Question 1

The EMT understands the primary reason to obtain a medical history using the SAMPLE mnemonic when he states:

Accepted Answer

A)  "The SAMPLE mnemonic helps EMTs to diagnose a patient's medical problem." 
B)  "It is important to use the SAMPLE mnemonic because the emergency department will need the information." 
C)  "After performing the primary assessment, the SAMPLE mnemonic helps guide the EMT in further assessment and care." 
D)  "The SAMPLE mnemonic is important because it will give the EMT the patient's exact chief complaint." 
A)  "The SAMPLE mnemonic helps EMTs to diagnose a patient's medical problem." 
B)  "It is important to use the SAMPLE mnemonic because the emergency department will need the information." 
C)  "After performing the primary assessment, the SAMPLE mnemonic helps guide the EMT in further assessment and care." 
D)  "The SAMPLE mnemonic is important because it will give the EMT the patient's exact chief complaint." C

Question 2

Which one of the following descriptions would be obtained when asking about the "A" component of the SAMPLE history?

Accepted Answer

A)  Abdomen soft 
B)  History of asthma 
C)  Allergy to penicillin 
D)  Airway open 
A)  Abdomen soft 
B)  History of asthma 
C)  Allergy to penicillin 
D)  Airway open C

Question 3

An EMT has an accurate understanding of the systolic blood pressure when he tells you that the systolic blood pressure is:

Accepted Answer

A)  represented by the bottom number. 
B)  produced when the heart contracts. 
C)  the pressure in the veins. 
D)  caused by constriction of the arteries. 
A)  represented by the bottom number. 
B)  produced when the heart contracts. 
C)  the pressure in the veins. 
D)  caused by constriction of the arteries. B

Question 4

When using the SAMPLE mnemonic, which of the following statements made by the patient would be categorized under the letter "M"?

Accepted Answer

A)  "I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer." 
B)  "I take Zocor, but I am not sure why." 
C)  "I have never had a surgical procedure." 
D)  "My doctor's name is Dr. Hansen." 
A)  "I was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer." 
B)  "I take Zocor, but I am not sure why." 
C)  "I have never had a surgical procedure." 
D)  "My doctor's name is Dr. Hansen."

Question 5

You are assessing a female patient with a complaint of shortness of breath. When assessing her skin, which one of the following should be recognized as abnormal?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dry 
B)  Pink 
C)  Moist 
D)  Warm 
A)  Dry 
B)  Pink 
C)  Moist 
D)  Warm

Question 6

When obtaining a blood pressure, the EMT listens for a pulse over what blood vessel?

Accepted Answer

A)  Radial artery 
B)  Antecubital vein 
C)  Carotid vessels 
D)  Brachial artery 
A)  Radial artery 
B)  Antecubital vein 
C)  Carotid vessels 
D)  Brachial artery

Question 7

An EMT is correctly assessing a patient's radial pulse when he:

Accepted Answer

A)  uses the palm of his hand to feel the pulse on the upper arm. 
B)  simultaneously checks for a heart rate on both sides of the neck. 
C)  uses his thumb to feel for the pulse on the patient's lower arm. 
D)  uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse at the patient's wrist. 
A)  uses the palm of his hand to feel the pulse on the upper arm. 
B)  simultaneously checks for a heart rate on both sides of the neck. 
C)  uses his thumb to feel for the pulse on the patient's lower arm. 
D)  uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse at the patient's wrist.

Question 8

When obtaining blood pressure on a patient in a standing position, the patient states that he suddenly feels weak and is going to pass out. Your immediate action should be to:

Accepted Answer

A)  place the patient back into bed. 
B)  determine the blood pressure by palpation. 
C)  ask the patient if he is having chest pain. 
D)  hold the patient upright until the blood pressure is obtained. 
A)  place the patient back into bed. 
B)  determine the blood pressure by palpation. 
C)  ask the patient if he is having chest pain. 
D)  hold the patient upright until the blood pressure is obtained.

Question 9

An obese female has called you with the complaint of abdominal pain. The regular adult cuff will not fit around her arm, so you retrieve the large adult cuff from your supplies. Embarrassed, the woman says, "My arm is so fat. Do you really need to roll up my sleeve to get my blood pressure?" Your best response would be:

Accepted Answer

A)  "If you do not want me to take your blood pressure, I do not have to." 
B)  "I have seen plenty of big arms, and yours is nothing compared to some of them." 
C)  "I am getting your blood pressure, not measuring your arm, but you really need to lose some weight." 
D)  "I am not concerned with the size of your arm. I am interested in your blood pressure." 
A)  "If you do not want me to take your blood pressure, I do not have to." 
B)  "I have seen plenty of big arms, and yours is nothing compared to some of them." 
C)  "I am getting your blood pressure, not measuring your arm, but you really need to lose some weight." 
D)  "I am not concerned with the size of your arm. I am interested in your blood pressure."

Question 10

As you enter the scene of a medical emergency, the Emergency Medical Responder informs you that the patient is not breathing and has pupils that are fixed and dilated. Based on this description, which one of the following are you expecting to see when you reach the patient's side?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both pupils are large and change shape to light. 
B)  The patient must wear corrective lenses. 
C)  The patient has a past medical history of blindness. 
D)  Neither pupil will react when light is directed into the eyes. 
A)  Both pupils are large and change shape to light. 
B)  The patient must wear corrective lenses. 
C)  The patient has a past medical history of blindness. 
D)  Neither pupil will react when light is directed into the eyes.

Question 11

For which patient would a capillary refill time of 3 seconds be most indicative of poor perfusion?

Accepted Answer

A)  4-year-old male 
B)  24-year-old female 
C)  67-year-old female 
D)  81-year-old male 
A)  4-year-old male 
B)  24-year-old female 
C)  67-year-old female 
D)  81-year-old male

Question 12

You determine a radial pulse is readily palpable, but has uneven intervals between beats. This would best be documented on the prehospital care report as:

Accepted Answer

A)  bounding and regular. 
B)  prominent and bounding. 
C)  strong and irregular. 
D)  thready and regular. 
A)  bounding and regular. 
B)  prominent and bounding. 
C)  strong and irregular. 
D)  thready and regular.

Question 13

A 41-year-old male patient reacts to painful stimuli by moaning. You shine a light at his right pupil. Which one of the following reactions would be normal?

Accepted Answer

A)  Dilation of the right pupil 
B)  Constriction of the left pupil 
C)  Dilation of the left pupil 
D)  Closure of both eyelids 
A)  Dilation of the right pupil 
B)  Constriction of the left pupil 
C)  Dilation of the left pupil 
D)  Closure of both eyelids

Question 14

Which one of the following statements made by an EMT indicates an accurate understanding of checking a patient's skin temperature?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Checking the skin temperature is not precise, but a good estimate of abnormally high or low body temperatures." 
B)  "To properly evaluate a patient's skin temperature during the primary assessment, the EMT needs a thermometer." 
C)  "It is important to remember that flushed skin always indicates a high body temperature." 
D)  "With experience, the EMT can precisely determine a patient's body temperature by feeling the skin." 
A)  "Checking the skin temperature is not precise, but a good estimate of abnormally high or low body temperatures." 
B)  "To properly evaluate a patient's skin temperature during the primary assessment, the EMT needs a thermometer." 
C)  "It is important to remember that flushed skin always indicates a high body temperature." 
D)  "With experience, the EMT can precisely determine a patient's body temperature by feeling the skin."

Question 15

You are called to a long-term care facility to assess and transport a patient with a high fever. You do not have a thermometer on your unit. Which one of the following signs should you use to confirm the patient's increased body temperature?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cyanotic skin around the mouth 
B)  Decreased heart rate and flushed skin 
C)  Fingertips that are cool and blue 
D)  Skin on the abdomen that is hot and flushed 
A)  Cyanotic skin around the mouth 
B)  Decreased heart rate and flushed skin 
C)  Fingertips that are cool and blue 
D)  Skin on the abdomen that is hot and flushed

Question 16

Your partner states that he wants to palpate the blood pressure. What equipment would you hand him?

Accepted Answer

A)  Blood pressure cuff 
B)  Stethoscope 
C)  Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope 
D)  Stethoscope and pulse oximeter 
A)  Blood pressure cuff 
B)  Stethoscope 
C)  Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope 
D)  Stethoscope and pulse oximeter

Question 17

When evaluating a patient's skin color, the EMT should:

Accepted Answer

A)  observe the nail beds and/or mucous membranes inside the eyelids. 
B)  examine the change in skin color when applying then releasing pressure to the nail beds. 
C)  look at the skin on the upper chest and feel it for warmth. 
D)  examine the skin color of the face and compare it with the color of the arms. 
A)  observe the nail beds and/or mucous membranes inside the eyelids. 
B)  examine the change in skin color when applying then releasing pressure to the nail beds. 
C)  look at the skin on the upper chest and feel it for warmth. 
D)  examine the skin color of the face and compare it with the color of the arms.

Question 18

You observe your partner correctly obtaining a patient's blood pressure when he:

Accepted Answer

A)  inflates the cuff maximally prior to slowly deflating and listening for a pulse. 
B)  deflates the cuff 2 mmHg per second while listening with a stethoscope. 
C)  stops inflation and starts deflation as soon as the radial pulse disappears. 
D)  places the stethoscope under the cuff and deflates it. 
A)  inflates the cuff maximally prior to slowly deflating and listening for a pulse. 
B)  deflates the cuff 2 mmHg per second while listening with a stethoscope. 
C)  stops inflation and starts deflation as soon as the radial pulse disappears. 
D)  places the stethoscope under the cuff and deflates it.

Question 19

Which one of the following characteristics is a quality of a patient's pulse?

Accepted Answer

A)  Strength 
B)  Rate 
C)  Regularity 
D)  Tone 
A)  Strength 
B)  Rate 
C)  Regularity 
D)  Tone

Question 20

Which one of the following patients should the EMT recognize as having a normal skin temperature?

Accepted Answer

A)  25-year-old female who is dizzy with cool skin 
B)  36-year-old male complaining of nausea with warm skin 
C)  47-year-old female with chest pain and warm-to-hot skin 
D)  88-year-old male who is weak with skin that is cool and dry 
A)  25-year-old female who is dizzy with cool skin 
B)  36-year-old male complaining of nausea with warm skin 
C)  47-year-old female with chest pain and warm-to-hot skin 
D)  88-year-old male who is weak with skin that is cool and dry

Exam 11: Baseline Vital Signs, Monitoring Devices, and History Taking

The EMT understands the primary reason to obtain a medical history using the SAMPLE mnemonic when he states:

Which one of the following descriptions would be obtained when asking about the "A" component of the SAMPLE history?

An EMT has an accurate understanding of the systolic blood pressure when he tells you that the systolic blood pressure is:

When using the SAMPLE mnemonic, which of the following statements made by the patient would be categorized under the letter "M"?

You are assessing a female patient with a complaint of shortness of breath. When assessing her skin, which one of the following should be recognized as abnormal?

When obtaining a blood pressure, the EMT listens for a pulse over what blood vessel?

An EMT is correctly assessing a patient's radial pulse when he:

When obtaining blood pressure on a patient in a standing position, the patient states that he suddenly feels weak and is going to pass out. Your immediate action should be to:

As you enter the scene of a medical emergency, the Emergency Medical Responder informs you that the patient is not breathing and has pupils that are fixed and dilated. Based on this description, which one of the following are you expecting to see when you reach the patient's side?

For which patient would a capillary refill time of 3 seconds be most indicative of poor perfusion?

You determine a radial pulse is readily palpable, but has uneven intervals between beats. This would best be documented on the prehospital care report as:

A 41-year-old male patient reacts to painful stimuli by moaning. You shine a light at his right pupil. Which one of the following reactions would be normal?

Which one of the following statements made by an EMT indicates an accurate understanding of checking a patient's skin temperature?

You are called to a long-term care facility to assess and transport a patient with a high fever. You do not have a thermometer on your unit. Which one of the following signs should you use to confirm the patient's increased body temperature?

Your partner states that he wants to palpate the blood pressure. What equipment would you hand him?

When evaluating a patient's skin color, the EMT should:

You observe your partner correctly obtaining a patient's blood pressure when he:

Which one of the following characteristics is a quality of a patient's pulse?

Which one of the following patients should the EMT recognize as having a normal skin temperature?

Emergency Medical Care Systems, Research, and Public Health

Workforce Safety and Wellness of the Emt

Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues

Documentation

Communication

Lifting and Moving Patients

Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Terminology

Pathophysiology

Life Span Development

Airway Management, Artificial Ventilation, and Oxygenation

Scene Size-Up

Patient Assessment

Pharmacology Medication and Administration

Shock and Resuscitation

Respiratory Emergencies

Cardiovascular Emergencies

Altered Mental Status, Stroke, and Headache

Seizures and Syncope

Acute Diabetic Emergencies

Anaphylactic Reactions

Toxicologic Emergencies

Abdominal, Hematologic, Gynecologic, Genitourinary, and Renal Emergencies

Environmental Emergencies

Submersion Incidents: Drowning and Diving Emergencies

Behavioral Emergencies

Trauma Overview: the Trauma Patient and the Trauma System

Bleeding and Soft Tissue Trauma

Burns

Musculoskeletal Trauma and Nontraumatic Fractures

Head Trauma

Spinal Column and Spinal Cord Trauma

Eye, Face, and Neck Trauma

Chest Trauma

Abdominal and Genitourinary Trauma

Multisystem Trauma and Trauma in Special Patient Populations

Obstetrics and Care of the Newborn

Pediatrics

Geriatrics

Patients With Special Challenges

The Combat Veteran

Ambulance Operations and Air Medical Response

Gaining Access and Patient Extrication

Hazardous Materials

Multiple-Casualty Incidents and Incident Management

Ems Response to Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction

ALS-Assist Skills

Advanced Airway Management

Filters