Answers & Rationales – FULL SET
1. You are called for a 55-year-old male with chest pain. He is diaphoretic and pale. His airway is
patent, breathing 20/min, SpO2 94%. What is the priority action?
A) Administer aspirin
B) Apply high-flow oxygen via non-rebreather
C) Obtain a 12-lead ECG
D) Transport immediately
Answer B: Apply high-flow oxygen via non-rebreather
Rationale: Oxygenation is the priority for suspected cardiac ischemia with hypoxemia. Aspirin and ECG
come after oxygen.
2. A 24-year-old female is having a severe allergic reaction after a bee sting. She has stridor and
difficulty breathing. What is the first medication you should administer?
A) Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
B) Epinephrine 1:1,000 IM
C) Albuterol nebulizer
D) Epinephrine 1:10,000 IV
Answer B: Epinephrine 1:1,000 IM
Rationale: Stridor indicates upper airway edema; epinephrine IM is first-line for anaphylaxis. Albuterol is
adjunctive for bronchospasm.
3. A patient is unresponsive, not breathing, and has no pulse. After one cycle of CPR, the AED
advises “no shock advised.” What is your next action?
A) Check for a pulse
,B) Resume CPR immediately
C) Reanalyze the rhythm
D) Insert an advanced airway
Answer B: Resume CPR immediately
Rationale: After an AED “no shock” message, resume CPR for 2 minutes before rechecking rhythm.
4. Which of the following findings is most concerning in a patient with a head injury?
A) Scalp laceration
B) Unequal pupils
C) Nausea
D) Headache
Answer B: Unequal pupils
Rationale: Unequal pupils suggest increased ICP or herniation; requires rapid transport. Nausea and
headache are common.
5. A 6-year-old child has a fever and is drooling, sitting in a tripod position. What is the most
appropriate action?
A) Attempt to visualize the throat with a tongue depressor
B) Keep the child calm and transport without agitating
C) Administer albuterol
D) Place a nasal airway
Answer B: Keep the child calm and transport without agitating
Rationale: Tripod positioning and drooling suggest epiglottitis. Do not agitate or examine the throat;
transport immediately.
6. A 32-year-old female is 8 months pregnant and has a seizure. She is now postictal. Vital signs:
BP 160/100, HR 100, RR 18. What is the most likely cause?
A) Eclampsia
,B) Eclampsia
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Epilepsy
Answer A: Eclampsia
Rationale: New-onset seizures in pregnancy with hypertension suggest eclampsia. Seizure precautions
and rapid transport.
7. A patient with a knife wound to the chest has absent breath sounds on the left and distended
neck veins. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A) Simple pneumothorax
B) Tension pneumothorax
C) Hemothorax
D) Cardiac tamponade
Answer B: Tension pneumothorax
Rationale: Absent breath sounds with distended neck veins (JVD) and possible tracheal deviation
indicate tension pneumothorax.
8. You are administering oxygen to a 68-year-old COPD patient via nasal cannula at 2 L/min. He
becomes lethargic and his respiratory rate drops. What should you do?
A) Increase oxygen to 4 L/min
B) Assist ventilations with a BVM
C) Change to a non-rebreather
D) Administer naloxone
Answer B: Assist ventilations with a BVM
Rationale: Lethargy with bradypnea may indicate CO2 narcosis from hypoxic drive loss; support
ventilations.
, 9. A 45-year-old male is pulseless and apneic. The cardiac monitor shows asystole. After CPR and
epinephrine, the rhythm remains asystole. What is the next step?
A) Defibrillate
B) Continue CPR and consider termination of resuscitation per protocol
C) Administer amiodarone
D) Insert a supraglottic airway
Answer B: Continue CPR and consider termination of resuscitation per protocol
Rationale: Asystole is non-shockable; continue CPR and follow local termination of resuscitation
guidelines.
10. A 28-year-old male has an open fracture of the tibia with moderate bleeding. What is the
priority action?
A) Apply a tourniquet
B) Apply direct pressure and sterile dressing
C) Splint the fracture
D) Elevate the leg
Answer B: Apply direct pressure and sterile dressing
Rationale: Direct pressure controls external bleeding. Tourniquet is for severe, life-threatening
hemorrhage.
11. A 55-year-old female has sudden onset of slurred speech and right-sided weakness. Last
known normal was 30 minutes ago. What is your action?
A) Transport to a stroke center, perform stroke assessment
B) Transport to a stroke center, perform stroke assessment, and document last known normal
C) Administer aspirin
D) Treat for hypoglycemia
Answer B: Transport to a stroke center, perform stroke assessment, and document last known
normal