Illinois EMT–Basic Certification
Examination Practice Test Questions
And Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. What is the primary purpose of the primary assessment?
A. Identify allergies
B. Identify and treat life-threatening conditions
C. Obtain past medical history
D. Conduct a physical exam
Rationale: The primary assessment focuses on identifying and treating
immediately life-threatening conditions to stabilize the patient.
2. Which of the following is a sign of inadequate breathing in an adult?
A. Calm appearance
B. Normal rate and depth
, C. Use of accessory muscles
D. Clear lung sounds
Rationale: Use of accessory muscles indicates that the patient is struggling
to breathe and may require immediate intervention.
3. During a patient assessment, you find a carotid pulse that is weak and
irregular. You should:
A. Take a radial pulse instead
B. Begin CPR if the patient is unresponsive and not breathing
normally
C. Wait and monitor
D. Administer oxygen and transport
Rationale: A weak, irregular carotid pulse in an unresponsive patient may
indicate impending cardiac arrest, necessitating CPR.
4. What is the normal respiratory rate for an adult?
A. 10–14 breaths/min
B. 16–22 breaths/min
C. 12–20 breaths/min
D. 20–28 breaths/min
Rationale: The normal adult respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute.
5. When should an EMT consider spinal immobilization?
A. Patient with minor bruising
B. Any patient with suspected spinal injury or mechanism of injury
, C. Patient with diabetes
D. Patient with chest pain
Rationale: Spinal immobilization is indicated when there is suspicion of
spinal injury or mechanism of injury that could cause spinal damage.
6. Which of the following is a late sign of hypoxia?
A. Anxiety
B. Tachypnea
C. Restlessness
D. Cyanosis
Rationale: Cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membranes,
is a late sign of oxygen deprivation.
7. The proper compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single adult rescuer
performing CPR is:
A. 15:2
B. 30:1
C. 30:2
D. 15:1
Rationale: For adults, one rescuer should perform 30 chest compressions
followed by 2 ventilations.
8. A patient with a blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg, rapid weak pulse, and
cool clammy skin is most likely experiencing:
A. Hypertension
, B. Shock
C. Asthma
D. Seizure
Rationale: yLow yblood ypressure, yrapid yweak ypulse, yand ycool yclammy yskin yare
classic ysigns yof yshock.
y
9. When yusing ya ybag-valve-mask y(BVM) yon yan yadult ypatient,
y the yrecommended yventilation yrate yis:
A. 6–8 ybreaths/min
B. 10–12 ybreaths/min
C. 10–12 ybreaths/min yif ythe ypatient yhas ya ypulse, y30:2 yduring yCPR
D. 20 ybreaths/min
Rationale: yFor ya ypatient ywith ya ypulse, yventilate y10–12 ytimes yper yminute;
during yCPR, yuse y30 ycompressions yto y2 ybreaths.
y
10. Which yof ythe yfollowing ypatients ywould ymost ylikely ybenefit yfrom
y a ynon-rebreather ymask?
A. Patient yin ycardiac yarrest
B. Patient ywith yno yrespiratory yeffort
C. Patient ywith ymoderate yrespiratory ydistress yand ySpO₂ ybelow y94%
D. Patient ywith ya yminor ylaceration
Rationale: yA ynon-rebreather ymask ydelivers yhigh-concentration yoxygen yto
patients yin ymoderate yrespiratory ydistress.
y
Examination Practice Test Questions
And Correct Answers (Verified Answers)
Plus Rationales 2026 Q&A | Instant
Download Pdf
1. What is the primary purpose of the primary assessment?
A. Identify allergies
B. Identify and treat life-threatening conditions
C. Obtain past medical history
D. Conduct a physical exam
Rationale: The primary assessment focuses on identifying and treating
immediately life-threatening conditions to stabilize the patient.
2. Which of the following is a sign of inadequate breathing in an adult?
A. Calm appearance
B. Normal rate and depth
, C. Use of accessory muscles
D. Clear lung sounds
Rationale: Use of accessory muscles indicates that the patient is struggling
to breathe and may require immediate intervention.
3. During a patient assessment, you find a carotid pulse that is weak and
irregular. You should:
A. Take a radial pulse instead
B. Begin CPR if the patient is unresponsive and not breathing
normally
C. Wait and monitor
D. Administer oxygen and transport
Rationale: A weak, irregular carotid pulse in an unresponsive patient may
indicate impending cardiac arrest, necessitating CPR.
4. What is the normal respiratory rate for an adult?
A. 10–14 breaths/min
B. 16–22 breaths/min
C. 12–20 breaths/min
D. 20–28 breaths/min
Rationale: The normal adult respiratory rate is 12–20 breaths per minute.
5. When should an EMT consider spinal immobilization?
A. Patient with minor bruising
B. Any patient with suspected spinal injury or mechanism of injury
, C. Patient with diabetes
D. Patient with chest pain
Rationale: Spinal immobilization is indicated when there is suspicion of
spinal injury or mechanism of injury that could cause spinal damage.
6. Which of the following is a late sign of hypoxia?
A. Anxiety
B. Tachypnea
C. Restlessness
D. Cyanosis
Rationale: Cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membranes,
is a late sign of oxygen deprivation.
7. The proper compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single adult rescuer
performing CPR is:
A. 15:2
B. 30:1
C. 30:2
D. 15:1
Rationale: For adults, one rescuer should perform 30 chest compressions
followed by 2 ventilations.
8. A patient with a blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg, rapid weak pulse, and
cool clammy skin is most likely experiencing:
A. Hypertension
, B. Shock
C. Asthma
D. Seizure
Rationale: yLow yblood ypressure, yrapid yweak ypulse, yand ycool yclammy yskin yare
classic ysigns yof yshock.
y
9. When yusing ya ybag-valve-mask y(BVM) yon yan yadult ypatient,
y the yrecommended yventilation yrate yis:
A. 6–8 ybreaths/min
B. 10–12 ybreaths/min
C. 10–12 ybreaths/min yif ythe ypatient yhas ya ypulse, y30:2 yduring yCPR
D. 20 ybreaths/min
Rationale: yFor ya ypatient ywith ya ypulse, yventilate y10–12 ytimes yper yminute;
during yCPR, yuse y30 ycompressions yto y2 ybreaths.
y
10. Which yof ythe yfollowing ypatients ywould ymost ylikely ybenefit yfrom
y a ynon-rebreather ymask?
A. Patient yin ycardiac yarrest
B. Patient ywith yno yrespiratory yeffort
C. Patient ywith ymoderate yrespiratory ydistress yand ySpO₂ ybelow y94%
D. Patient ywith ya yminor ylaceration
Rationale: yA ynon-rebreather ymask ydelivers yhigh-concentration yoxygen yto
patients yin ymoderate yrespiratory ydistress.
y
