EMT Basic Practice Exam 1
A 2-year-old male is in respiratory failure when he has...
A. Altered mental status and breathing rate of 68 per minute.
B. Limp muscle tone and weak or absent distal pulse.
C. Nasal flaring and mottled skin color.
D. Breathing rate of 6 per minute and heart rate of 50 per minute. - ANS -A. Altered mental
status and breathing rate of 68 per minute.
Signs of respiratory failure include altered mental status and a slow or fast breathing rate with
fatigue. There is not enough information to determine if patients B and C are in respiratory
insufficiency, respiratory failure, or impending respiratory arrest. Patient D is in impending
respiratory arrest.
\A 23-year-old pregnant female is bleeding profusely from her vagina. All of the following actions
are appropriate EXCEPT...
A. Providing high-concentration oxygen.
B. Placing a sanitary napkin in the vagina.
C. Replacing pads as they become soaked.
D. Rapid transport to the hospital. - ANS -B. Placing a sanitary napkin in the vagina.
Placing napkins in the birth canal will not stop the source of the bleeding. Placing bulky dressing
or sanitary napkins at the vaginal opening will help prevent the blood from spreading.
\A 45-year-old male is experiencing chest discomfort. After placing him in his position of comfort,
your next action should be?
A. Ventilate the patient with a nonrebreather mask at 15 L/min.
B. Ventilate the patient with the bag-valve mask at 15 L/min.
C. Administer oxygen by rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
D. Administer oxygen by the nasal cannula at 6 L/min. - ANS -C. Administer oxygen by
rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
There is no information to indicate that the patient requires ventilatory support. Any patient
experiencing chest discomfort should receive the highest possible concentration of oxygen.
\A 56-year-old female patient complains of mild chest discomfort. You should...
A. Decide what type of heart problem it might be.
B. Decide whether the patient has a heart problem.
C. Maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac compromise.
D. Apply the AED. - ANS -C. Maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac compromise.
The role of the EMT-Basic is not to diagnose the exact cause of the patient's chief complaint.
Maintaining a high suspicion for a cardiac emergency will guide your next step in managing this
patient appropriately.
\A bulb syringe is used to suction infants up to the age of __.
,A. 1 month.
B. 3-4 months.
C. 6-8 months.
D. 1 year - ANS -B. 3-4 months.
A bulb syringe is used to suction an infant's nasal passage or mouth and is generally used with
infants up to age 3-4 months. If you are using mechanical or hand-powered suction equipment
in infants of this age, be very careful to use the lowest possible pressure needed to accomplish
the job.
\A bystander is performing CPR when you arrive. You evaluate the scene, practice body
substance isolation, and begin your initial assessment by having the bystander...
A. verify pulselessness
B. continue CPR
C. stop CPR
D. provide a history of cardiac aresst. - ANS -C Stop CPR.
Having the bystander stop CPR will allow you to reassess the patient's ventilatory and
circulatory status. This will tell you whether you need to continue CPR or whether the patient
has regained a pulse or is breathing.
\A gurgling sound heard with artificial ventilation is a sign that...
A. The patient must suctioned immediately.
B. Supplemental oxygen should be added to the gas-valve mask.
C. The airway is most likely open, patent, and clear.
D. The patient is trying to communicate with you. - ANS -A. The patient must be suctioned
immediately.
A gurgling sound means that the patient needs to be suctioned immediately; ventilation cannot
be adequate when the airway is blocked from mucous, blood, or other secretions.
\A patient complaining of facial paralysis on one side of his face with tearing, localized pain, and
sensitivity may be suffering from the most common form of facial paralysis called __________.
A. Dystonia
B. Muscular dystrophy
C. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease)
D. Bell's palsy - ANS -D. Bell's Palsy
Bell's palsy is the most common form of facial paralysis. Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative
disease characterized by the weakening of skeletal muscles. ALS, a.k.a Lou Gehrig's disease
affects the nerve cells that control voluntary movement. Dystonia describes repetitive motions or
abnormal posturing.
\A patient should receive high-flow oxygen if he or she exhibits ______.
A. Fever
B. Anxiety
C. Dehydration
D. Cyanosis - ANS -D. Cyanosis
, Cyanosis, or a bluish coloration of the mucous membranes and skin, which is caused by
inadequate oxygen supply to the body's tissues; the other choices are unrelated to oxygen
supply.
\A sign of a generalized cold emergency, or hypothermia, is cool skin on the...
A. Feet or hands
B. Ears
C. Face
D. Abdomen - ANS -D. Abdomen
Cool skin on the abdomen is a reliable sign of hypothermia in a patient because the abdomen is
the central core of the body and is usually covered under layers of clothing.
\A sign or symptom of a predelivery emergency is...
A. The mother's dry skin.
B. Profuse vaginal bleeding.
C. The presence of bloody show.
D. A contraction every 20 minutes. - ANS -B. Profuse vaginal bleeding.
Profuse vaginal bleeding may indicate a true obstetrical emergency such as uterine rupture or
torn placenta.
\After opening the airway, the next step in patient management is to...
A. Insert an endotracheal tube.
B. Assess adequacy of respirations.
C. Begin mouth-to-mouth ventilations.
D. Apply bag-valve mask ventilation. - ANS -B. Assess adequacy of respirations.
After opening the airway, the EMT should assess the rate and depth of ventilations; choices A,
C, and/or D would occur only after respiratory adequacy has been assessed and they are
appropriate to use.
\After receiving three consecutive "no shock indicated" messages on the AED, you should do
which of the following?
A. Consult medical control for direction.
B. Check the AED battery/power supply.
C. Check for a pulse and begin CPR.
D. Begin transporting to the hospital. - ANS -D Begin transporting to the hospital.
After three consecutive "no shock indicated" messages, you should make sure to begin
transporting the patient while continuing CPR. Some jurisdictions may adopt a protocol or
standing order that requires you to consider transporting following the first or second set of AED
rounds, regardless of whether you shock. At the minimum, you should begin your transport by
the third time you perform an analysis.
\All of the following are signs of possible child abuse EXCEPT...
A. the presence of multiple bruises in various stages of healing.
B. A single, severe traumatic event that occurred for no reason.
A 2-year-old male is in respiratory failure when he has...
A. Altered mental status and breathing rate of 68 per minute.
B. Limp muscle tone and weak or absent distal pulse.
C. Nasal flaring and mottled skin color.
D. Breathing rate of 6 per minute and heart rate of 50 per minute. - ANS -A. Altered mental
status and breathing rate of 68 per minute.
Signs of respiratory failure include altered mental status and a slow or fast breathing rate with
fatigue. There is not enough information to determine if patients B and C are in respiratory
insufficiency, respiratory failure, or impending respiratory arrest. Patient D is in impending
respiratory arrest.
\A 23-year-old pregnant female is bleeding profusely from her vagina. All of the following actions
are appropriate EXCEPT...
A. Providing high-concentration oxygen.
B. Placing a sanitary napkin in the vagina.
C. Replacing pads as they become soaked.
D. Rapid transport to the hospital. - ANS -B. Placing a sanitary napkin in the vagina.
Placing napkins in the birth canal will not stop the source of the bleeding. Placing bulky dressing
or sanitary napkins at the vaginal opening will help prevent the blood from spreading.
\A 45-year-old male is experiencing chest discomfort. After placing him in his position of comfort,
your next action should be?
A. Ventilate the patient with a nonrebreather mask at 15 L/min.
B. Ventilate the patient with the bag-valve mask at 15 L/min.
C. Administer oxygen by rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
D. Administer oxygen by the nasal cannula at 6 L/min. - ANS -C. Administer oxygen by
rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
There is no information to indicate that the patient requires ventilatory support. Any patient
experiencing chest discomfort should receive the highest possible concentration of oxygen.
\A 56-year-old female patient complains of mild chest discomfort. You should...
A. Decide what type of heart problem it might be.
B. Decide whether the patient has a heart problem.
C. Maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac compromise.
D. Apply the AED. - ANS -C. Maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac compromise.
The role of the EMT-Basic is not to diagnose the exact cause of the patient's chief complaint.
Maintaining a high suspicion for a cardiac emergency will guide your next step in managing this
patient appropriately.
\A bulb syringe is used to suction infants up to the age of __.
,A. 1 month.
B. 3-4 months.
C. 6-8 months.
D. 1 year - ANS -B. 3-4 months.
A bulb syringe is used to suction an infant's nasal passage or mouth and is generally used with
infants up to age 3-4 months. If you are using mechanical or hand-powered suction equipment
in infants of this age, be very careful to use the lowest possible pressure needed to accomplish
the job.
\A bystander is performing CPR when you arrive. You evaluate the scene, practice body
substance isolation, and begin your initial assessment by having the bystander...
A. verify pulselessness
B. continue CPR
C. stop CPR
D. provide a history of cardiac aresst. - ANS -C Stop CPR.
Having the bystander stop CPR will allow you to reassess the patient's ventilatory and
circulatory status. This will tell you whether you need to continue CPR or whether the patient
has regained a pulse or is breathing.
\A gurgling sound heard with artificial ventilation is a sign that...
A. The patient must suctioned immediately.
B. Supplemental oxygen should be added to the gas-valve mask.
C. The airway is most likely open, patent, and clear.
D. The patient is trying to communicate with you. - ANS -A. The patient must be suctioned
immediately.
A gurgling sound means that the patient needs to be suctioned immediately; ventilation cannot
be adequate when the airway is blocked from mucous, blood, or other secretions.
\A patient complaining of facial paralysis on one side of his face with tearing, localized pain, and
sensitivity may be suffering from the most common form of facial paralysis called __________.
A. Dystonia
B. Muscular dystrophy
C. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease)
D. Bell's palsy - ANS -D. Bell's Palsy
Bell's palsy is the most common form of facial paralysis. Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative
disease characterized by the weakening of skeletal muscles. ALS, a.k.a Lou Gehrig's disease
affects the nerve cells that control voluntary movement. Dystonia describes repetitive motions or
abnormal posturing.
\A patient should receive high-flow oxygen if he or she exhibits ______.
A. Fever
B. Anxiety
C. Dehydration
D. Cyanosis - ANS -D. Cyanosis
, Cyanosis, or a bluish coloration of the mucous membranes and skin, which is caused by
inadequate oxygen supply to the body's tissues; the other choices are unrelated to oxygen
supply.
\A sign of a generalized cold emergency, or hypothermia, is cool skin on the...
A. Feet or hands
B. Ears
C. Face
D. Abdomen - ANS -D. Abdomen
Cool skin on the abdomen is a reliable sign of hypothermia in a patient because the abdomen is
the central core of the body and is usually covered under layers of clothing.
\A sign or symptom of a predelivery emergency is...
A. The mother's dry skin.
B. Profuse vaginal bleeding.
C. The presence of bloody show.
D. A contraction every 20 minutes. - ANS -B. Profuse vaginal bleeding.
Profuse vaginal bleeding may indicate a true obstetrical emergency such as uterine rupture or
torn placenta.
\After opening the airway, the next step in patient management is to...
A. Insert an endotracheal tube.
B. Assess adequacy of respirations.
C. Begin mouth-to-mouth ventilations.
D. Apply bag-valve mask ventilation. - ANS -B. Assess adequacy of respirations.
After opening the airway, the EMT should assess the rate and depth of ventilations; choices A,
C, and/or D would occur only after respiratory adequacy has been assessed and they are
appropriate to use.
\After receiving three consecutive "no shock indicated" messages on the AED, you should do
which of the following?
A. Consult medical control for direction.
B. Check the AED battery/power supply.
C. Check for a pulse and begin CPR.
D. Begin transporting to the hospital. - ANS -D Begin transporting to the hospital.
After three consecutive "no shock indicated" messages, you should make sure to begin
transporting the patient while continuing CPR. Some jurisdictions may adopt a protocol or
standing order that requires you to consider transporting following the first or second set of AED
rounds, regardless of whether you shock. At the minimum, you should begin your transport by
the third time you perform an analysis.
\All of the following are signs of possible child abuse EXCEPT...
A. the presence of multiple bruises in various stages of healing.
B. A single, severe traumatic event that occurred for no reason.
