PMED CH 4 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
ALL CORRECT ANSWERS
Most states require the paramedic to report all of the following cases, EXCEPT:
A) injury to the elderly.
B) drug-related injuries.
C) prehospital childbirth.
D) domestic violence. - Answer-A
Which of the following scenarios is considered by most states to be a medical examiner
case?
A) Any violent or unexpected death
B) Death of a criminal who is on probation
C) Death of a person under 45 years of age
D) Any patient who dies outside the hospital - Answer-A
While caring for a conscious and alert 49-year-old man with a suspected myocardial
infarction, you start an IV prior to obtaining the patient's consent. This action constitutes:
A) appropriate care.
B) assault.
C) battery.
D) gross negligence. - Answer-C
Without obtaining her consent, you transport a mentally competent young woman to the
hospital because you suspect she is experiencing internal bleeding. This action:
A) is defensible in a court of law.
B) constitutes false imprisonment.
C) reflects an act of gross negligence.
D) is justifiable because of your suspicions. - Answer-B
Which of the following statements would be inappropriate when documenting your care
of a patient with an emotional problem?
A) "There was no evidence of suicidal behavior."
B) "The patient was uncooperative during the exam."
C) "The possible smell of ETOH was noted at the scene."
D) "The patient's actions suggest the use of illicit drugs." - Answer-D
While caring for a critically injured patient at the scene of a motor vehicle crash, an
emergency physician bystander stops at the scene to assist. Which of the following
,procedures performed by the physician would require the physician to accompany the
patient to the hospital in the ambulance?
A) ECG interpretation
B) A pericardiocentesis
C) Orotracheal intubation
D) Intraosseous cannulation - Answer-B
A paramedic who was trained and certified to perform a surgical cricothyrotomy
successfully performs the procedure on a patient in the field. However, because the
EMS system's medical director does not permit paramedics to perform a needle
cricothyrotomy, the paramedic:
A) performed outside his or her scope of practice.
B) has committed an act of gross negligence.
C) will likely be sued by the medical director.
D) did not follow the national standard of care. - Answer-A
While providing care to a seriously ill public official who is semiconscious, a media
representative arrives at the scene and inquires about the patient's condition. You
should:
A) give the media representative the patient's name and age only.
B) advise the media representative to obtain the information at the hospital.
C) tell the media representative that you cannot disclose any information.
D) obtain consent from the patient before releasing any personal information. - Answer-
C
Which of the following scenarios reflects a violation of EMTALA?
A) A registration clerk asks you if the patient has insurance.
B) An emergency department provides stabilization care only.
C) A hospital transfers an unstable patient to another facility.
D) Paramedics transport a woman in labor to the closest hospital. - Answer-C
While en route to the scene of a patient in cardiac arrest, the driver of the vehicle in
front of you does not hear your siren or see your lights. You should:
A) quickly merge to the right, pass the vehicle, and then obtain the vehicle's license
plate number.
B) turn your siren off and ask the driver of the vehicle to pull over using the public
address radio.
C) get as close to the rear of the vehicle as possible, change the tone of your siren, and
flash your headlights.
D) remain at a safe distance behind the vehicle and then pass the vehicle on the left
side when it is safe to do so. - Answer-D
While on duty, a paramedic unit stops at the scene of a traffic accident to which it has
not been dispatched. During the course of providing patient care, one of the paramedics
purposely manipulates the patient's neck to elicit a painful response. This paramedic:
, A) is protected by the Good Samaritan law because he was not officially dispatched to
the scene of the accident.
B) is not a Good Samaritan and did not perform as any other paramedic with similar
training would have performed.
C) is not protected by the Good Samaritan law but provided treatment that is consistent
with the accepted standard of care.
D) cared for the patient in a manner consistent with his scope of practice and is not
liable for the patient's injury or injuries. - Answer-B
While off duty and outside of your jurisdiction, you encounter a motor vehicle crash. You
can see one patient lying motionless on the ground near her overturned vehicle. As an
off-duty paramedic, you:
A) should call 9-1-1 but not stop to provide care.
B) may feel an ethical obligation to stop and assist.
C) have a legal responsibility to stop and render aid.
D) should stop if you have an EMS decal on your car. - Answer-B
While attempting to resuscitate a middle-aged woman in cardiac arrest, you perform
effective CPR but do not evaluate the patient's cardiac rhythm until 10 minutes into the
resuscitation attempt. When the cardiac monitor is finally applied, the patient is in
asystole. The patient is transported but is pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Which of the following statements regarding this scenario is correct?
A) The delay in evaluating the patient's cardiac rhythm constitutes a breach of duty and
could be proven to be the proximate cause of her death.
B) Simple negligence can be established because of the delay in applying the cardiac
monitor, but your inaction did not proximately cause her death.
C) Your inaction reflects gross negligence and it easily could be established that the
patient would have survived if the cardiac monitor had been applied earlier.
D) Although there was a delay in applying the cardiac - Answer-A
You deliver a 61-year-old man with abdominal pain to a busy emergency department. A
staff nurse instructs you to take the patient to the triage area where he will be tended to
later. She further tells you that after you leave a copy of your patient care report with the
clerk, you are free to leave. You should:
A) do as the nurse instructs you and thoroughly document the incident to ensure you
are not accused of abandonment.
B) leave the patient in the triage area, give your patient care report to the clerk and tell
the clerk to keep an eye on the patient.
C) advise the nurse that you will remain with the patient until the nurse has taken your
verbal report and properly assumed care of the patient.
D) transfer the patient to a gurney in a highly visible area, advise the nurse of what you
did, and give the nurse a copy of your patient care report. - Answer-C
Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts abandonment?
ALL CORRECT ANSWERS
Most states require the paramedic to report all of the following cases, EXCEPT:
A) injury to the elderly.
B) drug-related injuries.
C) prehospital childbirth.
D) domestic violence. - Answer-A
Which of the following scenarios is considered by most states to be a medical examiner
case?
A) Any violent or unexpected death
B) Death of a criminal who is on probation
C) Death of a person under 45 years of age
D) Any patient who dies outside the hospital - Answer-A
While caring for a conscious and alert 49-year-old man with a suspected myocardial
infarction, you start an IV prior to obtaining the patient's consent. This action constitutes:
A) appropriate care.
B) assault.
C) battery.
D) gross negligence. - Answer-C
Without obtaining her consent, you transport a mentally competent young woman to the
hospital because you suspect she is experiencing internal bleeding. This action:
A) is defensible in a court of law.
B) constitutes false imprisonment.
C) reflects an act of gross negligence.
D) is justifiable because of your suspicions. - Answer-B
Which of the following statements would be inappropriate when documenting your care
of a patient with an emotional problem?
A) "There was no evidence of suicidal behavior."
B) "The patient was uncooperative during the exam."
C) "The possible smell of ETOH was noted at the scene."
D) "The patient's actions suggest the use of illicit drugs." - Answer-D
While caring for a critically injured patient at the scene of a motor vehicle crash, an
emergency physician bystander stops at the scene to assist. Which of the following
,procedures performed by the physician would require the physician to accompany the
patient to the hospital in the ambulance?
A) ECG interpretation
B) A pericardiocentesis
C) Orotracheal intubation
D) Intraosseous cannulation - Answer-B
A paramedic who was trained and certified to perform a surgical cricothyrotomy
successfully performs the procedure on a patient in the field. However, because the
EMS system's medical director does not permit paramedics to perform a needle
cricothyrotomy, the paramedic:
A) performed outside his or her scope of practice.
B) has committed an act of gross negligence.
C) will likely be sued by the medical director.
D) did not follow the national standard of care. - Answer-A
While providing care to a seriously ill public official who is semiconscious, a media
representative arrives at the scene and inquires about the patient's condition. You
should:
A) give the media representative the patient's name and age only.
B) advise the media representative to obtain the information at the hospital.
C) tell the media representative that you cannot disclose any information.
D) obtain consent from the patient before releasing any personal information. - Answer-
C
Which of the following scenarios reflects a violation of EMTALA?
A) A registration clerk asks you if the patient has insurance.
B) An emergency department provides stabilization care only.
C) A hospital transfers an unstable patient to another facility.
D) Paramedics transport a woman in labor to the closest hospital. - Answer-C
While en route to the scene of a patient in cardiac arrest, the driver of the vehicle in
front of you does not hear your siren or see your lights. You should:
A) quickly merge to the right, pass the vehicle, and then obtain the vehicle's license
plate number.
B) turn your siren off and ask the driver of the vehicle to pull over using the public
address radio.
C) get as close to the rear of the vehicle as possible, change the tone of your siren, and
flash your headlights.
D) remain at a safe distance behind the vehicle and then pass the vehicle on the left
side when it is safe to do so. - Answer-D
While on duty, a paramedic unit stops at the scene of a traffic accident to which it has
not been dispatched. During the course of providing patient care, one of the paramedics
purposely manipulates the patient's neck to elicit a painful response. This paramedic:
, A) is protected by the Good Samaritan law because he was not officially dispatched to
the scene of the accident.
B) is not a Good Samaritan and did not perform as any other paramedic with similar
training would have performed.
C) is not protected by the Good Samaritan law but provided treatment that is consistent
with the accepted standard of care.
D) cared for the patient in a manner consistent with his scope of practice and is not
liable for the patient's injury or injuries. - Answer-B
While off duty and outside of your jurisdiction, you encounter a motor vehicle crash. You
can see one patient lying motionless on the ground near her overturned vehicle. As an
off-duty paramedic, you:
A) should call 9-1-1 but not stop to provide care.
B) may feel an ethical obligation to stop and assist.
C) have a legal responsibility to stop and render aid.
D) should stop if you have an EMS decal on your car. - Answer-B
While attempting to resuscitate a middle-aged woman in cardiac arrest, you perform
effective CPR but do not evaluate the patient's cardiac rhythm until 10 minutes into the
resuscitation attempt. When the cardiac monitor is finally applied, the patient is in
asystole. The patient is transported but is pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Which of the following statements regarding this scenario is correct?
A) The delay in evaluating the patient's cardiac rhythm constitutes a breach of duty and
could be proven to be the proximate cause of her death.
B) Simple negligence can be established because of the delay in applying the cardiac
monitor, but your inaction did not proximately cause her death.
C) Your inaction reflects gross negligence and it easily could be established that the
patient would have survived if the cardiac monitor had been applied earlier.
D) Although there was a delay in applying the cardiac - Answer-A
You deliver a 61-year-old man with abdominal pain to a busy emergency department. A
staff nurse instructs you to take the patient to the triage area where he will be tended to
later. She further tells you that after you leave a copy of your patient care report with the
clerk, you are free to leave. You should:
A) do as the nurse instructs you and thoroughly document the incident to ensure you
are not accused of abandonment.
B) leave the patient in the triage area, give your patient care report to the clerk and tell
the clerk to keep an eye on the patient.
C) advise the nurse that you will remain with the patient until the nurse has taken your
verbal report and properly assumed care of the patient.
D) transfer the patient to a gurney in a highly visible area, advise the nurse of what you
did, and give the nurse a copy of your patient care report. - Answer-C
Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts abandonment?
