QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
"PASTE" is an alternate assessment tool for .
A. cardiac patients
B. seizure patients
C. respiratory patients
D. stroke patients - CORRECT ANSWER: C. respiratory patients
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 the 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:
A. epinephrine.
B. an antihistamine.
C. a beta-antagonist.
D. albuterol. - CORRECT ANSWER: A. epinephrine.
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:
A. check the drug's expiration date to ensure that it is still current.
B. contact medical control and apprise him or her of what you did.
C. reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.
D. administer another treatment in 30 seconds if she is still in distress. - CORRECT
ANSWER: C. reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.
A 49-year-old male presents with an acute onset of crushing chest pain and
diaphoresis. You should:
A. assess the adequacy of his respirations.
B. administer up to 324 mg of baby aspirin.
C. obtain vital signs and a SAMPLE history.
D. administer up to three doses of nitroglycerin. - CORRECT ANSWER: A. assess the
adequacy of his respirations.
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 she thinks he had a seizure shortly
before your arrival. This patient is MOST likely experiencing:
,A. acute hypovolemia.
B. acute schizophrenia.
C. alcohol intoxication.
D. delirium tremens. - CORRECT ANSWER: D. delirium tremens
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?
A. Rupture of the diaphragm
B. Acute pulmonary embolism
C. Spontaneous pneumothorax
D. Exacerbation of his COPD - CORRECT ANSWER: C. Spontaneous pneumothorax
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:
A. begin immediate transport and request a rendezvous with a paramedic unit.
B. assist him with his nitroglycerin unless his systolic blood pressure is less than 100
mm Hg.
C. administer the nitroglycerin unless he has taken Viagra within the past 72 hours.
D. administer up to three doses of nitroglycerin before assessing his blood pressure. -
CORRECT ANSWER: B. assist him with his nitroglycerin unless his systolic blood
pressure is less than 100 mm Hg.
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:
A. give her high-flow oxygen, attach the AED, and transport at once.
B. administer oxygen, give her 324 mg of aspirin, and assess her further.
C. obtain a SAMPLE history and contact medical control for advice.
D. give her one nitroglycerin and reassess her systolic blood pressure. - CORRECT
ANSWER: B. administer oxygen, give her 324 mg of aspirin, and assess her further.
A dissecting aortic aneurysm occurs when:
A. the aorta ruptures, resulting in profound bleeding.
B. all layers of the aorta suddenly contract.
C. a weakened area develops in the aortic wall.
, D. the inner layers of the aorta become separated - CORRECT ANSWER: D. the inner
layers of the aorta become separated
A patient in cardiac arrest is wearing an external defibrillator vest, which is interfering
with effective chest compressions. The EMT should:
Select one:
A. perform ventilations only and allow the vest device to defibrillate.
B. remove the battery from the monitor and leave the vest in place.
C. remove the battery from the monitor and then remove the vest.
D. leave the battery attached to the monitor and remove the vest. - CORRECT
ANSWER: C. remove the battery from the monitor and then remove the vest.
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?
A. Acute myocardial infarction
B. Obstructive lung disease
C. Uncontrolled hypertension
D. Thoracic aortic aneurysm - CORRECT ANSWER: A. Acute myocardial infarction
A patient with atherosclerotic heart disease experiences chest pain during exertion
because:
A. the coronary arteries suddenly spasm and cause a marked reduction in myocardial
blood flow.
B. the ragged edge of a tear in the coronary artery lumen causes local blood clotting
and arterial narrowing.
C. the lumen of the coronary artery is narrowed and cannot accommodate increased
blood flow.
D. tissues of the myocardium undergo necrosis secondary to a prolonged absence of
oxygen. - CORRECT ANSWER: C. the lumen of the coronary artery is narrowed and
cannot accommodate increased blood flow.
A person who routinely misuses a substance and requires increasing amounts to
achieve the same effect is experiencing:
A. dependence.
B. withdrawal.
C. addiction.
D. tolerance. - CORRECT ANSWER: D. tolerance.
A pleural effusion is MOST accurately defined as:
A. a unilaterally collapsed lung.
B. fluid accumulation outside the lung.
C. a bacterial infection of the lung tissue.