NREMT Practice Test Bank Exam -
Multiple Choice || Verified Test Bank
for 2025–2026 | All Chapters with
MCQs and ANSWERs| 9781265311179|
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
• A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
• B:the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
• C:the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
• D:they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood. - ANSWER-• A:both
oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different conditions, their
signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain requires both oxygen
and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is caused by a lack of
oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery, whereas hypoglycemia
(low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose. In either case, the patient
presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred speech, weakness, altered
mental status). Both conditions may lead to permanent brain damage or death if not
treated promptly.
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST concerned
with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history. - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis, your
primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital is
your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history and
should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this
should not supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the patient.
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake. Your initial
attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
,• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. - ANSWER-You selected B; This is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the water
include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to reach the
victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is unsuccessful,
throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are not available, row to
the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to retrieve the victim is a last
resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer because patients who are in danger of
drowning are in a state of blind panic and will make every attempt to keep themselves
afloat, even if it means forcing the rescuer underwater.
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low blood glucose
level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise - ANSWER-The correct ANSWER is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of injury
(MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient with any
fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to complete
unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or hyperglycemia,
head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and shock, among others.
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug. Her
respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which of the
following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium - ANSWER-The correct ANSWER is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the patient's
condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would expect her
to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin, Valium,
and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition. Heroin is an
illegal narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drug, and
Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates are all CNS
depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a decreased level of consciousness,
respiratory depression, bradycardia, and hypotension.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
• A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
,• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner. - ANSWER-You
selected D; This is correct!
Reason:Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances, preventing
them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines. In some cases,
you may give activated charcoal to patients who have ingested certain substances, if
approved by medical control or local protocol. Activated charcoal is contraindicated for
patients who have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner) or a petroleum product
(ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness and cannot protect their
own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment. - ANSWER-you selected D; This is correct!
Reason:In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm: generating heat
(thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the transfer of heat by radiant
energy. The body can lose heat by radiation, such as when a person stands in a cold
room. Convection occurs when heat is transferred to circulating air, as when cool air
moves across the body's surface. A person standing in windy cold weather, wearing
lightweight clothing, is losing heat to the environment mostly by convection. The
quickest and most obvious way to decrease heat loss from radiation and convection is
to move out of the cold environment and seek shelter from wind. Shivering increases
the body's metabolism and is a mechanism for generating heat, not reducing heat loss.
Layers of clothing trap air and provide excellent insulation; thus, layered clothing
decreases heat loss better than a single, thick jacket. Conduction is the direct transfer of
heat from a part of the body to a colder object by direct contact, as when a warm hand
touches cold metal or ice. The most obvious way to decrease heat loss by conduction is
to remove your hand from the cold object.
A near-drowning is MOST accurately defined as:
• A:complications within 24 hours following submersion in water.
• B:immediate death due to prolonged submersion in water.
• C:survival for at least 24 hours following submersion in water.
• D:death greater than 24 hours following submersion in water. - ANSWER-You
selected C; This is correct!
Reason:Collectively, drowning and near-drowning are referred to as submersion
injuries. Drowning is defined as death after submersion in a liquid medium, usually
water. In a drowning, death is either immediate or occurs within 24 hours following
submersion. Near-drowning is defined as survival, at least temporarily (24 hours), after
submersion. It should be noted, however, that complications such as pneumonia and
pulmonary edema can cause death greater than 24 hours following submersion. For this
, reason, all patients with a submersion injury should be transported to the hospital, even
if they appear fine at the scene.
A young woman reports significant weight loss over the last month, persistent fever, and
night sweats. When you assess her, you note the presence of dark purple lesions
covering her trunk and upper extremities. You should suspect:
• A:end-stage cancer.
• B:HIV/AIDS.
• C:tuberculosis.
• D:rheumatic fever. - ANSWER-You selected B; This is correct!
Reason:Weight loss, fever, and night sweats could indicate tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS;
however, the dark purple lesions on the skin, which are called Kaposi's sarcoma, are
malignant skin tumors and are a classic finding in patients in the later stages of AIDS.
A 48-year-old male became acutely hypoxic, experienced a seizure, and is now
postictal. The MOST effective way to prevent another seizure is to:
• A:dim the lights in the back of the ambulance.
• B:place him in the recovery position.
• C:administer high-flow supplemental oxygen.
• D:give him oral glucose if he can swallow. - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason:You should administer high-flow oxygen to all patients who are actively seizing
and to patients who experienced a seizure and are postictal. This is especially true if the
seizure was caused by hypoxia. Increasing the oxygen content of the blood, which
minimizes hypoxia, may prevent another seizure. The recovery position is appropriate
for uninjured patients with a decreased level of consciousness and adequate breathing;
it will help maintain the airway and facilitate drainage of secretions from the mouth, but
will not prevent another seizure. Oral glucose may prevent another seizure if
hypoglycemia was the cause of the seizure. You should dim the lights in the back of the
ambulance to help prevent any seizure, not just those that are caused by hypoxia.
Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to be present in a patient
who was submerged in water?
• A:Spinal injury
• B:Gastric distention
• C:Hyperglycemia
• D:Laryngospasm - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: Many factors can contribute to or result from a submersion injury (eg,
drowning, near-drowning). It is not uncommon for a person to experience a spinal injury
after diving head first into shallow water, especially if he or she is under the influence of
alcohol. When a swimmer panics, he or she initially swallows large amounts of water,
resulting in gastric distention. Gastric distention can cause aspiration if the patient
regurgitates water during rescue breathing; protect the airway! During the panic phase,
the victim expends a tremendous amount of energy (and glucose) from flailing around in
Multiple Choice || Verified Test Bank
for 2025–2026 | All Chapters with
MCQs and ANSWERs| 9781265311179|
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
• A:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
• B:the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
• C:the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
• D:they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood. - ANSWER-• A:both
oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different conditions, their
signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain requires both oxygen
and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is caused by a lack of
oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery, whereas hypoglycemia
(low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose. In either case, the patient
presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred speech, weakness, altered
mental status). Both conditions may lead to permanent brain damage or death if not
treated promptly.
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST concerned
with:
• A:gathering all of the patient's medications.
• B:safely transporting to the hospital.
• C:whether the patient could harm you.
• D:obtaining a complete medical history. - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis, your
primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital is
your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history and
should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this
should not supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the patient.
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake. Your initial
attempt to rescue him should include:
• A:rowing a small raft to the victim.
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
,• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. - ANSWER-You selected B; This is correct!
Reason: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the water
include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to reach the
victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is unsuccessful,
throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are not available, row to
the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to retrieve the victim is a last
resort. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer because patients who are in danger of
drowning are in a state of blind panic and will make every attempt to keep themselves
afloat, even if it means forcing the rescuer underwater.
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low blood glucose
level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
• A:Behavioral emergency
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise - ANSWER-The correct ANSWER is B;
Reason: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of injury
(MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient with any
fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to complete
unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or hyperglycemia,
head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and shock, among others.
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug. Her
respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which of the
following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
• A:Seconal
• B:Heroin
• C:Cocaine
• D:Valium - ANSWER-The correct ANSWER is C;
Reason: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the patient's
condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would expect her
to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent. Heroin, Valium,
and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition. Heroin is an
illegal narcotic (opiate), Valium is a benzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic drug, and
Seconal is a barbiturate. Narcotics, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates are all CNS
depressants. When taken in excess, they cause a decreased level of consciousness,
respiratory depression, bradycardia, and hypotension.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
• A:conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
• B:emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
• C:agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
,• D:awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner. - ANSWER-You
selected D; This is correct!
Reason:Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances, preventing
them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines. In some cases,
you may give activated charcoal to patients who have ingested certain substances, if
approved by medical control or local protocol. Activated charcoal is contraindicated for
patients who have ingested an acid or alkali (ie, drain cleaner) or a petroleum product
(ie, gasoline), who have a decreased level of consciousness and cannot protect their
own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is to:
• A:move away from a cold object.
• B:increase metabolism by shivering.
• C:wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
• D:move to a warmer environment. - ANSWER-you selected D; This is correct!
Reason:In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm: generating heat
(thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. Radiation is the transfer of heat by radiant
energy. The body can lose heat by radiation, such as when a person stands in a cold
room. Convection occurs when heat is transferred to circulating air, as when cool air
moves across the body's surface. A person standing in windy cold weather, wearing
lightweight clothing, is losing heat to the environment mostly by convection. The
quickest and most obvious way to decrease heat loss from radiation and convection is
to move out of the cold environment and seek shelter from wind. Shivering increases
the body's metabolism and is a mechanism for generating heat, not reducing heat loss.
Layers of clothing trap air and provide excellent insulation; thus, layered clothing
decreases heat loss better than a single, thick jacket. Conduction is the direct transfer of
heat from a part of the body to a colder object by direct contact, as when a warm hand
touches cold metal or ice. The most obvious way to decrease heat loss by conduction is
to remove your hand from the cold object.
A near-drowning is MOST accurately defined as:
• A:complications within 24 hours following submersion in water.
• B:immediate death due to prolonged submersion in water.
• C:survival for at least 24 hours following submersion in water.
• D:death greater than 24 hours following submersion in water. - ANSWER-You
selected C; This is correct!
Reason:Collectively, drowning and near-drowning are referred to as submersion
injuries. Drowning is defined as death after submersion in a liquid medium, usually
water. In a drowning, death is either immediate or occurs within 24 hours following
submersion. Near-drowning is defined as survival, at least temporarily (24 hours), after
submersion. It should be noted, however, that complications such as pneumonia and
pulmonary edema can cause death greater than 24 hours following submersion. For this
, reason, all patients with a submersion injury should be transported to the hospital, even
if they appear fine at the scene.
A young woman reports significant weight loss over the last month, persistent fever, and
night sweats. When you assess her, you note the presence of dark purple lesions
covering her trunk and upper extremities. You should suspect:
• A:end-stage cancer.
• B:HIV/AIDS.
• C:tuberculosis.
• D:rheumatic fever. - ANSWER-You selected B; This is correct!
Reason:Weight loss, fever, and night sweats could indicate tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS;
however, the dark purple lesions on the skin, which are called Kaposi's sarcoma, are
malignant skin tumors and are a classic finding in patients in the later stages of AIDS.
A 48-year-old male became acutely hypoxic, experienced a seizure, and is now
postictal. The MOST effective way to prevent another seizure is to:
• A:dim the lights in the back of the ambulance.
• B:place him in the recovery position.
• C:administer high-flow supplemental oxygen.
• D:give him oral glucose if he can swallow. - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason:You should administer high-flow oxygen to all patients who are actively seizing
and to patients who experienced a seizure and are postictal. This is especially true if the
seizure was caused by hypoxia. Increasing the oxygen content of the blood, which
minimizes hypoxia, may prevent another seizure. The recovery position is appropriate
for uninjured patients with a decreased level of consciousness and adequate breathing;
it will help maintain the airway and facilitate drainage of secretions from the mouth, but
will not prevent another seizure. Oral glucose may prevent another seizure if
hypoglycemia was the cause of the seizure. You should dim the lights in the back of the
ambulance to help prevent any seizure, not just those that are caused by hypoxia.
Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to be present in a patient
who was submerged in water?
• A:Spinal injury
• B:Gastric distention
• C:Hyperglycemia
• D:Laryngospasm - ANSWER-You selected C; This is correct!
Reason: Many factors can contribute to or result from a submersion injury (eg,
drowning, near-drowning). It is not uncommon for a person to experience a spinal injury
after diving head first into shallow water, especially if he or she is under the influence of
alcohol. When a swimmer panics, he or she initially swallows large amounts of water,
resulting in gastric distention. Gastric distention can cause aspiration if the patient
regurgitates water during rescue breathing; protect the airway! During the panic phase,
the victim expends a tremendous amount of energy (and glucose) from flailing around in
