, is called a(n):
avulsion
Initial treatment to dislodge a severe foreign body airway obstruction in a responsive infant involves:
back slaps
You and your partner have achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in a patient who was in cardiac arrest. An ALS unit will arrive in less than 2 minutes. The patient remains unresponsive and has slow, irregular breathing. Further treatment for this patient should include:
bag-mask ventilation at 10 breaths/min and assessment of oxygen saturation.
A dysbarism injury refers to the signs and symptoms related to changes in:
barometric pressure
As you enter the residence of a patient who has possibly overdosed, you should:
be alert for personal hazards.
After administering activated charcoal to a patient, it is most important to:
be alert for vomiting
When assessing a patient with a behavioral crisis, you should:
be direct and clearly state your intentions
It is MOST important for the EMT to remember that suicidal patients may:
be homicidal as well
In contrast to a behavioral crisis, a behavioral health emergency occurs when a person:
becomes agitated or violent and is a threat to him- or herself or others.
In anticipation of receiving a fertilized ovum, the lining of the uterine wall:
becomes engorged with blood
You and your partner arrive at the side of a 60-year-old woman who collapsed about 7 minutes ago. She is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. You should:
begin CPR and apply the AED as soon as it is available.
Activated charcoal is given to patients who have ingested certain substances because it:
binds to the substance and prevents absorption.
The major side effect associated with administration of activated charcoal is:
black stools
Alkalosis is a condition that occurs when:
blood acidity is reduced by excessive breathing.
When an electrical impulse reaches the AV node, it is slowed for a brief period of time so that:
blood can pass from the atria to the ventricles.
Bone marrow produces:
blood cells
Patients with generalized hypothermia are at an increased risk of a local cold injury because:
blood is shunted away from the extremities to the body's core.
When assessing a patient with signs and symptoms of shock, it is important to remember that:
blood pressure may be the last measurable factor to change in shock.
Which of the following structures is regulated by smooth muscle?
blood vessels
Hypothermia can worsen internal bleeding secondary to:
blood-clotting abnormalities.
An organ or tissue might better resist damage from hypoperfusion if the:
body's temperature is considerably less than 98.6°F (37.0°C)
The diving reflex might allow a person to survive extended periods of submersion in cold water secondary to:
bradycardia and a slowing of the metabolic rate
The most basic functions of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, and swallowing, are controlled by the:
brain stem.
The inferior vena cava returns deoxygenated blood to the right side of the heart from all of the following areas, EXCEPT the:
brain.
Which of the following statements regarding anaphylactic shock is correct?
Subsequent exposure after sensitization often produces a more severe reaction.
Which of the following conditions is NOT categorized as a psychiatric condition?
Substance abuse
Which of the following clinical signs is MOST suggestive of a ruptured aneurysm?
Sudden, severe headache
Separation is especially an issue with medicine used as a(n):
Suspension
Which of the following statements regarding epinephrine administration via the intramuscular (IM) route is correct?
The 1:1000 concentration should be used.
During an altercation in a bar, two patrons got into a fist fight. The first patient, a 44-year-old female, was struck in the mouth and refuses EMS care. The second patient, a 39-year-old female, has a small laceration to her left knuckle and also refuses EMS care. Which of the following statements regarding this scenario is correct?
The 39-year-old female is at high risk for an infection.
Which of the following statements regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is correct?
The ADA prohibits employers from failing to provide full and equal employment to those who are disabled
Which of the following statements regarding the AED and defibrillation is correct?
The AED will not analyze the rhythm of a moving patient.
Which of the following is an example of a rules-based medication error?
The EMT administers a drug that is not approved by the medical director.
Which of the following statements regarding the NREMT is correct?
The NREMT provides a national standard for EMS testing
Which of the following statements regarding the Salmonella bacterium is correct?
The Salmonella bacterium itself causes food poisoning.
Which of the following statements regarding the rule of nines is correct?
The anterior trunk of an adult is equal to 18% of the body surface area.
Which of the following statements regarding low-energy penetrating injuries is correct?
The area of injury is usually close to the path the object took through the body.
Which of the following most accurately describes hyperthermia?
The body is exposed to more heat than it can lose.
The musculoskeletal system refers to the:
The bones and voluntary muscles of the body.
Which of the following statements regarding glucose is correct?
The brain requires as glucose as much as it requires oxygen.
A 40-year-old patient without a history of seizures experiences a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. The LEAST likely cause of this seizure is:
epilepsy.
Traction splints primarily immobilize and secure fractures of the:
femur
Typical chief complaints in patients with an infectious disease include:
fever, rash, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
Blood that is ejected from the right ventricle:
flows into the pulmonary arteries.
A pleural effusion is MOST accurately defined as:
fluid accumulation outside the lung.
When performing a secondary assessment on a conscious patient with nontraumatic abdominal pain and stable vital signs, you should:
focus on his or her chief complaint
A 27-year-old male was stabbed in the chest during a disagreement at a poker game. As you approach him, you see that a knife is impaled in his chest. Before you make physical contact with the patient, it is MOST important to
follow standard precautions
The spinal cord exits the cranium through the:
foramen magnum.
Signs of a sudden severe upper airway obstruction include all of the following, EXCEPT:
forceful coughing.
The __________ of a medication usually dictates the route by which it will be administered.
form
Hemoglobin is:
found within the red blood cells and is responsible for carrying oxygen.
All of the following terms refer to a body part that is cold but not frozen, except:
frostbite
Common names for activated charcoal include all of the following, except:
fructose
A physiologic disorder that impairs bodily function when the body seems to be structurally normal is called a:
functional disorder
A 67-year-old male presents with weakness, dizziness, and melena that began approximately two days ago. He denies a history of trauma. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg and his pulse is 120 beats/min and thready. You should be mostsuspicious that this patient is experiencing:
gastrointestinal bleeding
What medication form does oral glucose come in?
gel
Which of the following descriptions most accurately portrays emergency medical services(EMS)?
geneA team of health care professionals who are responsible for providing emergency care and transportation to the sick and injured.
The BEST way to prevent infection from whooping cough is to:
get vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
Whenever possible, a female sexual assault victim should be:
given the option of being treated by a female EMT
The mental status of a patient who has experienced a generalized seizure:
is likely to improve over a period of 5 to 30 minutes
In contrast to viral hepatitis, toxin-induced hepatitis:
is not a communicable disease.
The secondary assessment of a medical patient:
is not practical if the patient is critically ill or your transport time is short.
A 28-year-old female patient is found to be responsive to verbal stimuli only. Her roommate states that she was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and has had difficulty controlling her blood sugar level. She further tells you that the patient has been urinating excessively and has progressively worsened over the last 24 to 36 hours. On the basis of this patient's clinical presentation, you should suspect that she:
is significantly hyperglycemic.
A patient should be placed in the recovery position when he or she:
is unresponsive, uninjured, and breathing adequately.
Because the stinger of a honeybee remains in the wound following a sting
it can continue to inject venom for up to 20 minutes.
The AED is MOST advantageous to the EMT because:
it delivers prompt defibrillation to patients with ventricular fibrillation.
For sweating to be an effective cooling mechanism:
it must evaporate from the body.
Hypotension in a child with blunt or penetrating trauma is particularly significant because:
it often indicates the loss of half of his or her blood volume.
Early signs and symptoms of viral hepatitis include all of the following, EXCEPT:
jaundice and abdominal pain.
Which of the following maneuvers should be used to open a patient's airway when a spinal injury is suspected?
jaw-thrust
A 17-year-old female dislocated her patella while playing soccer. Her knee is flexed, and she complains of severe pain. You should:
keep her knee flexed and secure it with padded board splints.
When documenting a call in which a female was sexually assaulted, you should:
keep the report concise and record only what the patient stated in her own words.
Care for a patient with a fractured tibia and suspected compartment syndrome includes:
keeping the leg at the level of the heart.
The energy of a moving object is called:
kinetic energy
A hematoma develops when:
large blood vessels beneath the skin are damaged.
Approximately 25% of severe injuries to the aorta occur during:
lateral collisions
The adult epinephrine auto-injector delivers ______ mg of epinephrine, and the infant-child auto-injector delivers ______ mg.
lateral portion of the thigh
When splinting a possible fracture of the foot, it is most important for the EMT to:
leave the toes exposed.
Regarding the pediatric rule of nines, the:
legs are proportionately smaller than an adult's legs.
Bones are connected to other bones by bands of tough fibrous tissues called:
ligaments
Law enforcement personnel request your assistance for a 30-year-old man who was pulled over for erratic driving. The patient became acutely violent while he was being questioned, which required one of the officers to subdue him with a Taser. When you arrive and assess the patient, you find that he is very agitated and is experiencing apparent hallucinations. His skin is flushed and diaphoretic. You should:
limit physical contact with the patient as much as possible and avoid interrupting him if he is attempting to communicate with you.
When caring for a patient with an altered mental status and signs of circulatory compromise, you should:
limit your time at the scene to 10 minutes or less, if possible.
The physical examination of a sexual assault victim should be:
limited to a brief survey for life-threatening injuries
Potentially life-threatening consequences of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) include:
ovarian abscess and ectopic pregnancy
EMTs arrive at the scene of a patient who was "found down." A family member states that she gave naloxone (Narcan) to the patient before the ambulance arrived. The EMTs should suspect that the patient:
overdosed on an opioid drug.
The greatest danger in displaying a personal bias or "labeling" a patient who frequently calls EMS is:
overlooking a potentially serious medical condition.
Hypotension, hypoventilation, and pinpoint pupils would be expected following an overdose of:
oxycodone (Percocet)
Which of the following drugs is not a sedative-hypnotic?
oxycodone (Percocet)
In order for efficient pulmonary gas exchange to occur:
oxygen and carbon dioxide must be able to freely diffuse across the alveolar-capillary membrane.
Early signs and symptoms of intra-abdominal bleeding include:
pain and distention
Common signs and symptoms of AMI include all of the following, EXCEPT:
pain exacerbated by breathing.
Signs and symptoms of an air embolism include all of the following, except:
pale skin
An EMS provider who has extensive training in various aspects of advanced life support (ALS) is called a(n):
paramedic
Cardiac monitoring, pharmacologic interventions, and other advanced treatment skills are functions of the:
paramedic
A fracture caused by minimal force that is associated with diseases such as cancer and osteoporosis is called a __________ fracture.
pathologic
After an advanced airway device has been inserted during two-rescuer CPR, you should:
pause compressions to deliver ventilations.
The EMT should use an AED on a child between 1 month and 8 years of age if:
pediatric pads and an energy-reducing device are available.
Burns to pediatric patients are generally considered more serious than burns to adults because:
pediatric patients have more surface area relative to total body mass.
In ___________ administration, you are administering medication to yourself or your partner.
peer-assisted
Your initial attempt to ventilate an unresponsive, apneic 30-year-old man is met with resistance and you do not see the chest rise. Your second ventilation attempt is also unsuccessful. You should:
perform 30 chest compressions.
The EMT must assume that any unwitnessed water-related incident is accompanied by:
possible spinal injury
A 45-year-old female was the unrestrained passenger of a small car that rear-ended another vehicle at a moderate rate of speed. She is conscious and alert but complains of pain to both of her knees. There is visible damage to the dashboard on the passenger's side of the vehicle. In addition to fractures or dislocations of the knees, you should be mostsuspicious for:
posterior hip dislocation
A 30-year-old male sustained a stab wound to the neck when he was attacked outside a nightclub. During your assessment, you should be MOST alert for:
potential airway compromise
A 59-year-old male presents with severe vomiting and diarrhea of 3 days' duration. He is confused and diaphoretic, and his radial pulses are absent. His blood pressure is 78/50 mm Hg. After applying supplemental oxygen, you should:
prepare for immediate transport
You have just completed your primary assessment of a 48-year-old man with crushing chest pain and difficulty breathing. The patient has been given 324 mg of aspirin and is receiving supplemental oxygen. As you begin your secondary assessment, you note that his mental status has deteriorated and he is now bradycardic. You should:
prepare the patient for immediate transport.
A 22-year-old male was kicked in the abdomen multiple times during an assault. He is conscious but restless and his pulse is rapid. His skin is cold and moist. Your assessment reveals a large area of bruising to the right upper quadrant of his abdomen. The most appropriate treatment for this patient includes:
preparing for immediate transport.
A 30-year-old man complains of severe pain to his right tibia after an injury that occurred the day before. The patient's leg is pale, and he is unable to move his foot. The EMT should suspect that:
pressure in the fascial compartment is elevated.
The primary purpose for splinting a musculoskeletal injury is to:
prevent further injury.
Aspirin is beneficial to patients suspected of having a heart attack because it:
prevents the aggregation of platelets.
When assessing a patient who experienced a blast injury, it is important to remember that:
primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.
Factors that increase the risk for developing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) include:
prolonged hospitalization, especially in an intensive care unit.
CPR will NOT be effective if the patient is:
prone
Which of the following criteria is required to become licensed and employed as an EMT?
proof of immunization against certain communicable diseases
Immediately after giving an epinephrine injection, you should:
properly disposed of the syringe
You are transporting a 28-year-old man with a frostbitten foot. The patient's vital signs are stable, and he denies any other injuries or symptoms. The weather is treacherous, and your transport time to the hospital is approximately 45 minutes. During transport, you should:
protect the affected part from further injury
Law enforcement personnel request your assistance to assess a 31-year-old female who was sexually assaulted. When you arrive at the scene, you find the patient sitting on a curb outside her apartment. She is conscious, alert, and crying. When you ask her what happened, she tells you that she does not want to be treated or transported to the hospital. She further tells you that all she wants to do is clean up. You should:
provide emotional support and visually assess her for obvious trauma.
A 22-year-old female patient is complaining of dyspnea and numbness and tingling in her hands and feet after an argument with her fiancé. Her respirations are 40 breaths/min. You should
provide reassurance and give oxygen as needed.
A 20-year-old male was pulled from cold water by his friends. The length of his submersion is not known and was not witnessed. You perform a primary assessment and determine that the patient is apneic and has a slow, weak pulse. You should:
provide rescue breathing, remove his wet clothing, immobilize his entire spine, keep him warm, and transport carefully.
A 29-year-old female presents with confusion and disorientation. Her respirations are rapid and shallow, and her pulse is 120 beats/min and thready. She is markedly diaphoretic and has an oxygen saturation of 89%. You should:
provide ventilatory support.
A "hip" fracture is actually a fracture of the:
proximal femur
Temporary, widespread vasodilation and syncope caused by a sudden nervous system reaction MOST accurately describes:
psychogenic shock.
Patients with thrombophilia are at an increased risk for:
pulmonary embolism.
The left ventricle has the thickest walls because it:
pumps blood into the aorta and systemic circulation.
When the speed of a motor vehicle doubles, the amount of kinetic energy:
quadruples
You are dispatched to a convenience store for a patient who passed out. Upon arriving at the scene, you find two off-duty EMTs performing CPR on the patient, a 58-year-old male. Your initial action should be to:
quickly attach the AED and push the analyze button.
High air temperature reduces the body's ability to lose heat by:
radiation.
Which of the following statements regarding rape is correct?
rape is a legal term, not a medial diagnosis
A patient with a core body temperature of 95°F (35°C) will most likely experience:
rapid breathing
You are assessing a conscious 55-year-old male with a sudden change in behavior. Which of the following clinical findings would be MOST suggestive of dysfunction of this patient's central nervous system?
rapid eye movement
Immediately after physically restraining a violent patient, the EMT should:
reassess the patients airway and breathing
Ventricular tachycardia causes hypotension because:
the left ventricle does not adequately fill with blood.
A patient with atherosclerotic heart disease experiences chest pain during exertion because:
the lumen of the coronary artery is narrowed and cannot accommodate increased blood flow
Patients with full-thickness (third-degree) burns generally do not complain of pain because:
the nerve endings have been destroyed.
If a dislocated shoulder has spontaneously reduced before your arrival, the only way to confirm the injury is by noting:
the patient history
You arrive at the home of a 50-year-old female with severe epistaxis. As you are treating her, it is mostimportant to recall that:
the patient is at risk for vomiting and aspiration.
In general, musculoskeletal injuries should be splinted before moving the patient unless:
the patient is clinically unstable.
Prompt transport of a patient with a suspected AMI is important because:
the patient may be eligible to receive thrombolytic therapy.
EMTs receive a call for a possible sexual assault. The patient is a young female who is conscious and alert and has no apparent injuries. She states, "I can't remember anything, but I know I was raped." The EMTs should suspect that:
the patient was given a drug prior to the incident.
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a house fire where firefighters have rescued a 50-year-old male from his burning house. The patient has superficial and partial-thickness burns to his face and chest. His nasal hairs are singed, and he is coughing up sooty sputum. You should be most concerned with:
the potential for airway swelling.
Functions of the skin include all of the following, except:
the production of key antibodies.
The left cerebral hemisphere controls:
the right side of the body.
To protect vital organs, the body compensates by directing blood flow away from organs that are more tolerant of low flow, such as:
the skin
Factors that should be considered when assessing a patient who has fallen include all of the following, EXCEPT:
the speed of the fall
The term "pharmacology" is MOST accurately defined as:
the study of drugs and their actions on the body
Regardless of the type of tourniquet used, it is important to remember that:
the tourniquet should only be removed at the hospital because bleeding might return if the tourniquet is released.
Cardiac output may decrease if the heart beats too rapidly because:
there is not enough time in between contractions for the heart to refill completely.
Passengers who are seated in the rear of a vehicle and are wearing only lap belts have a higher incidence of injuries to the _____________ spine during a rear-end crash.
thoracic and lumbar
When documenting a patient's description of his or her chest pain or discomfort, the EMT should:
use the patient's own words.
The principal clinical difference between a stroke and hypoglycemia is that patients with hypoglycemia:
usually have an altered mental status or decreased level of consciousness.
Which of the following physiologic actions does epinephrine produce when given for an allergic reaction?
vasoconstriction and bronchodilation
External bleeding from a vein is relatively easy to control because:
veins are under a lower pressure.
You receive a call to a residence where a man found his wife unresponsive on the couch. The patient's respiratory rate is 8 breaths/min, her breathing is shallow, her heart rate is 40 beats/min, and her pulse is weak. The husband hands you an empty bottle of hydrocodone (Vicodin), which was refilled the day before. You should:
ventilate her with a bag mask device
Rough handling of a hypothermic patient with a pulse might cause:
ventricular fibrillation.
Sudden death following AMI is MOST often caused by:
ventricular fibrillation.
Capillaries link the arterioles and the:
venules
You may not be able to determine whether a person has a mental illness, but you can predict the person's likelihood of becoming:
violent
Which of the following scenarios is an example of a direct injury?
A passenger fractures her patella after it strikes the dashboard
Which of the following statements regarding the clotting of blood is correct?
A person taking blood thinners will experience slower blood clotting.
In which of the following patients should you remove an impaled object?
A pulseless and apneic patient with a knife impaled in the back
Which of the following MOST accurately describes a focal-onset aware seizure?
A seizure that begins in one extremity
EMTs are dispatched for a teenage male who is "not acting right." When they arrive, they are informed that the patient was huffing. Several cans of Freon are found near the patient. Which of the following is a unique consideration for this patient?
A sudden adrenaline release can cause a fatal dysrhythmia
The determination that prompt surgical care in the hospital is more important that performing time-consuming procedures in the field on a major trauma patient is based mostly on:
EMS research
Which of the following statements regarding electrical burns is correct?
Entrance wounds are small relative to the amount of internal tissue damage.
Which of the following statements regarding penetrating injuries is correct?
External bleeding might be minimal, but internal injuries can be extensive.
Which of the following is LEAST important when obtaining a medical history from a patient complaining of chest discomfort?
Family history of hypertension
In which of the following situations would external bleeding be the most difficult to control?
Femoral artery laceration and a blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg
Which of the following statements regarding fire ants is correct?
Fire ants often bite a person repeatedly.
Complications associated with chest compressions include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Gastric distension
Major risk factors for AMI include all of the following, EXCEPT:
hypoglycemia.
Shock is the result of:
hypoperfusion to the cells of the body.
In an acute injury setting, neurogenic shock is commonly accompanied by:
hypothermia
Advil, Nuprin, and Motrin are trade (brand) names for the generic medication:
ibuprofen
Which of the following medications would the EMT be LEAST likely to administer to a patient with a medical complaint?
ibuprofen
Evaluation of the interior of a crashed motor vehicle during extrication will allow the EMT to:
identify contact points and predict potential injuries.
When obtaining a SAMPLE history from a patient with diabetes who has an altered mental status, it would be MOST important to determine:
if he or she has had any recent illnesses or excessive stress.
Gastric distention will MOST likely occur:
if you ventilate a patient too quickly.
After the AED has delivered a shock, the EMT should:
immediately resume CPR
Functions of dressings and bandages include all of the following, except:
immobilization of the injury.
A 17-year-old football player collided with another player and has pain to his left clavicle. He is holding his arm against his chest and refuses to move it. Your assessment reveals obvious deformity to the midshaft clavicle. After assessing distal pulse, sensory, and motor functions, you should:
immobilize the injury with a sling and swathe
During your secondary assessment of a 19-year-old female with multiple traumas, you note bilateral humeral deformities and a deformity to the left midshaft femur. Her skin is diaphoretic, and her pulse is rapid and weak. Your partner has appropriately managed her airway and is maintaining manual stabilization of her head. The most appropriate treatment for this patient includes:
immobilizing her to a backboard and rapidly transporting.
Asthma is caused by a response of the:
immune system.
When splinting an injury of the wrist, the hand should be placed:
in a functional position
When obtaining a 12-lead ECG, the patient should be:
in a supine position with legs uncrossed.
In a healthy individual, the brain stem stimulates breathing on the basis of:
increased carbon dioxide levels.
Cardiogenic shock may result from all of the following, EXCEPT:
increased preload
Shivering is a mechanism in which the body generates heat by:
increasing the metabolic rate.
Obtaining continuing medical education is the responsibility of the:
individual EMT
A hypnotic drug is one that:
induces sleep
In addition to external bleeding, the most significant risk that an open soft-tissue injury exposes a patient to is:
infection
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:
influenza.
Most poisonings occur via the __________ route.
ingestion
The most reliable indicator of an underlying fracture is:
point tenderness
Excessive eating caused by hunger is called:
polyphagia
Patients develop septic shock secondary to:
poor vessel function and severe volume loss
Crepitus and false motion are:
positive indicators of a fracture.
Common causes of acute psychotic behavior include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Alzheimer's disease
Glipiside, a non-insulin-type medication, is another name for
Glucotrol
For which of the following conditions is albuterol prescribed?
asthma
All of the following conditions should make you suspect shock, EXCEPT:
ischemic stroke
An EMT's primary responsibility to the patient who has been poisoned is to:
recognize that a poisoning occurred
The adult epinephrine auto-injector delivers ______ mg of epinephrine, and the infant-child auto-injector delivers ______ mg.
0.3; 0.15
A fractured femur can result in the loss of ______ or more of blood into the soft tissues of the thigh.
1 L
The effects of epinephrine are typically observed within _________ following administration.
1 minute
According to the rule of palm method for estimating the extent of a patient's burns, the palm of the patient's hand is equal to _____ of his or her total body surface area.
1%
Femoral shaft fractures can result in up to _____ mL of internal blood loss.
1,000
When administering epinephrine via auto-injector, you should hold the injector in place for:
10 seconds
What is the minimum number of chest compressions that should be delivered per minute to a 4-month-old infant?
100
An infant with a total blood volume of 800 mL would start showing signs of shock when as little as ______ of blood is lost.
100 ml
To ensure that you will deliver the appropriate number of chest compressions during one-rescuer adult CPR, you should compress the patient's chest at a rate of:
100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Your patient answers your questions appropriately, although her eyes remain closed the entire time. She moves each extremity on command, although her left side is weaker than the right. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:
12
What is the correct ratio of compressions to ventilations when performing two-rescuer child CPR?
15:2
A 21-year-old male was working in an auto repair shop and sustained radiator burns to the anterior aspect of both arms and to his anterior chest. According to the rule of nines, this patient has burns that cover _____ of his body surface area.
18%
In infants and children, a capillary refill time that is greater than ______ second(s) is a sign of poor peripheral perfusion.
2
Significant vital sign changes will occur if the typical adult acutely loses more than ______ of his or her total blood volume.
20%
Which of the following is MOST characteristic of adequate breathing?
24 breaths/min with bilaterally equal breath sounds and pink skin
Most patients are instructed by their physician to take up to _______ doses of nitroglycerin before calling EMS.
3
Most patients who die of anaphylaxis do so within the first ____ minutes following exposure.
30
A 5-year-old female pulled a pot of boiling water from the stove. She has superficial and partial-thickness burns to her head, face, and anterior trunk. What percentage of her body surface area has been burned?
30%
In two-rescuer adult CPR, you should deliver a compression to ventilation ratio of:
30:2
After ________ minutes without oxygen, permanent brain damage is possible.
4-6
With the flowmeter set at 6 L/min, the nasal cannula will deliver up to _______ oxygen.
44%
What is the approximate blood volume of an 80-kg adult male?
6.0 L
You should attempt to maintain a chest compression fraction of at least:
60%
In which of the following situations would it be MOST appropriate to utilize an air medical transportation service?
61-year-old man with signs and symptoms of a stroke and your ground transport time is 50 minutes
Which of the following patients is at greatest risk for complications caused by the influenza virus?
68-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes
During your assessment of a patient with a head injury, you note that he opens his eyes when you pinch his trapezius muscle, is mumbling, and has his arms curled in toward his chest. You should assign him a GCS score of:
7
Your patient opens his eyes, moans, and pulls away from you when you pinch his trapezius muscle. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:
8
The normal blood glucose level is between:
80 and 120 mg/dL
Your patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13, a systolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg, and a respiratory rate of 8 breaths/min. His revised trauma score (RTS) is:
9
A person's ability to shiver is lost when his or her body temperature falls below:
90°F (32°C).
Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below:
95°F (35°C).
Which of the following patients would MOST likely demonstrate typical signs of infection, such as a fever?
A 17-year-old male with anxiety
Which of the following patients is in decompensated shock?
A 20-year-old female with absent radial pulses and dilated pupils
Which of the following patients would MOST likely have a delayed onset of an allergic reaction?
A 45-year-old male who ingested penicillin
Which of the following scenarios involves administration of ALS?
A 48- year-old patient whose airway is secured with a supraglottic device
To which of the following diabetic patients should you administer oral glucose?
A confused 55-year-old male with tachycardia and pallor
A patient with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) tells you that the device's pump flow is continuous. Which of the following should you expect to encounter during your assessment?
Absence of a palpable pulse
Clinical signs of compensated shock include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Absent peripheral pulses
EMS as we know it today had its origins in 1966 with the publication of:
Accidental Death and Disability; The Neglected Disease of Modern Society
A patient tells you that he has a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Which of the following conditions should you suspect that he has experienced?
Acute myocardial infarction
Why are prehospital emergency care guidelines updated on a regular basis?
Additional information and evidence indicate that the effectiveness of certain interventions has changed
A 37-year-old male is having a severe allergic reaction to penicillin. He does not have an epinephrine auto-injector, and your protocols do not allow you to carry epinephrine on the ambulance. How should you proceed with the treatment of this patient?
Administer oxygen, transport at once, and request a paramedic intercept.
Which of the following represents the MOST appropriate method of assisting a patient with his or her prescribed nitroglycerin tablet or spray?
Administer the medication sublingually and allow it to dissolve or absorb.
After assisting your patient with prescribed nitroglycerin, you should:
After assisting your patient with prescribed nitroglycerin, you should:
What type of poisoning will cause burns around the mouth in children?
Alkaline poison
Which of the following statements regarding the physical examination of a patient with a behavioral problem is correct?
Although the physical exam can be difficult, the patient's emotional state may be determined by noting facial expressions, pulse rate, and respirations.
In what area of the lungs does respiration occur?
Alveoli
Which of the following errors is an example of knowledge based failure?
An EMT administers the front drug to a patient because she did not know the pertinent information about the drug
Which of the following statements regarding the EMS medical director and an EMT's scope of practice is correct?
An EMT's scope of practice may be expanded by the medical director after proper training and state approval
Which of the following statements regarding the metered-dose inhaler (MDI) is correct?
An MDI delivers the same amount of medication every time it is used.
Which of the following MOST accurately defines an allergic reaction?
An exaggerated immune system response to any substance
Which of the following statements regarding anaphylaxis is correct?
Anaphylaxis is characterized by airway swelling and hypotension.
Which of the following is NOT a BLS intervention?
Cardiac monitoring
Which of the following injuries would MOST likely cause obstructive shock?
Cardiac tamponade
Which of the following is NOT an indication to stop CPR once you have started?
Care is transferred to a bystander.
Which of the following techniques should you use to dislodge a foreign body airway obstruction in a patient who is in an advanced stage of pregnancy or who is very obese?
Chest thrusts
Which of the following is a severe burn in a 35-year-old patient?
Circumferential partial-thickness burn to the ches
Which of the following is NOT one of the three types of collisions in a typical impact in a motor vehicular crash?
Collision of two passenger bodies within the same vehicle
Which of the following is an example of a primary prevention strategy?
Community awareness programs that emphasize the dangers of drinking and driving
Which of the following statements regarding compartment syndrome is correct?
Compartment syndrome typically develops within 6 to 12 hours after an injury.
A small compact car was involved in a rollover crash. As you are approaching the vehicle, you note that the roof is significantly collapsed. The patient, a 29-year-old male, is complaining of severe pain in his neck and to the top of his head as well as numbness and tingling in his extremities. Witnesses who removed the patient from the vehicle state that he was wearing his seatbelt. What injury mechanism is MOST likely responsible for this patient's condition?
Compression of the head against the roof
Which of the following statements regarding crush syndrome is correct?
Compromised arterial blood flow leads to crush syndrome and can occur when an area of the body is trapped for longer than four hours.
Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience during the postictal state that follows a seizure?
Confusion and fatigue
A 33-year-old male sustained an abdominal evisceration to the left lower quadrant of his abdomen after he was cut with a large knife. After appropriately managing his ABCs and assessing him for other life-threatening injuries, how should you care for his wound?
Cover it with moist, sterile gauze and secure with an occlusive dressing.
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of epinephrine?
Decreases heart rate and blood pressure
A 50-year-old man with diabetes has an altered mental status and is unable to tell you when he last ate or took his insulin. Your glucometer keeps malfunctioning and you are unable to determine his blood glucose level. Which of the following clinical signs would MOST likely lead you to the correct diagnosis?
Deep and rapid breathing
A 40-year-old man is in cardiac arrest. Your partner is performing CPR. You are attaching the AED when the patient's wife tells you that he has an automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator (AICD). The AED advises that a shock is indicated. What should you do?
Deliver the shock followed by immediate resumption of CPR.
Which of the following is considered an obvious sign of death and would not require the initiation of CPR?
Dependent blood pooling
Which of the following signs is commonly observed in patients with right-sided heart failure?
Dependent edema
Which of the following medications blocks the release of histamines?
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Which of the following musculoskeletal injuries would most likely result in deformity?
Displaced fracture
A 66-year-old woman presents with a stabbing pain in the middle of her chest that radiates to her back. She tells you that the pain suddenly began about 30 minutes ago and has been severe since the onset. She has a history of hypertension, but admits to being noncompliant with her antihypertensive medications. When you assess her, you find that her blood pressure is significantly higher in her left arm than it is in her right arm. What do these signs and symptoms MOST likely indicate?
Dissecting aortic aneurysm
Which of the following would cause the greatest increase in cardiac output?
Increased heart rate and increased stroke volume
Which of the following medication routes would be the MOST appropriate to use in an unresponsive patient when intravenous access cannot be obtained?
Intraosseous
Which of the following is the MOST rapidly acting medication administration route?
Intravenous (IV)
Which of the following questions would be the MOST pertinent to ask a patient who recently returned from Europe and is now ill?
Is anyone else in your travel party sick?
You are assessing a patient with respiratory distress and are unsure if the cause is congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which of the following clinical signs would be the MOST helpful in determining whether the patient has chronic heart failure or COPD?
Jugular vein distention
Which of the following assessment findings is MOST indicative of a cardiovascular problem?
Jugular venous distention
Which of the following statements regarding lightning strikes is correct?
Lightning strikes might cause cardiac dysrhythmias that spontaneously resolve.
Which of the following is an early sign of pit viper envenomation?
Local swelling and ecchymosis
Which of the following clinical presentations is MOST consistent with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?
Lower abdominal pain, fever, general malaise, and foul-smelling vaginal discharge
Which of the following statements regarding inhaled poisons is correct?
Lung damage might progress after the patient is removed from the environment.
Your patient's symptoms include high fever, cough, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Which of the following should you suspect?
MERS-CoV
Which of the following statements regarding methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is correct?
MRSA is a bacterium that causes infections and is resistant to most antibiotics.
A drug is contraindicated for a patient when it:
May cause harm or have no positive effect
The person who is responsible for authorizing EMTs to perform emergency medical care in the field is the:
Medical director
When assessing a patient with a medical complaint, which of the following would MOST likely reveal the cause of the problem?
Medical history
Which of the following statements regarding shoulder dislocations is correct?
Most shoulder dislocations occur anteriorly
Which of the following would be the least likely to occur in a patient with a core body temperature of between 89°F (32°C) and 92°F (33°C)?
Muscle activity increases
EMT training in nearly every state meets or exceeds the guidelines recommended by the:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Which of the following findings should concern the EMT the MOST when assessing a patient who complains of a headache?
Neck stiffness or pain
When gathering a patient's medications, you find the following: Isordil, Lasix, Nexium, and digoxin. Which of these medications can be obtained over-the-counter (OTC)?
Nexium
Which of the following statements regarding nitroglycerin is correct?
Nitroglycerin usually relieves anginal chest pain within 5 minutes.
Of the following musculoskeletal injuries, which is the least severe?
Nondisplaced pelvic fracture
Which of the following is characteristic of a focal-onset aware seizure?
Normal level of consciousness
Which type of medical direction do standing orders and protocols describe?
Off-line
A team of EMTs and paramedics are attempting to resuscitate a man who is in cardiac arrest while his wife and son are present. Which of the following should occur during the resuscitation attempt?
One EMT should update the family on the interventions that have been performed and how the patient has responded.
A 60-year-old male presents with acute respiratory distress. He is conscious and alert, has pink and dry skin, and has respirations of 22 breaths/min with adequate depth. Which of the following treatments is MOST appropriate for this patient?
Oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and a focused secondary assessment
Which of the following statements regarding pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is correct?
PID can scar the fallopian tubes, which increases the risk of an ectopic pregnancy.
Which of the following is a sign of compartment syndrome?
Pain upon passive movement of the injury site
Which of the following statements regarding gonorrhea is correct?
Painful urination is a common symptom of gonorrhea in men and women.
Which of the following statements regarding parenteral medications is correct?
Parenteral medications are absorbed more quickly than enteral medications.
Which of the following statements regarding drowning is correct?
Patients with a submersion injury might deteriorate rapidly because of pulmonary injury and cerebral hypoxia.
Which of the following statements regarding hemophilia is correct?
Patients with hemophilia might bleed spontaneously.
Which of the following musculoskeletal injuries would pose the greatest threat to a patient's life?
Pelvic fracture with hypotension
Which of the following fractures has the greatest potential for internal blood loss and shock?
Pelvis
Which of the following occurs after tissues are injured?
Platelets collect at the injury site.
By what mechanism is a person injured when he or she falls from a significant height?
Potential energy is converted to kinetic energy; the kinetic energy is then converted into the work of bringing the body to a stop.
CPR is in progress on a pregnant woman. Shortly after manually displacing her uterus to the left, return of spontaneous circulation occurs. Which of the following would MOST likely explain this?
Pressure was relieved from her aorta and vena cava, which improved chest compression effectiveness
A 66-year-old woman experienced a sudden onset of difficulty breathing. She has a history of type 2 diabetes and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). On the basis of her medical history, which of the following should the EMT suspect?
Pulmonary embolism
Which of the following blood vessels transports oxygenated blood?
Pulmonary veins
Which of the following statements regarding pulse oximetry is correct?
Pulse oximetry measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen but does not measure the actual hemoglobin content of the blood.
Which of the following is NOT a common sign or symptom associated with malfunction of an implanted cardiac pacemaker?
Rapid heart rate
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?
Recent travel
Which of the following conditions would MOST likely affect the entire brain?
Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
Which of the following veins is located inferior to the trunk?
Saphenous
Which of the following conditions would be LEAST likely to result in hypoxia?
Severe anxiety
Which of the following statements regarding severe burns is correct?
Severe burns are typically a combination of all degrees of burns.
Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) would MOST likely be contraindicated in which of the following situations?
Shortness of breath and a blood pressure of 76/56 mm Hg
A 59-year-old male with a history of emphysema complains of an acute worsening of his dyspnea and pleuritic chest pain following a forceful cough. Your assessment reveals that he has a barrel-shaped chest, unilaterally diminished breath sounds, and tachycardia. What is the MOST likely cause of this patient's condition?
Spontaneous pneumothorax
Which of the following conditions often requires transport to a hospital with specialized capabilities that may not be available at the closest hospital?
Stroke and heart attack
Which of the following statements regarding the dermis is correct?
The dermis contains hair follicles, sweat glands, and nerve endings.
Which of the following would MOST likely provide clues regarding the source of a patient's allergic reaction?
The environment in which the patient is found
Hyperventilation could be associated with all of the following, EXCEPT:
a narcotic overdose.
Which of the following medication routes delivers a drug through the skin over an extended period of time, such as a nitroglycerin or fentanyl patch?
Transcutaneous
Which of the following is an example of a trade (brand) name of a drug?
Tylenol
Which of the following statements regarding ventricular fibrillation (VF) is correct?
VF results in an absence of forward blood flow.
Albuterol is a generic name for:
Ventolin.
Which of the following cardiac dysrhythmias has the greatest chance of deteriorating into a pulseless rhythm?
Ventricular tachycardia
Which of the following signs or symptoms would the EMT MOST likely encounter in a patient with new-onset type 1 diabetes?
Weight loss and polyuria
Which of the following questions would be leastpertinent during the initial questioning of a patient who ingested a substance?
Why was the substance ingested?
You are assessing a 33-year-old male who complains of severe abdominal pain, weakness, and nausea. He tells you that he was gathering wood to build a fire when he felt a sudden, sharp pain on the back of his hand. Your assessment reveals that the patient's abdomen is rigid and painful to palpation. You should suspect:
a black widow spider bite.
Common signs and symptoms of a hypertensive emergency include:
a bounding pulse, a severe headache, and dizziness.
A fracture is most accurately defined as a(n):
a break in the continuity of a bone
Most prehospital cardiac arrests in adults occur as the result of:
a cardiac dysrhythmia.
For electricity to flow through the body and cause damage:
a complete circuit must exist between the electrical source and the ground.
Organic brain syndrome is defined as:
a dysfunction of the brain caused by abnormal physical or physiological function
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a term used to describe:
a group of symptoms that are caused by myocardial ischemia.
When administering naloxone (Narcan) via the intranasal route, the EMT should administer:
a half dose into each nostril
A 75-year-old male with type 1 diabetes presents with chest pain and a general feeling of weakness. He tells you that he took his insulin today and ate a regular meal approximately 2 hours ago. You should treat this patient as though he is experiencing:
a heart attack.
An infectious disease is MOST accurately defined as:
a medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body.
The term "behavioral crisis" is MOST accurately defined as:
a medical illness with psychological symptoms that may lead to limited motor functioning.
Compared to adults, infants and children are at higher risk for hypothermia for all of the following reasons, except:
a relatively small surface area.
You are assessing a 49-year-old man who, according to his wife, experienced a sudden, severe headache and then passed out. He is unresponsive and has slow, irregular breathing. His blood pressure is 190/94 mm Hg, and his pulse rate is 50 beats/min. His wife tells you that he has hypertension and diabetes. He has MOST likely experienced:
a ruptured cerebral artery.
When caring for a patient with documented hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert for:
a seizure.
You are dispatched to a residence for a 40-year-old female who complains of lower abdominal pain, fever and chills, and a foul-smelling vaginal discharge. Which of the following additional assessment findings would increase your index of suspicion for pelvic inflammatory disease?
a shuffling gait when walking
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:
a small clot in a cerebral artery causes temporary symptoms.
Breath-holding syncope is caused by a decreased stimulus to breathe and occurs when:
a swimmer hyperventilates prior to entering the water.
If direct pressure fails to immediately stop severe bleeding from an extremity, you should apply:
a tourniquet proximal to the injury
CPR should be initiated when:
a valid living will is unavailable
Signs of late heatstroke include:
a weak, rapid pulse.
A raised, swollen, well-defined area on the skin that is the result of an insect bite or sting is called:
a wheal
To assess a patient's general body temperature, pull back on your glove and place the back of your hand on his or her skin at the:
abdomen
The most prominent symptom of decompression sickness is:
abdominal or joint pain
Blood stasis, changes in the vessel wall, and certain medications affect the:
ability of the blood to effectively clot.
When auscultating the lungs of a patient with respiratory distress, you hear adventitious sounds. This means that the patient has
abnormal breath sounds.
Which of the following open soft-tissue injuries is limited to the superficial layer of the skin and results in the least amount of blood loss?
abrasion
The process by which medications travel through body tissues until they reach the bloodstream is called:
absorption
A sign of respiratory distress seen in the neck is:
accessory muscle use.
It is most important to determine a patient's weight when asking questions pertaining to a toxic ingestion because:
activated charcoal is given based on a patient's weight.
Most AEDs are set up to adjust the voltage based on the impedance, which is the:
actual amount of energy that the AED will deliver.
You are dispatched to a residence for a 67-year-old female who was awakened by shortness of breath and sharp chest pain. Her husband tells you that she was recently discharged from the hospital after having hip surgery. Your assessment reveals dried blood around her mouth, facial cyanosis, and an oxygen saturation of 88%. You should suspect:
acute pulmonary embolism.
The primary prehospital treatment for most medical emergencies:
addresses the patient's symptoms more than the actual disease process.
An alert patient presents with a regular pattern of inhalation and exhalation and breath sounds that are clear and equal on both sides of the chest. These findings are consistent with:
adequate air exchange.
When administering supplemental oxygen to a hypoxemic patient with a chronic lung disease, you should:
adjust the flow rate accordingly until you see symptom improvement, but be prepared to assist his or her ventilations.
A 4-year-old, 15-kg male ingested an unknown quantity of acetaminophen (Tylenol). The child's mother states that she does not know when the ingestion occurred. The child is conscious and alert and in no apparent distress. The EMT should:
administer 15 g of activated charcoal.
While assisting a paramedic in the attempted resuscitation of a 55-year-old male in cardiac arrest, you should expect the paramedic to:
administer drugs via the IV route to achieve the fastest effect.
You are dispatched to a state park for a young female experiencing an allergic reaction. Your assessment reveals that her breathing is severely labored and her blood pressure is very low. You carry epinephrine auto-injectors on your ambulance and have been trained and approved by your medical director to administer them. As your partner gives the patient supplemental oxygen, you attempt to contact medical control but do not have a signal from your cell phone. You should:
administer epinephrine to the patient, begin immediate transport, and attempt to contact medical control en route to the hospital.
A 26-year-old female presents with heavy vaginal bleeding. She is conscious, but restless. Her blood pressure is 84/54 mm Hg, her pulse is 120 beats/min and weak, and her respirations are 22 breaths/min with adequate depth. She tells you that she inserted a tampon about 2 hours ago. You should:
administer high-flow oxygen, place a sterile pad over her vagina, keep her warm, elevate her lower extremities, and transport without delay.
A 39-year-old male was struck in the head by a baseball during a game. He is confused and has slurred speech. He has a large hematoma in the center of his forehead and cannot remember the events preceding the injury. After manually stabilizing his head and assessing his airway, you should:
administer high-flow oxygen.
After being stung on the leg by a jellyfish, a man complains of severe pain to his leg, dizziness, and difficulty breathing. He has a red rash covering his trunk, and his blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. The EMT should:
administer oxygen and epinephrine and prepare for rapid transport.
During your assessment of a 22-year-old male who was assaulted, you note widespread contusions and abrasions to his face, chest, and abdomen. His pulse is rapid and weak, and his skin is cool and clammy. You should:
administer oxygen and prepare for rapid transport.
A 19-year-old female was stung multiple times on the legs by fire ants. She states that she is allergic to fire ants, but does not carry her own epinephrine. The patient is conscious and alert and complains of pain to the area of the bites. Her blood pressure is 122/70 mm Hg, her pulse is 100 beats/min and strong, and her respirations are 18 breaths/min and unlabored. You should:
administer oxygen and transport her to the hospital
A 73-year-old man presents with a generalized rash, which he thinks may have been caused by an antibiotic that he recently began taking. He has a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and emphysema. He is conscious and alert, his blood pressure is 144/94 mm Hg, and his pulse is 64 beats/min and regular. You auscultate his breath sounds and hear scattered wheezing, although he is not experiencing respiratory distress. You should:
administer oxygen if needed, transport the patient, and monitor him for signs of deterioration.
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:
administer oxygen with the appropriate device.
A 66-year-old female with a history of hypertension and diabetes presents with substernal chest pressure of 2 hours' duration. Her blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg, her pulse is 100 beats/min and irregular, her respirations are 22 breaths/min, and her oxygen saturation is 92%. The patient does not have prescribed nitroglycerin, but her husband does. You should:
administer oxygen, give her 324 mg of aspirin, and assess her further.
A 62-year-old man with a history of congestive heart failure presents with severe respiratory distress and with an oxygen saturation of 82%. When you auscultate his lungs, you hear widespread rales. He is conscious and alert, is able to follow simple commands, and can only speak in two- to three-word sentences at a time. You should:
apply a CPAP device, monitor his blood pressure, and observe him for signs of improvement or deterioration
A 48-year-old male has a suspected open-book pelvic fracture. He is conscious but restless, and his skin is pale and diaphoretic. His respirations are 22 breaths/min and his pulse rate is 120 beats/min. There is no external bleeding noted. The EMT should:
apply a compression device around his pelvis
A construction worker's arm was severed just above the elbow when a steel girder fell on it. The stump is covered with a blood-soaked towel. The patient's skin is cool, clammy, and pale. The EMT should:
apply a tourniquet just below the shoulder.
A 20-year-old male has a large laceration to his wrist. He is holding a blood-soaked towel over the wound, but it continues to bleed rapidly. You should:
apply a tourniquet proximal to the wrist
A 17-year-old male was shot in the right anterior chest during an altercation. As your partner is applying oxygen, you perform a rapid assessment and find an open chest wound with a small amount of blood bubbling from it. You should:
apply an occlusive dressing to the wound and continue your assessment.
You respond to a residence for a patient with a severe leg injury following an accident with a chainsaw. When you arrive, you find the patient, a 44-year-old male, lying supine in the backyard. He has a partial amputation of his right lower leg that is actively bleeding. The patient is conscious and breathing adequately; however, he is restless and his skin is diaphoretic. You should:
apply direct pressure to the wound
A 39-year-old male sustained a large laceration to his leg during an accident with a chainsaw and is experiencing signs and symptoms of shock. You should first:
apply direct pressure to the wound.
During your assessment of a 29-year-old female with significant deformity to her left elbow, you are unable to palpate a radial pulse. Your transport time to the hospital is approximately 40 minutes. You should:
apply gentle manual traction in line with the limb and reassess for a pulse.
After direct trauma to the left upper back, a 44-year-old male presents with diaphoresis and restlessness. His blood pressure is 100/50 mm Hg, his pulse rate is 120 beats/min and weak, and his respirations are 24 breaths/min and labored. Your assessment reveals abrasions and contusions over the left scapula. You should:
apply high-flow oxygen, consider spinal precautions, and transport without delay.
You are assessing a young male who was stung on the leg by a scorpion. He is conscious and alert, his breathing is regular and unlabored, and his blood pressure is 122/64 mm Hg. Assessment of his leg reveals a wheal surrounded by an area of redness. He states that he had a "bad reaction" the last time he was stung by a scorpion, and carries his own epinephrine auto-injector. You should:
apply oxygen as needed, clean the area with soap and water or a mild antiseptic, and transport him to the hospital.
A 76-year-old male experienced sudden pain to his left thigh when he was standing in line at the grocery store. Your assessment reveals ecchymosis and deformity to the distal aspect of his left femur, just above the knee. Distal circulation and sensory and motor functions are intact. You should:
apply padded board splints to both sides of the leg.
You respond to a movie theater for a 70-year-old male who is confused. His wife tells you he has type 2 diabetes but refuses to take his pills. Your assessment reveals that the patient is diaphoretic, tachycardic, and tachypneic. Initial management for this patient should include:
applying a nonrebreathing mask at 15 L/min.
Most cases of external bleeding from an extremity can be controlled by:
applying local direct pressure.
When evaluating the mechanism of injury of a car versus pedestrian collision, you should first:
approximate the speed of the vehicle that struck the pedestrian.
A 49-year-old male with an extensive cardiac history presents with 2 hours of crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. He is pale and diaphoretic and tells you that he feels like he is going to die. His medications include nitroglycerin, sildenafil (Viagra), and enalapril (Vasotec). His blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg and his heart rate is 110 beats/min. In addition to administering supplemental oxygen if needed, you should:
ask him if he took his Viagra within the past 24 hours.
A 66-year-old male presents with bizarre behavior. His daughter states that he did not seem to recognize her and was very rude to her. The patient is conscious, and has a patent airway and adequate breathing. You should:
ask the daughter how her father normally behaves
You are assessing a 45-year-old female who is severely depressed. She states that it seems as though her entire world is crashing down around her. She further states that she has had frequent thoughts of suicide, but is not sure if she can actually go through with it. How should you manage this situation?
ask the patient if she has developed a suicidal plan
When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:
ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
A patient who presents with rapid breathing, nausea and vomiting, ringing in the ears, and hyperthermia should be suspected of ingesting a significant quantity of:
aspirin
An example of an anti-inflammatory is:
aspirin
You have applied a dressing and roller-gauze bandage to a laceration on the arm of a young female. During transport, she begins to complain of numbness and tingling in her hand. You should:
assess distal circulation and readjust the bandage as needed.
You receive a call to a local gymnasium for a basketball player with a dislocated shoulder. Upon arrival, you find the patient, a 17-year-old male, sitting on the ground. He is holding his left arm in a fixed position away from his body. There is an obvious anterior bulge to the area of injury. You should:
assess distal pulse, motor, and sensory functions.
A 30-year-old male was rescued after being lost in the woods for approximately 18 hours. The outside temperature is 30°F (-1°C). He is immediately placed in the warmed ambulance, where you perform a primary assessment. He is unresponsive, pale, and apneic. You should:
assess for a carotid pulse for up to 60 seconds.
A young male sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen during an altercation. As your partner is assessing and managing his airway, you should control the obvious bleeding and then:
assess for an exit wound
After establishing that an adult patient is unresponsive, you should:
assess for breathing and a pulse.
A 49-year-old male presents with an acute onset of crushing chest pain and diaphoresis. You should:
assess the adequacy of his respirations.
You have applied a zippered air splint to a patient's left arm. During transport, the patient complains of increased numbness and tingling in his left hand. You reassess distal circulation and note that it remains present. Your most appropriate action should be to:
assess the amount of air in the splint and let air out as necessary.
After ensuring his or her own safety, the EMT's next priority when caring for a patient with a behavioral emergency is to:
assess the patient's response to his or her environment
Upon arriving at the residence of a patient with a possible cardiac problem, it is MOST important to:
assess the scene for potential hazards.
You and your partner respond to a park where several people were reportedly struck by lightning. When you arrive, you find three patients. The first patient is lying supine on the ground; he is unresponsive and does not appear to be breathing. The second patient is ambulatory, appears confused, and is holding his arm against his chest. The third patient is sitting on the ground holding the sides of his head. After calling for backup, you should:
assess the unresponsive patient's pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the automated external defibrillator as soon as possible.
A 38-year-old woman was bitten by fire ants while at the park. Your primary assessment reveals that she is semiconscious; has labored breathing; and has a rapid, thready pulse. She has a red rash on her entire body, and her face is swollen. You should:
assist her ventilations with 100%
During your assessment of a young female with nontraumatic vaginal bleeding, you note that her level of consciousness is decreased, her respirations are rapid and shallow, her skin is cool and moist, and her pulse is rapid and weak. You should:
assist her ventilations with a bag mask
You receive a call for a 70-year-old female with respiratory distress. Her husband tells you that she has congestive heart failure; however, he does not think that she has been taking her medications as prescribed. The patient is laboring to breathe, appears tired, and has cyanosis around her lips. You should:
assist her ventilations with a bag-mask device.
A 62-year-old male is seen with crushing chest pain, which he describes as being the same kind of pain that he had with a previous heart attack. He has prescribed nitroglycerin but states that he has not taken any. After administering supplemental oxygen, if needed, and contacting medical control, you should:
assist him with his nitroglycerin unless his systolic blood pressure is less than 100 mm Hg.
A young male was shot in the abdomen by an unknown type of gun. Law enforcement personnel have ensured that the scene is safe. The patient is semiconscious, has shallow breathing, and is bleeding externally from the wound. As you control the external bleeding, your partner should:
assist the patient's ventilations
A 31-year-old male with a history of diabetes had a seizure that stopped prior to EMS arrival. He is unresponsive and has rapid, shallow breathing. His pulse is rapid and weak, and his skin is cyanotic. The EMT should:
assist the patient's ventilations with a bag-valve mask.
Law enforcement has summoned you to a nightclub, where a 22-year-old female was found unconscious in an adjacent alley. Your primary assessment reveals that her respirations are rapid and shallow and her pulse is rapid and weak. She is wearing a medical alert bracelet that identifies her as an epileptic. There is an empty bottle of vodka next to the patient. You should:
assist ventilations, perform a rapid exam, and prepare for immediate transport.
You and your paramedic partner are caring for a patient who ingested codeine, acetaminophen (Tylenol), and hydrocodone (Vicodin). The patient is unresponsive, his breathing is slow and shallow, and his pulse is slow and weak. Treatment for this patient should include:
assisted ventilation and naloxone (Narcan)
A construction worker fell approximately 30 feet. He is semiconscious with rapid, shallow respirations. Further assessment reveals deformity to the thoracic region of his spine. His blood pressure is 70/50 mm Hg, his pulse is 66 beats/min and weak, and his skin is warm and dry. In addition to spinal immobilization and rapid transport, the MOST appropriate treatment for this patient includes:
assisted ventilation, thermal management, and elevation of the lower extremities.
When performing chest compressions on an adult, the EMT should compress:
at least 2 inches
Narrowing of the coronary arteries caused by a buildup of fatty deposits is called:
atherosclerosis.
Upon initial contact with a patient who appears to be unconscious, you should:
attempt to elicit a verbal response by talking to the patient.
You respond to a college campus for a young male who is acting strangely. After law enforcement has secured the scene, you enter the patient's dorm room and find him sitting on the edge of the bed; he appears agitated. As you approach him, you note that he has dried blood around both nostrils. He is breathing adequately, his pulse is rapid and irregular, and his blood pressure is 200/110 mm Hg. Treatment for this patient includes:
attempting to calm him and giving him oxygen if tolerated.
Kussmaul respirations are an indication that the body is:
attempting to eliminate acids from the blood
A 38-year-old male was electrocuted while attempting to wire a house. Your assessment reveals that he is unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. A coworker has shut off the power to the house. You should:
begin CPR and apply the AED.
A 60-year-old man is found to be unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. You should:
begin CPR until an AED is available.
You and your EMT partner are the first to arrive at the scene of an unresponsive 70-year-old man. Your assessment reveals that he is apneic and pulseless. A paramedic unit is en route to the scene and will arrive in approximately 5 minutes. You should:
begin CPR, apply the AED, and deliver a shock if it is indicated.
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a middle-aged man who collapsed about 5 minutes ago. He is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. Bystanders are present, but have not provided any care. You should:
begin high-quality CPR and apply the AED as soon as possible.
You are dispatched to a residence for a 56-year-old male with an altered mental status. Upon arrival at the scene, the patient's wife tells you that he complained of chest pain the day before, but would not allow her to call EMS. The patient is semiconscious; has rapid, shallow respirations; and has a thready pulse. You should:
begin ventilatory assistance.
The posterior tibial pulse can be palpated:
behind the medial malleolus, on the inside of the ankle.
General guidelines for managing a patient with a behavioral emergency include:
being prepared to spend extra time with the patient.
The onset of menstruation usually occurs in females who are:
between 11 and 16 years of age
Subcutaneous injections deliver the medication:
between the skin and the muscles
A 21-year-old male was thrown over the handlebars of his motorcycle when he rear-ended a car that was stopped at a red light. He was wearing a helmet, which he removed prior to your arrival. He is conscious but restless and has closed deformities to both of his femurs. His skin is pale, his heart rate is rapid and weak, and his respirations are rapid and shallow. You should:
bind his legs together on the backboard, keep him warm, and transport without delay.
While assessing a young male who was struck in the chest with a steel pipe, you note that his pulse is rapid and irregular. You should be MOST suspicious for:
bruising of the heart muscle
When caring for a patient whose arm is covered with a dry chemical, you should:
brush away the chemical before flushing with water.
A construction worker complains of intense pain after a bag of dry powder was spilled on his arm. The EMT should:
brush the chemical from his arm and then flush the skin with water
You are off duty at a park when you witness an apparently healthy 12-year-old child suddenly collapse. There are no bystanders around, and your mobile phone is in your car. After confirming that the child is in cardiac arrest, you should:
call 9-1-1 and then return to begin CPR on the child.
A 40-year-old male intentionally cut his wrist out of anger after losing his job. Law enforcement has secured the scene prior to your arrival. As you enter the residence and visualize the patient, you can see that he has a towel around his wrist and a moderate amount of blood has soaked through it. You should:
calmly identify yourself to the patient
In contrast to Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever:
can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse.
In contrast to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia:
can only be corrected in the hospital setting.
All of the following should be addressed during the primary assessment except:
capillary bleeding.
Medications encased in a gelatin shell that are taken by mouth are called:
capsules
One of the primary waste products of normal cellular metabolism that must be removed from the body by the lungs is:
carbon dioxide.
Pulmonary edema and impaired ventilation occur during:
cardiogenic shock
When assessing an elderly male who complains of nausea and generalized weakness, you find that he takes atorvastatin (Lipitor) and amlodipine (Norvasc). These medications suggest a history of:
cardiovascular disease
When caring for a patient with a possible fracture of the scapula, the EMT should:
carefully assess the patient for breathing problems.
Several attempts to adequately open a trauma patient's airway with the jaw-thrust maneuver have been unsuccessful. You should:
carefully perform the head tilt-chin lift maneuver.
General treatment for a woman with vaginal bleeding and shock following sexual assault includes all of the following, EXCEPT:
carefully removing any foreign bodies from the vagina.
The head and brain receive their supply of oxygenated blood from the:
carotid arteries.
In contrast to animal bites, the bite of a human:
carries with it a wide variety of virulent bacteria and viruses.
The venom of a brown recluse spider is cytotoxic, meaning that it:
causes severe local tissue damage.
The phenomenon of pressure waves emanating from the bullet, causing damage remote from its path, is known as:
cavitation
Muscle control and body coordination are controlled by the:
cerebellum
Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, EXCEPT:
cerebral vasodilation.
The three major parts of the brain are the:
cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem.
When treating an 80-year-old patient who is in shock, it is important to remember that:
changes in gastric motility may delay gastric emptying, which increases the risk for vomiting
Your assessment of an unresponsive patient reveals that her breathing is inadequate. Your MOST immediate action should be to:
check her airway for obstructions
In addition to looking for severe bleeding, assessment of circulation in the conscious patient should involve:
checking the radial pulse and noting the color, temperature, and condition of the skin.
It would be MOST appropriate for a patient to take his or her prescribed nitroglycerin when experiencing:
chest pain that does not immediately subside with rest.
Common signs and symptoms of an airway burn include all of the following, except:
chest pressure
The EMT should assess for hypoglycemia in small children with a severe illness or injury because:
children cannot store excess glucose as effectively as adults.
Which of the following conditions would MOST likely lead to pelvic inflammatory disease if left untreated?
chlamydia
The respiratory distress that accompanies emphysema is caused by:
chronic stretching of the alveolar walls
Capillary sphincters are:
circular muscular walls that regulate blood flow through the capillaries.
Perfusion is most accurately defined as the:
circulation of blood within an organ in adequate amounts to meet the body's metabolic needs.
The most commonly fractured bone(s) in the body is the:
clavicle
The germinal layer of the epidermis contains pigment granules that are responsible for skin:
color
Assessment of a patient with hypoglycemia will MOST likely reveal:
combativeness.
When assessing a patient with a possible fracture of the leg, the EMT should:
compare it to the uninjured leg.
A 30-year-old male experienced a crushing injury when his forearm was trapped between the back of a truck and a loading dock. Upon your arrival, the man's arm has been freed. Your assessment reveals that his arm is obviously deformed and swollen and is cold and pale. Further assessment reveals an absent radial pulse. You should be most concerned that this patient has:
compartment syndrome
You should deliver chest compressions to an unresponsive adult patient in cardiac arrest by:
compressing the sternum between the nipples
When a warm hand is immersed in water that is 70°F (21°C), heat is transferred from the hand to the water through a process called:
conduction
You are treating a middle-aged man with chest discomfort. He has a history of three previous heart attacks and takes nitroglycerin as needed for chest pain. You have standing orders to administer aspirin to patients with suspected cardiac-related chest pain or discomfort. While your partner is preparing to give oxygen to the patient, you should:
confirm that the patient is not allergic to aspirin, give him the appropriate dose of aspirin, and document the time and dose given.
The medical term for a low blood glucose level is:
hypoglycemia
A 19-year-old male complains of "not feeling right." His insulin and a syringe are on a nearby table. The patient says he thinks he took his insulin and cannot remember whether he ate. He is also unable to tell you the time or what day it is. The glucometer reads "error" after several attempts to assess his blood glucose level. You should:
contact medical control and administer oral glucose.
A 3-year-old female ingested several leaves from a plant in the living room. The child's mother is not sure what type of plant it is, stating that she bought it simply because it was pretty. After completing your primary assessment of the child, you should:
contact the regional poison control center.
If an EMT candidate has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, he or she should:
contact the state EMS office and provide its staff with the required documentation
An appropriate demonstration of professionalism when your patient is frightened, demanding or unpleasant is to:
continue to be non judgmental, compassionate, and respectful
A 54-year-old male accidentally shot himself in the leg while cleaning his gun. Your assessment reveals a small entrance wound to the medial aspect of his right leg. The exit wound is on the opposite side of the leg and is actively bleeding. The patient complains of numbness and tingling in his right foot. You should:
control the bleeding and cover the wound with a sterile dressing.
A 39-year-old male accidentally cut his wrist while sharpening his hunting knife. He is conscious and alert with adequate breathing but is bleeding significantly from the wound. You should:
control the bleeding with direct pressure
A construction worker fell approximately 30 feet and landed in a pile of steel rods. Your assessment reveals that he is pulseless and apneic and has a 10-foot steel rod impaled in his left leg. You should:
control the bleeding, begin CPR, stabilize the steel rod, immobilize his spine, and transport immediately
A closed soft-tissue injury characterized by swelling and ecchymosis is called a(n):
contusion
The transfer of heat to circulating air, such as when cool air moves across the body's surface, is called:
convection
The myocardium receives oxygenated blood from the __________, which originate(s) from the __________.
coronary arteries, aorta
Patients with tuberculosis pose the greatest risk for transmitting the disease when they:
cough.
Signs of a pulmonary blast injury include:
coughing up blood
Drowning is most accurately defined as:
death from suffocation after submersion in water.
Which of the following is the ONLY action that can prevent death from a tension pneumothorax?
decompression of the injured side of the chest
Airbags are designed to:
decrease the severity of deceleration injuries.
Ischemic heart disease is defined as:
decreased blood flow to one or more portions of the myocardium.
Which of the following would MOST likely occur as the direct result of the second collision in a motor vehicle crash?
deformed steering wheel
Common signs and symptoms of a sprain include all of the following, except:
deformity
The most significant hazard associated with splinting is:
delaying transport of a critically injured patient.
A 49-year-old male presents with confusion, sweating, and visual hallucinations. The patient's wife tells you that he is a heavy drinker and that he might have had a seizure shortly before your arrival. This patient is most likely experiencing:
delirium tremens
In contrast to an automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator (AICD), an external defibrillator vest:
delivers high-energy shocks, similar to an AED.
Which of the following findings would be LEAST suggestive of the presence of high-energy trauma?
deployment of the airbag
The single most significant factor that contributes to suicide is:
depression
Burns are classified according to:
depth and extent
A partial-thickness burn involves the outer layer of skin and a portion of the:
dermal layer
A conscious and alert 29-year-old female with a history of asthma complains of difficulty breathing that began after her morning jog. The temperature outside is 40°F (5°C). On exam, you hear bilateral expiratory wheezing. After providing supplemental oxygen, you should:
determine if she has been prescribed a beta-agonist inhaler.
You are dispatched to a residence for a 40-year-old female who fainted. Upon your arrival, the patient is conscious and alert, and states that she is fine. Her husband tells you that she fainted after receiving news that her sister was killed in a car crash. You offer oxygen to the patient, but she refuses to accept it. At this point, your primary concern should be to
determine if she was injured when she fainted
Signs of excited delirium include:
diaphoresis, tachycardia, and hallucinations.
A percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) restores blood flow to the ischemic myocardium by:
dilating the affected coronary artery with a small inflatable balloon.
A 29-year-old male complains of a severe headache and nausea that has gradually worsened over the past 12 hours. He is conscious, alert, and oriented and tells you that his physician diagnosed him with migraine headaches. He further tells you that he has taken numerous different medications, but none of them seems to help. His blood pressure is 132/74 mm Hg, his pulse is 110 beats/min and strong, and his respirations are 20 breaths/min. Treatment should include:
dimming the lights in the back of the ambulance and transporting without lights and siren.
The disruption of a joint in which the bone ends are no longer in contact is called a:
dislocation
Diabetes is MOST accurately defined as a
disorder of glucose metabolism
A supracondylar or intercondylar fracture is also known as a fracture of the:
distal humerus
A Colles fracture involves a fracture of the:
distal radius
Which of the following medications increases a person's risk of a heat-related emergency?
diuretics
In nontrauma patients, an early indicator of internal bleeding is:
dizziness upon standing
When a driver is in a car equipped with an airbag, but is not wearing a seatbelt, he or she will MOST likely strike the __________ when the airbag deploys upon impact.
door
Common side effects of epinephrine include all of the following, EXCEPT:
drowsiness
Your paramedic partner administers atropine to a 49-year-old male with bradycardia. Which of the following side effects would you expect the patient to experience?
dry mucous membranes
Prior to attaching the AED to a cardiac arrest patient, the EMT should:
dry the chest if it is wet.
Common signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction include all of the following, EXCEPT:
drying of the eyes
A patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:
dysarthria.
If a person is standing near a building that explodes, which of the following injuries would he or she MOST likely experience as a result of the pressure wave?
eardrum rupture
Which of the following areas of the body has the thinnest skin?
ears
When the body loses sweat, it also loses:
electrolytes
The frontal lobe of the brain controls:
emotion.
Insulin functions in the body by:
enabling glucose to enter the cells
A 12-year-old male jumped approximately 12 feet from a tree and landed on his feet. He complains of pain to his lower back. What injury mechanism is MOST likely responsible for his back pain?
energy transmission to the spine
During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female, you should:
ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed.
The EMT certification exam is designed to:
ensure that EMTs are competent and have the same level knowledge and skills
Prior to defibrillating a patient with an AED, it is MOST important that you:
ensure that no one is touching the patient
A 30-year-old male presents with acute shortness of breath, widespread hives, and facial swelling. He denies any past medical history and takes no medications. During your assessment, you hear wheezing over all lung fields. His blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg, and his heart rate is 110 beats/min. In addition to giving him high-flow oxygen, the MOST important treatment for this patient is:
epinephrine
A(n) __________ fracture occurs in the growth section of a child's bone and might lead to bone growth abnormalities.
epiphyseal
High humidity reduces the body's ability to lose heat through:
evaporation
The body's natural cooling mechanism, in which sweat is converted to a gas, is called:
evaporation
Patients with controlled diabetes experienced polyuria because
excess glucose in the blood is excreted by the kidneys
Geriatric patients, newborns, and infants are especially prone to hyperthermia because they:
exhibit poor thermoregulation.
The main legal risk in using the AED is:
failing to deliver a shock when one is needed.
The MOST common error associated with the use of the AED is:
failure of the EMT to ensure the battery is charged.
Neurogenic shock occurs when:
failure of the nervous system causes widespread vasodilation.
Each ovary produces an ovum in alternating months and releases it into the:
fallopian tube
Two of the MOST common mechanisms of injury for blunt trauma are:
falls and motor vehicle collisions.
Ketone production is the result of:
fat metabolization when glucose is unavailable
The iliac arteries immediately subdivide into the:
femoral arteries
According to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT), an adult trauma patient should be transported to the highest level of trauma center if he or she:
has a GCS score of less than or equal to 13 with a mechanism attributed to trauma.
Hepatitis B is more virulent than hepatitis C, which means that it:
has a greater ability to produce disease.
In general, oral glucose should be given to any patient who:
has an altered mental status and a history of diabetes.
A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:
has bleeding within the brain.
Signs and symptoms of a hypertensive emergency would MOST likely be delayed in patients who:
have chronic hypertension.
In contrast to a Level III trauma center, a Level I trauma center must:
have general surgeons in-house 24 hours a day.
During your assessment of a 19-year-old male, you are told that he is being treated with factor VIII. This indicates that:
he has hemophilia A.
Covering a patient's _________ will significantly minimize radiation heat loss.
head
A 40-year-old unrestrained female impacted the steering wheel of her vehicle with her chest when she hit a tree while traveling at 45 mph. She is conscious and alert, but is experiencing significant chest pain and shortness of breath. Which of the following injuries is the LEAST likely?
head injury
The cervical spine is MOST protected from whiplash-type injuries when the:
headrest is appropriately positioned.
Gastrointestinal bleeding should be suspected if a patient presents with:
hematemesis
As a woman approaches menopause:
her menstrual periods may become irregular and vary in severity.
During your assessment of a 50-year-old male who was found unresponsive in an alley, you note that he has slow, shallow respirations; bradycardia; facial cyanosis; and pinpoint pupils. As your partner begins assisting the patient's ventilations, he directs your attention to the patient's arms, which have multiple needle tracks on them. Which of the following would most likely explain the patient's presentation?
heroin overdose
A 70-year-old man presents with a severe nosebleed. His medical history includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression, and a hemorrhagic stroke three years ago. His BP is 190/110 mm Hg, his pulse is 100 beats/min, and his respirations are 24 breaths/min. His medications include albuterol, sertraline (Zoloft), and multivitamins. Which of the following is most likely causing his nosebleed today?
high blood pressure
You receive a call for a domestic dispute. When you arrive at the scene, you find a young male standing on the front porch of his house. You notice that an adjacent window is broken. The patient has a large body, is clenching his fists, and is yelling obscenities at you. Which of the following findings is LEAST predictive of this patient's potential for violence?
his large body size
Chemicals that are responsible for the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction to a bee sting include:
histamines and leukotrienes
Urticaria is the medical term for:
hives
Common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include all of the following, except:
hot, dry skin.
The ability of a person's cardiovascular system to compensate for blood loss is most related to:
how rapidly he or she bleeds.
The _______________ deals with the well-being of the EMT, career progression, and EMT compensation.
human resource department
Naloxone (Narcan) would reverse the effects of:
hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
Which of the following conditions would be the leastlikely to increase a person's risk of hypothermia?
hyperglycemia
Common side effects of nitroglycerin include all of the following, EXCEPT:
hypertension.
The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:
hypertension.
You are dispatched to a residence for a 66-year-old male who, according to family members, has suffered a massive stroke. Your primary assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. You should:
initiate CPR and attach an AED as soon as possible.
A 78-year-old female presents with an acute change in her behavior. The patient's son tells you that his mother has type 2 diabetes and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease 6 months ago. The patient's speech is slurred and she is not alert to her surroundings. You should:
inquire about the possibility of head trauma.
A 25-year-old man overdosed on heroin and is unresponsive. His breathing is slow and shallow and he is bradycardic. He has track marks on both arms. The EMT should:
insert a nasal airway and ventilate with a bag-mask device.
You are dispatched to an apartment complex where a 21-year-old female has apparently overdosed on several narcotic medications. She is semiconscious and has slow, shallow respirations. You should:
insert a nasopharyngeal airway and begin assisted ventilation.
According to the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, an EMT would require special permission from the medical direct and the state EMS office to:
insert a peripheral intravenous catheter
The two processes that occur during respiration are:
inspiration and expiration.
You are assisting an asthma patient with his prescribed metered-dose inhaler. After the patient exhales, and before inhaling, the patient should put his or her lips around the inhaler, take a deep breath, and depress the inhale. You should:
instruct him to hold his breath for as long as he comfortably can.
Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when:
insulin is not available in the body.
You are treating a 40-year-old male with a documented blood sugar reading of 480 mg/dL. The patient is semiconscious and breathing shallowly, and is receiving assisted ventilation from your partner. You should recognize that definitive treatment for this patient includes:
insulin.
When caring for a known alcoholic patient with severe trauma to the chest and abdomen, you should be concerned that:
internal bleeding might be profuse because prolonged alcohol use might impair the blood's ability to clot.
To obtain the most accurate reading of a patient's core body temperature, you should place a special hypothermia thermometer:
into the patient's rectum.
Following a blunt injury to the head, a 22-year-old female is confused and complains of a severe headache and nausea. On the basis of these signs and symptoms, you should be MOST concerned with the possibility of:
intracranial bleeding
A mucosal atomizer device (MAD) is used to deliver certain medications via the:
intranasal route
CPR retraining is the MOST effective when it:
involves hands-on practice.
A 37-year-old female with a history of diabetes presents with excessive urination and weaknesses of 2 days' durations. Her blood glucose level reads 320 mg/dL. If this patients condition is not promptly treated, she will Most likely develop:
irreversible renal failure
Type 1 diabetes:
is a condition in which no insulin is produced by the body
A laceration:
is a jagged cut caused by a sharp object or blunt force trauma
Bleeding from the nose following head trauma:
is a sign of a skull fracture and should not be stopped.
The poison control center will provide you with the most information regarding the appropriate treatment for a patient with a drug overdose if the center:
is aware of the substance that is involved
In contrast to type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes:
is caused by resistance to insulin at the cellular level.
A driver involved in a rollover motor vehicle crash will MOST likely experience serious injuries or death if he or she:
is ejected or partially ejected.
In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical patient:
is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her symptoms.
If a woman with vaginal bleeding reports syncope, the EMT should assume that she:
is in shock
In contrast to the brown recluse spider, the black widow spider:
is large and has a red-orange hourglass mark on its abdomen.
The impedance threshold device (ITD) may improve circulation during active compression-decompression CPR by:
limiting the amount of air that enters the lungs during the recoil phase between chest compressions, which results in negative intrathoracic pressure and improved cardiac filling.
All of the following body structures are lined with mucous membranes, except for the:
lips
An overdose of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, will most likely cause:
liver damage and failure
Which of the following would MOST likely result in hemorrhagic shock?
liver laceration
Individuals with chronic alcoholism are predisposed to intracranial bleeding and hypoglycemia secondary to abnormalities in the:
liver.
You receive a call to a residence for a sick patient. Upon your arrival, you find the patient, a 53-year-old diabetic male, lying down on his front porch. His wife tells you that he was mowing the lawn in the heat for the past three hours. The patient is confused and has hot, moist skin. His pulse is weak and thready, and his blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. You should:
load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions.
Hypovolemic shock occurs when:
low fluid volume leads to inadequate perfusion.
A person who experiences a calcaneus fracture after jumping and landing on his or her feet would mostlikely experience an accompanying fracture of the:
lumbar spine
You are dispatched to a residence for a young female who is sick. The patient complains of a rash to her lower extremities and truncal area. Your assessment reveals a small, painful blister on her inner thigh. As your partner is taking the patient's vital signs, she states that she and her family returned from a camping trip two days ago. On the basis of this patient's presentation, you should suspect:
lyme disease
When caring for a woman who is experiencing a gynecologic emergency, the EMT's main focus should be to:
maintain her ABCs and transport without delay
You arrive at the residence of a 33-year-old woman who is experiencing a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure. She has a small amount of vomitus draining from the side of her mouth. After protecting her from further injury, you should:
maintain her airway with manual head positioning, suction her airway to remove the vomitus, insert a nasopharyngeal airway, and administer high-flow oxygen.
A 48-year-old male is found unconscious in the garden by his wife. When you arrive at the scene and assess the man, you find that he is unresponsive, has labored breathing, and has hives over his entire trunk. You should:
maintain his airway and assist his ventilations
Continuing education in EMS serves to:
maintain, update, and expand the EMT's knowledge and skills
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:
manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting an ALS unit.
People at risk for suicide include all of the following, EXCEPT:
married males older than 30 years
In contrast to bleeding caused by external trauma to the vagina, bleeding caused by conditions such as polyps or cancer:
may be relatively painless
When assessing the interior of a crashed motor vehicle for damage, you are gathering information regarding the:
mechanism of injury
As an EMT, you may be authorized tot administer aspirin to a patient with chest pain based on:
medical director approval
A patient who presents with a headache, fever, confusion, and red blotches on his or her skin should be suspected of having;
meningitis.
Your unit is dispatched to the county jail for an intoxicated inmate. Upon arrival, you find the patient, a 33-year-old male, lying supine in a jail cell. He is responsive to painful stimuli only and has slow, shallow respirations. You should be most concerned that this patient:
might vomit and aspirate
Substance abuse is most accurately defined as:
misusing a substance to produce a desired effect
You arrive at a local grocery store approximately 5 minutes after a 21-year-old female stopped seizing. She is confused and disoriented; she keeps asking you what happened and tells you that she is thirsty. Her brother, who witnessed the seizure, tells you that she takes valproate (Depakote) for her seizures, but has not taken it in a few days. He also tells you that she has diabetes. In addition to administering oxygen, you should:
monitor her airway and breathing status and assess her blood glucose level.
After administering 0.3 mg of epinephrine via auto-injector to a 22-year-old female with an allergic reaction, you note improvement in her breathing and resolution of her hives. However, she is still anxious and tachycardic. You should:
monitor her closely but recall that anxiety and tachycardia are side effects of epinephrine.
A frostbitten foot can be identified by the presence of:
mottling and blisters
You and your partner are standing by at a large social event at a river resort when a frantic woman tells you that she found a young male floating face-down in the water. Nobody claims to have witnessed the event. After you and your partner enter the water and reach the patient, you should:
move him as a unit to a supine position.
You are dispatched to a local high school track and field event for a 16-year-old male who fainted. The outside temperature is approximately 95°F (35°C) with high humidity. Upon your arrival, the patient is conscious, alert, and complains of nausea and a headache. His skin is cool, clammy, and pale. You should:
move him into the cooled ambulance.
While rescuer one is finishing his or her fifth cycle of 30 compressions, rescuer two should:
move to the opposite side of the patient's chest.
Atrophy is a condition that occurs when:
muscle decreases in size and function because of disease or trauma
Angina pectoris occurs when:
myocardial oxygen demand exceeds supply
An acute myocardial infarction (AMI) occurs when:
myocardial tissue dies secondary to an absence of oxygen.
EMTs respond to a known heroin abuser who is unresponsive. If they give naloxone (Narcan) to this patient, the EMTs should recall that:
naloxone administration could cause seizures in this patient.
To reverse the effects of a narcotic overdose you should administer:
narcan
While auscultating breath sounds of a patient who was stung multiple times by a yellow jacket, you hear bilateral wheezing over all lung fields. This indicates:
narrowing of the bronchioles in the lungs
While en route to a major motor vehicle crash, an on-scene police officer advises you that a 6-year-old male who was riding in the front seat is involved. He further states that the child was only wearing a lap belt and that the airbag deployed. On the basis of this information, you should be MOST suspicious that the child has experienced:
neck and facial injuries
Atropine sulfate and pralidoxime chloride are antidotes for:
nerve gas agents
The venom of a black widow spider is toxic to the:
nervous system
It is especially important to assess pulse, sensation, and movement in all extremities as well as pupillary reactions in patients with a suspected ___________ problem.
neurologic
During the normal wound-healing process, bleeding might occur from even a minor injury because:
new capillaries that stem from intact capillaries are delicate and take time to become as stable as the preexisting capillaries
Basic life support (BLS) is defined as:
noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions such as airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest.
Bacterial vaginosis is a condition that occurs when:
normal bacteria in the vagina are replaced by an overgrowth of other bacterial forms.
A patient with an altered mental status is:
not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
When assessing an elderly patient who fell, it is important to remember that:
osteoporosis can cause a fracture as a result of a fall from a standing position.
You arrive at a grocery store shortly after a 35-year-old male stopped seizing. Your assessment reveals that he is confused and incontinent of urine. The patient's girlfriend tells you that he has a history of seizures and takes topiramate (Topamax). When obtaining further medical history from the girlfriend, it is MOST important to:
obtain a description of how the seizure developed.
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:
obtain a manual blood pressure.
Before giving activated charcoal, you should:
obtain approval from medical control.
Prior to assisting a patient with his or her prescribed nitroglycerin, the EMT must:
obtain authorization from medical control.
An abdominal evisceration:
occurs when organs protrude through an open wound.
In contrast to AMI, a dissecting aortic aneurysm:
often presents with pain that is maximal from the onset.
When preparing to obtain a 12-lead ECG, the V 1 and V 2 electrodes should be placed:
on either side of the sternum.
When preparing to obtain a 12-lead ECG, the LL and RL electrodes should be placed:
on the thighs or ankles.
The proper depth of chest compressions on a 9-month-old infant is:
one third the diameter of the chest, or about 1½ inches.
A man finds his 59-year-old wife unconscious on the couch. He states that she takes medications for type 2 diabetes. He further tells you that his wife has been ill recently and has not eaten for the past 24 hours. Your assessment reveals that the patient is unresponsive. You should:
open and maintain her airway and assess breathing.
As you approach a young male who was involved in an industrial accident, you note that his eyes are closed and that he is not moving. You can see several large contusions to his arms, a laceration to his forehead with minimal bleeding, and a closed deformity to his right leg. You should:
open his airway and assess his breathing status.
A 22-year-old male with a history of clinical depression called 9-1-1 and stated that he has attempted to kill himself. Your unit and law enforcement officers arrive at the scene simultaneously. You find the patient lying supine on the living room floor. He is unresponsive and cyanotic. An empty bottle of hydromorphone (Dilaudid) is found on an adjacent table. You should:
open the patient's airway and assess his respirations
Your EMS team is performing CPR on a 60-year-old male in cardiac arrest. You connect the AED, push the analyze button, and receive a "no shock advised" message. You should:
perform CPR for 2 minutes and reassess.
When a person is exposed to a cold environment:
peripheral vessels constrict and divert blood away from the skin.
A 43-year-old man is experiencing a severe nosebleed. His blood pressure is 190/110 mm Hg and his heart rate is 90 beats/min and bounding. Preferred treatment for this patient includes:
pinching the patient's nostrils and having him lean forward.
After applying a pressure dressing to a laceration on a patient's arm, you notice that blood is slowly beginning to saturate it. You should:
place additional dressings over the wound.
When caring for a female patient who has been sexually assaulted, you should:
place any bloodstained clothing or other articles in separate paper bags.
Your assessment of a 23-year-old female reveals a core body temperature of 93.4°F (34°C). She is conscious, answers your questions appropriately, is shivering, and complains of nausea. Her skin is cold and pale, her muscles appear rigid, and her respirations are rapid. You should:
place heat packs to her groin, axillae, and behind her neck; cover her with warm blankets; and avoid rough handling.
Shortly after assisting a 65-year-old female with her prescribed nitroglycerin, she begins complaining of dizziness and experiences a drop of 30 mm Hg in her systolic blood pressure. The patient remains conscious and her breathing is adequate. You should:
place her in a supine position
A 77-year-old woman slipped and fell on a throw rug and landed on her left hip. She denies striking her head or losing consciousness. Assessment of her left leg reveals that it is shortened and externally rotated. Distal pulses, sensory, and motor functions are intact. You should:
place her onto a scoop stretcher, pad around her left hip with pillows, and secure her to the scoop with straps.
A 67-year-old female presents with difficulty breathing and chest discomfort that awakened her from her sleep. She states that she has congestive heart failure, has had two previous heart attacks, and has been prescribed nitroglycerin. She is conscious and alert with adequate breathing. Her blood pressure is 94/64 mm Hg and her heart rate is 120 beats/min. Treatment for this patient includes:
placing her in an upright position.
Hypovolemic shock caused by severe burns is the result of a loss of:
plasma
A 25-year-old unrestrained female struck the steering wheel with her chest when her car hit a tree while traveling at a high rate of speed. She has signs and symptoms of shock, which you suspect are the result of intrathoracic bleeding. Which of the following interventions will provide this patient with the greatest chance for survival?
rapid transport to a trauma center
A utility worker was trimming branches and was electrocuted when he accidentally cut a high-power line. He fell approximately 20 feet and is lying unresponsive on the ground; the power line is lying across his chest. You should:
rapidly assess the patient after ensuring that the power line is not live.
When assessing an unresponsive diabetic patient, the primary visible difference between hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia is the:
rate and depth of breathing.
The AED has delivered a shock to an elderly male in cardiac arrest. Following 2 minutes of CPR, you re-analyze the patient's cardiac rhythm and receive a "no shock advised" message. After further resuscitation, you restore a palpable carotid pulse. Your next action should be to:
reassess airway and breathing and treat accordingly.
You are transporting a 33-year-old male who was involved in a major motor vehicle crash. You have addressed all immediate and potentially life-threatening conditions and have stabilized his condition with the appropriate treatment. With an estimated time of arrival at the hospital of 20 minutes, you should:
reassess his condition in 5 minutes
A 31-year-old female is experiencing an acute asthma attack. She is conscious and alert, but in obvious respiratory distress. After assisting her with her prescribed MDI, you should:
reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.
A 74-year-old woman complains of heaviness in her chest, nausea, and sweating that suddenly began about an hour ago. She is conscious and alert, but anxious. Her blood pressure is 144/84 mm Hg and her heart rate is 110 beats/min. She took two of her prescribed nitroglycerin (0.4-mg tablets) before your arrival but still feels heaviness in her chest. You should:
recall that geriatric patients often take multiple medications and that interactions can occur with potentially negative effects.
If a defibrillator manufacturer claims that its device terminated ventricular fibrillation on the first shock 95% of the time you should:
recognized that this does not mean the device will save more lives.
A 50-year-old male was stung by a honeybee approximately 15 minutes ago. He presents with respiratory distress, facial swelling, and hypotension. After placing him on oxygen and administering his epinephrine via auto-injector, you note that his breathing has improved. Additionally, his facial swelling is resolving and his blood pressure is stable. Your next action should be to:
record the time and dose of the injection and transport promptly.
You are caring for a 68-year-old man with sudden onset of left-sided paralysis and slurred speech. His airway is patent, his respirations are 14 breaths/min with adequate depth, and his oxygen saturation is 98%. Treatment for this patient should include:
recovery position and transport.
When transporting a stable stroke patient with a paralyzed extremity, place the patient in a:
recumbent position with the paralyzed side down.
Applying ice to and elevating an injured extremity are performed to:
reduce pain and swelling
A man with a prolonged history of alcohol abuse fell from a second-story balcony. His blood pressure is 80/60 mm Hg, his heart rate is 120 beats/min, and his skin is cool and pale. When caring for this patient, the EMT should recall that:
reduced blood clotting worsens internal bleeding
A technique used to gain insight into a patient's thinking, which involves repeating in question form what the patient has said, is called:
reflective listening
When assessing a patient with a closed soft-tissue injury, it is most important to:
remain alert for more severe underlying injuries.
You respond to a call for an unknown emergency. When you arrive at the scene, the patient's husband meets you at the door and states that his wife has been depressed and has locked herself in an upstairs bedroom. He further tells you that he keeps his handgun in the bedroom. You should:
remain in a safe place and request law enforcement
When a motor vehicle strikes a tree while traveling at 40 mph, the unrestrained occupant:
remains in motion until acted upon by an external force.
When caring for an occupant inside a motor vehicle equipped with an airbag that did not deploy upon impact, you should:
remember that it could still deploy and seriously injure you.
Your partner is performing one-rescuer CPR on a middle-aged woman in cardiac arrest. When you apply the AED pads, you note that she has a medication patch over the same area where one of the AED pads will be placed. You should:
remove the medication patch, wipe away any medication residue, and apply the AED pad.
You are assessing a 49-year-old man who complains of chest pressure that began the night before. He is conscious, but anxious, and tells you he has a history of angina and hypertension. You expose his chest to auscultate his lungs and note that he has a nitroglycerin patch on his right upper chest. His skin is cool and pale, his blood pressure is 78/50 mm Hg, and his pulse is 110 beats/min and irregular. You should:
remove the nitroglycerin patch, administer oxygen, and place him in a supine position.
A dissecting aortic aneurysm occurs when:
the inner layers of the aorta become separated.
You are assessing the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale on a 60-year-old woman. When she holds both of her arms out in front of her and closes her eyes, both of her arms immediately fall to her sides. You should:
repeat the arm drift test, but move the patient's arms into position yourself.
A 19-year-old male was stung multiple times by fire ants. He is experiencing obvious signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock. You administer high-flow oxygen and give him epinephrine via intramuscular injection. Upon reassessment, you determine that his condition has not improved. You should:
repeat the epinephrine injection after consulting with medical control.
If gastric distention begins to make positive-pressure ventilation difficult, you should:
reposition the patients airway
A patient with a history of schizophrenia called EMS because he was experiencing abdominal pain. When law enforcement arrived, the patient became violent, necessitating the placement of handcuffs. When you assess the patient, he tells you that killing someone will make his abdominal pain go away. His vital signs are stable. How should you manage this situation?
request a police officer to accompany you in the ambulance
You have administered one dose of epinephrine to a 40-year-old female to treat an allergic reaction that she developed after being stung by a scorpion. Your reassessment reveals that she is still having difficulty breathing, has a decreasing mental status, and has a blood pressure of 80/50 mm Hg. You should:
request permission from medical control to give another dose of epinephrine.
When the level of arterial carbon dioxide rises above normal:
respirations increase in rate and depth.
In most cases, cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children is caused by:
respiratory arrest.
A 38-year-old male with a history of schizophrenia is reported by neighbors to be screaming and throwing things in his house. You are familiar with the patient and have cared for him in the past for unrelated problems. Law enforcement officers escort you into the residence when you arrive. The patient tells you that he sees vampires and is attempting to ward them off by screaming and throwing things at them. He has several large lacerations to his forearms that are actively bleeding. The MOST appropriate way to manage this situation is to:
restrain the patient with appropriate force in order to treat his injuries.
You respond to a residence for a patient who is "not acting right." As you approach the door, the patient, a 35-year-old male, begins shouting profanities at you and your partner while holding a baseball bat. The man is confused and diaphoretic, and is wearing a medical identification bracelet. You should:
retreat at once and call law enforcement.
Deoxygenated blood from the body returns to the:
right atrium.
The right coronary artery supplies blood to the:
right ventricle and inferior wall of the left ventricle.
Which of the following drugs is commonly referred to as "roofies"?
rohypnol
What types of motor vehicle collisions present the greatest potential for multiple impacts?
rotational and rollover
The pectoral girdle consists of the:
scapulae and clavicles.
Which of the following is an example of a functional behavioral disorder?
schizophrenia
The stinger from a honeybee should be:
scraped away from the skin.
You are assessing a man with suspected hypothermia. The patient is conscious, alert, and actively shivering. His respiratory rate is increased, but his breathing is unlabored, and the pulse oximeter reads 72%. The pulse oximetry reading is most likely:
secondary to decreased perfusion in the extremities.
In an apparent suicide attempt, a 19-year-old female ingested a full bottle of amitriptyline (Elavil). At present, she is conscious and alert and states that she swallowed the pills approximately 30 minutes earlier. Her blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg, her pulse is 140 beats/min and irregular, and her respirations are 22 breaths/min with adequate depth. When transporting this patient, you should be most alert for:
seizures and cardiac dysrhythmias
A 20-year-old male collided with another player during a hockey game and complains of severe pain to the left shoulder. Assessment reveals that the clavicle is bulging anteriorly at the shoulder. The EMT should suspect:
separation of the acromioclavicular joint.
A 70-year-old female was recently discharged from the hospital following a total hip replacement. Today, she presents with restlessness, tachycardia, and a blood pressure of 90/64 mm Hg. Her skin is hot and moist. You should be MOST suspicious that she is experiencing:
septic shock
Signs of absorbed poison exposure include all of the following, except:
serve nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
A 56-year-old male is found semiconscious by his wife. Your assessment reveals that his respirations are rapid and shallow, his pulse is rapid and irregular, and his blood pressure is low. The patient's wife states that he complained of left arm pain and nausea the day before, but would not allow her to call 9-1-1. The MOST likely cause of this patient's present condition is:
sever septic hypoperfusion
A generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure is characterized by:
severe twitching of all the body's muscles
When a female has reached menarche:
she is capable of becoming pregnant.
During your treatment of a woman in cardiac arrest, you apply the AED, analyze her cardiac rhythm, and receive a "no shock advised" message. This indicates that:
she is not in ventricular fibrillation.
Hypoperfusion is another name for:
shock
Dyspnea is MOST accurately defined as:
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
During your assessment of a patient who was shot in the abdomen, you notice a large entrance wound with multiple small puncture wounds surrounding it. This wound pattern is most consistent with a:
shotgun
The electrical impulse generated by the heart originates in the:
sinoatrial node
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:
sk him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it.
Which of the following types of muscle is under direct voluntary control of the brain?
skeletal
Which of the following organs can tolerate inadequate perfusion for two to three hours?
skeletal muscle
Which of the following joints allows no motion?
skull sutures
Which of the following clinical signs would necessitate the administration of naloxone (Narcan) in a suspected narcotic overdose?
slow respirations
In contrast to the sympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system:
slows the heart and respiratory rates.
What type of muscle contracts and relaxes to control the movement of the contents within its structures?
smooth
After blunt trauma to the abdomen, a 21-year-old female complains of diffuse abdominal pain and pain to the left shoulder. Your assessment reveals that her abdomen is distended and tender to palpation. On the basis of these findings, you should be mostsuspicious of injury to the:
spleen
A 31-year-old male fell and landed on his left elbow. Your assessment reveals that the elbow is grossly deformed, his forearm is cool and pale, and the distal pulse is barely palpable. His vital signs are stable, and he denies any other injuries. Your transport time to the closest appropriate hospital is approximately 12 minutes. You should:
splint the elbow in the position found and transport.
Internal bleeding into a fractured extremity is mostoften controlled by:
splinting the extremity
A ____________ is a musculoskeletal injury in which there is partial or temporary separation of the bone ends as well as partial stretching or tearing of the supporting ligaments.
sprain
A 15-year-old female was struck by a small car while riding her bicycle. She was wearing a helmet and was thrown to the ground, striking her head. In addition to managing problems associated with airway, breathing, and circulation, it is MOST important for you to:
stabilize her entire spine
A 22-year-old female was ejected from her car after striking a tree head-on. As you approach her, you note obvious closed deformities to both of her femurs. She is not moving and does not appear to be conscious. You should:
stabilize her head and perform a primary assessment.
During your secondary assessment of a 30-year-old male who fell 25 feet, you note crepitus when palpating his pelvis. Your partner advises you that the patient's blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, and his heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak. After completing your assessment, you should:
stabilize the pelvis with a pelvic binder and protect the spine.
When assessing for fluid collection in the lungs during auscultation of lung sounds, you should:
start at the lower lung fields and determine at which level you start hearing clear breath sounds.
The standards for prehospital emergency care and the individuals who provide it are typically regulated by the:
state office of EMS
You and your partner are preparing to apply a traction splint to a patient's deformed thigh. As you apply manual traction, the patient resists your efforts and states that the pain is getting worse. You should:
stop and splint the leg in the deformed position.
A 67-year-old female with severe chest pain becomes unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic during transport. You should:
stop the ambulance, begin CPR, and attach the AED as soon as possible.
The purpose of defibrillation is to:
stop the chaotic, disorganized contraction of the cardiac cells.
Skeletal muscle is also referred to as __________ muscle.
striated
Which of the following sounds indicates swelling of the upper airway?
stridor
Harsh, high-pitched inspiratory sounds are characteristic of:
stridor.
How is nitroglycerin usually given by the EMT?
sublingually
You are caring for a 70-year-old female with signs and symptoms of an acute stroke. She is conscious, has secretions in her mouth, is breathing at a normal rate with adequate depth, and has an oxygen saturation of 96%. You should:
suction her oropharynx and transport immediately.
You respond to a local lake where a diver complains of difficulty breathing that occurred immediately after rapidly ascending from a depth of approximately 30 feet. On assessment, you note that he has cyanosis around his lips and pink froth coming from his nose and mouth. You should:
suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, monitor the patient's breath sounds for a pneumothorax, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.
When caring for a patient experiencing excited delirium, the EMT should remember that:
sudden death can occur if the patient's violence is not controlled
a swimmer hyperventilates prior to entering the water.
superficial
A burn that is characterized by redness and pain is classified as a:
superficial burn
In which position should you restrain a physically uncooperative patient?
supine
A 31-year-old male was bitten on the leg by an unidentified snake. The patient is conscious and alert and in no apparent distress. Your assessment of his leg reveals two small puncture marks with minimal pain and swelling. In addition to administering oxygen and providing reassurance, further care for this patient should include:
supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.
Patients with type 2 diabetes usually control their disease with all of the following except:
supplemental insulin
If one or more occupants in the same vehicle are killed in a crash, the EMT should:
suspect that all living occupants experienced the same serious trauma.
A 42-year-old male is found unresponsive on his couch by a neighbor. During your assessment, you find no signs of trauma, and the patient's blood glucose level is 75 mg/dL. His blood pressure is 168/98 mm Hg, his heart rate is 45 beats/min and bounding, and his respirations are 8 breaths/min and irregular. The patient is wearing a medical alert bracelet that states he has hemophilia. You should:
suspect that he has intracranial bleeding, assist his ventilations, and transport rapidly to an appropriate hospital.
The two most efficient ways for the body to eliminate excess heat are:
sweating and vasodilation.
Deformity caused by a fracture would most likely be masked by:
swelling
The severity of bleeding should be based on all of the following findings, except:
systolic blood pressure
Signs and symptoms of a sympathomimetic drug overdose include:
tachycardia
Common signs and symptoms of acute hyperventilation syndrome include:
tachypnea and tingling in the extremities.
When caring for a patient who takes numerous medications, it is best to:
take all of the patient's medications with you to the hospital and document them on your patient care report.
After sizing up the scene of a patient with a possible infectious disease, your next priority should be to:
take standard precautions.
Symptomatic hypoglycemia will MOST likely develop if a patient:
takes too much of his or her prescribed insulin
Skeletal muscle is attached to the bone by tough, ropelike fibrous structures called:
tendons
When the myocardium requires more oxygen:
the arteries supplying the heart dilate.
Heatstroke occurs when:
the body's heat-eliminating mechanisms are overwhelmed.
Internal injuries caused by gunshot wounds are difficult to predict because:
the bullet may tumble or ricochet within the body.
You are assessing a 30-year-old woman with multiple large bruises to her chest and abdomen that she experienced during an assault. She is conscious but restless, and her skin is cool and pale. You should be most concerned with:
the fact that her clinical signs could indicate that she is bleeding internally.
You are dispatched to a local nursery for a 39-year-old female who is sick. When you arrive, you find the patient lying on the floor. She is semiconscious, has copious amounts of saliva coming from her mouth, and is incontinent of urine. You quickly feel her pulse and note that it is very slow. Immediate management for this patient should include:
thoroughly suctioning her oropharynx.
Successful treatment of a stroke depends on whether:
thrombolytic therapy is given within 3 hours of symptoms beginning.
Acute pulmonary edema would MOST likely develop as the result of:
toxic chemical inhalation
The act of pulling on a body structure in the direction of its normal alignment is called:
traction
You should consider air medical transport of a trauma patient if:
traffic conditions hamper the ability to get the patient to a trauma center by ground within the ideal time frame for the best clinical outcome.
You respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the scene, you enter the residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old male. The child is conscious and crying. According to the mother, the child had been running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that lasted approximately 3 minutes. You should:
transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.
The driver of a sport utility vehicle lost control and struck a utility pole head-on. The driver was killed instantly. The passenger, a young female, is conscious and alert and has several small abrasions and lacerations to her left forearm. Treatment for the passenger should include:
transport to a trauma center
If you are uncertain how to treat a patient who has been poisoned or exposed to a specific substance, you should:
try to find the container the substance was in
The descending aorta divides into the two iliac arteries at the level of the:
umbilicus.
A patient who is experiencing aphasia is:
unable to produce or understand speech.
A teenage boy who was involved in a bicycle accident has a puncture wound where the bicycle kickstand impaled his leg. The most appropriate method for treating this injury is to:
unbolt the kickstand from the bike frame and stabilize it with bulky dressings.
Abdominal thrusts in a conscious child or adult with a severe upper airway obstruction are performed:
until he or she loses consciousness.
Which of the following negative effects of anaphylaxis will be the MOST rapidly fatal if not treated immediately?
upper airway swelling
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) typically does NOT affect the:
urinary bladder
Two of the MOST common signs of anaphylaxis are:
urticaria and angioedema
Heat loss from the body through respiration occurs when:
warm air is exhaled into the atmosphere
You respond to a local motel for a young female who was sexually assaulted. The patient is conscious but confused. She tells you that the last thing she remembers was drinking beer at a club with her friends the night before. When she awoke, she was in the bed of the motel room. You should suspect that this patient:
was given flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)
The sebaceous glands produce sebum, a material that:
waterproofs the skin and keeps it supple.
In older patients, the first indicator of nontraumatic internal bleeding might be:
weakness or dizziness
Which of the following clinical signs is unique to anaphylactic shock?
wheezing
Epinephrine is indicated for patients with an allergic reaction when:
wheezing and hypotension are present
When you are obtaining medical history from the family of a suspected stroke patient, it is MOST important to determine:
when the patient last appeared normal.
During your assessment of a patient who experienced a blast injury, you note that he has a depressed area to the front of his skull. This injury MOST likely occurred:
when the patient was hurled against a stationary object.
When ventilating an apneic adult with a bag-mask device, you should deliver each breath:
while watching for adequate chest rise
Nitroglycerin is contraindicated in patients:
who have experienced a head injury.
Distributive shock occurs when:
widespread dilation of the blood vessels causes blood to pool in the vascular beds.
When performing CPR on a child, you should compress the chest:
with one or two hands.
Defibrillator pads are placed on the patient's chest:
with one pad to the right of the upper sternum and the other pad to the left lower chest below the armpit.
Force acting over a distance is the definition of:
work
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:
you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old patient
An index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying and unseen injuries or illness.
The index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying injuries.