West Coast EMT Block 1 (2026) QUESTIONS
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Section 1: The EMS System, Roles, and Responsibilities
1. What does EMS stand for?
A: Emergency Medical Services.
2. What is the primary responsibility of an EMT?
A: To provide safe, prompt, and efficient emergency medical care and transportation for the sick
and injured.
3. What is the four-level "Chain of Survival" for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest as defined by the
AHA?
A: 1. Recognition and Activation, 2. Early CPR, 3. Rapid Defibrillation, 4. Advanced Life Support
and Post-Arrest Care.
4. What is the difference between licensure and certification for an EMT?
A: Licensure is a state-granted permission to practice, while certification is a recognition of
meeting specific professional standards (like from the NREMT).
5. What is the purpose of Quality Improvement (QI) in EMS?
A: To continuously evaluate and improve the quality of patient care through systematic review
of performance and outcomes.
6. What are the components of personal protective equipment (PPE) for standard
precautions?
A: Gloves, gown, mask, and eye protection. (N-95 or higher for airborne diseases).
7. What is the number one priority at any emergency scene?
A: Scene Safety and personal safety.
8. What is the purpose of the Hippocratic Oath as it relates to EMS?
A: It embodies the ethical principle of "first, do no harm" (non-maleficence).
,9. Define "Duty to Act."
A: A legal obligation to provide care. For an EMT, this duty begins when they are on-duty and
dispatched to a call.
10. What is the difference between expressed and implied consent?
A: Expressed consent is given verbally or non-verbally by a conscious, competent adult. Implied
consent assumes a patient who is unable to consent (e.g., unconscious) would consent to life-
saving care.
Section 2: Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues
11. What must you have from a conscious, competent adult patient before providing care?
A: Informed Consent.
12. What are the four components of negligence (the "4 Ds")?
A: Duty, Dereliction (breach of duty), Direct Cause, and Damages.
13. Under what circumstances can an EMT treat and transport a minor without parental
consent?
A: In emergencies where the child's life or limb is threatened and a parent/guardian is not
available (implied consent), or if the minor is emancipated.
14. What is "Abandonment"?
A: Terminating patient care without ensuring the patient is transferred to a provider of equal or
higher level of training.
15. What is an "Advance Directive" or "DNR" order?
A: A legal document that outlines a patient's wishes to refuse certain medical treatments,
including resuscitation, in the event they become incapacitated.
16. What is your responsibility if a patient presents a valid DNR order?
A: To follow the specific instructions outlined in the DNR order and your local protocols, and
provide comfort care.
17. What is "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)"?
A: A federal law that protects the privacy and security of patients' protected health information
(PHI).
18. Can you legally share patient details on social media?
A: No, it is a direct violation of patient confidentiality and HIPAA.
19. What is the purpose of documentation (the patient care report)?
A: To create a legal record of the incident and care provided, for continuity of care, and for
billing and quality improvement.
,20. What is "Scope of Practice"?
A: The range of skills and procedures an EMT is legally allowed to perform, as defined by state
law and local medical direction.
Section 3: Anatomy and Physiology Terminology
21. What is the anatomical term for "front of the body"?
A: Anterior (or Ventral).
22. What is the anatomical term for "back of the body"?
A: Posterior (or Dorsal).
23. What plane divides the body into left and right halves?
A: Sagittal Plane.
24. What plane divides the body into top and bottom halves?
A: Transverse (Axial) Plane.
25. The term "superior" means:
A: Toward the head (or above another structure).
26. The term "inferior" means:
A: Away from the head (or below another structure).
27. The term "proximal" refers to:
A: Closer to the point of attachment or the torso.
28. The term "distal" refers to:
A: Farther from the point of attachment or the torso.
29. What are the three major body cavities?
A: Cranial, Thoracic, and Abdominal (including pelvic).
30. What is the function of the circulatory system?
A: To transport blood, oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body.
Section 4: Human Body Systems
31. What are the primary organs of the respiratory system?
A: Nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
32. What is the function of alveoli?
A: To be the site of gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the air and the blood.
, 33. What is the role of the diaphragm in breathing?
A: It is the primary muscle of inhalation. When it contracts, it flattens and increases the volume
of the thoracic cavity, drawing air in.
34. What are the components of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
A: The brain and the spinal cord.
35. What is the function of platelets?
A: To initiate the blood clotting process.
36. What is the body's largest artery?
A: The Aorta.
37. What chamber of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs?
A: The Left Atrium.
38. What vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart?
A: The Superior and Inferior Vena Cava.
39. What is the primary function of the skin?
A: To act as a barrier against infection, regulate body temperature, and provide sensation.
40. What are the three main types of muscle tissue?
A: Skeletal (voluntary), Smooth (involuntary, in organs), and Cardiac (heart).
Section 5: Baseline Vital Signs and Patient Assessment
41. What are the six baseline vital signs?
A: 1. Respiration, 2. Pulse, 3. Blood Pressure, 4. Skin, 5. Pupils, 6. Oxygen Saturation (SpO2).
42. What is the normal respiratory rate for an adult?
A: 12-20 breaths per minute.
43. What is the normal resting pulse rate for an adult?
A: 60-100 beats per minute.
44. What is a normal blood pressure for an adult?
A: Approximately 120/80 mmHg (Systolic/Diastolic).
45. What does the "systolic" blood pressure represent?
A: The pressure in the arteries when the left ventricle contracts.
46. What does the "diastolic" blood pressure represent?
A: The pressure in the arteries when the left ventricle is at rest.
WITH VERIFIED CORRECT ANSWERS ||
100% GUARANTEED PASS <UPDATED
VERSION>
Section 1: The EMS System, Roles, and Responsibilities
1. What does EMS stand for?
A: Emergency Medical Services.
2. What is the primary responsibility of an EMT?
A: To provide safe, prompt, and efficient emergency medical care and transportation for the sick
and injured.
3. What is the four-level "Chain of Survival" for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest as defined by the
AHA?
A: 1. Recognition and Activation, 2. Early CPR, 3. Rapid Defibrillation, 4. Advanced Life Support
and Post-Arrest Care.
4. What is the difference between licensure and certification for an EMT?
A: Licensure is a state-granted permission to practice, while certification is a recognition of
meeting specific professional standards (like from the NREMT).
5. What is the purpose of Quality Improvement (QI) in EMS?
A: To continuously evaluate and improve the quality of patient care through systematic review
of performance and outcomes.
6. What are the components of personal protective equipment (PPE) for standard
precautions?
A: Gloves, gown, mask, and eye protection. (N-95 or higher for airborne diseases).
7. What is the number one priority at any emergency scene?
A: Scene Safety and personal safety.
8. What is the purpose of the Hippocratic Oath as it relates to EMS?
A: It embodies the ethical principle of "first, do no harm" (non-maleficence).
,9. Define "Duty to Act."
A: A legal obligation to provide care. For an EMT, this duty begins when they are on-duty and
dispatched to a call.
10. What is the difference between expressed and implied consent?
A: Expressed consent is given verbally or non-verbally by a conscious, competent adult. Implied
consent assumes a patient who is unable to consent (e.g., unconscious) would consent to life-
saving care.
Section 2: Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues
11. What must you have from a conscious, competent adult patient before providing care?
A: Informed Consent.
12. What are the four components of negligence (the "4 Ds")?
A: Duty, Dereliction (breach of duty), Direct Cause, and Damages.
13. Under what circumstances can an EMT treat and transport a minor without parental
consent?
A: In emergencies where the child's life or limb is threatened and a parent/guardian is not
available (implied consent), or if the minor is emancipated.
14. What is "Abandonment"?
A: Terminating patient care without ensuring the patient is transferred to a provider of equal or
higher level of training.
15. What is an "Advance Directive" or "DNR" order?
A: A legal document that outlines a patient's wishes to refuse certain medical treatments,
including resuscitation, in the event they become incapacitated.
16. What is your responsibility if a patient presents a valid DNR order?
A: To follow the specific instructions outlined in the DNR order and your local protocols, and
provide comfort care.
17. What is "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)"?
A: A federal law that protects the privacy and security of patients' protected health information
(PHI).
18. Can you legally share patient details on social media?
A: No, it is a direct violation of patient confidentiality and HIPAA.
19. What is the purpose of documentation (the patient care report)?
A: To create a legal record of the incident and care provided, for continuity of care, and for
billing and quality improvement.
,20. What is "Scope of Practice"?
A: The range of skills and procedures an EMT is legally allowed to perform, as defined by state
law and local medical direction.
Section 3: Anatomy and Physiology Terminology
21. What is the anatomical term for "front of the body"?
A: Anterior (or Ventral).
22. What is the anatomical term for "back of the body"?
A: Posterior (or Dorsal).
23. What plane divides the body into left and right halves?
A: Sagittal Plane.
24. What plane divides the body into top and bottom halves?
A: Transverse (Axial) Plane.
25. The term "superior" means:
A: Toward the head (or above another structure).
26. The term "inferior" means:
A: Away from the head (or below another structure).
27. The term "proximal" refers to:
A: Closer to the point of attachment or the torso.
28. The term "distal" refers to:
A: Farther from the point of attachment or the torso.
29. What are the three major body cavities?
A: Cranial, Thoracic, and Abdominal (including pelvic).
30. What is the function of the circulatory system?
A: To transport blood, oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body.
Section 4: Human Body Systems
31. What are the primary organs of the respiratory system?
A: Nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
32. What is the function of alveoli?
A: To be the site of gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the air and the blood.
, 33. What is the role of the diaphragm in breathing?
A: It is the primary muscle of inhalation. When it contracts, it flattens and increases the volume
of the thoracic cavity, drawing air in.
34. What are the components of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
A: The brain and the spinal cord.
35. What is the function of platelets?
A: To initiate the blood clotting process.
36. What is the body's largest artery?
A: The Aorta.
37. What chamber of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs?
A: The Left Atrium.
38. What vessel carries deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart?
A: The Superior and Inferior Vena Cava.
39. What is the primary function of the skin?
A: To act as a barrier against infection, regulate body temperature, and provide sensation.
40. What are the three main types of muscle tissue?
A: Skeletal (voluntary), Smooth (involuntary, in organs), and Cardiac (heart).
Section 5: Baseline Vital Signs and Patient Assessment
41. What are the six baseline vital signs?
A: 1. Respiration, 2. Pulse, 3. Blood Pressure, 4. Skin, 5. Pupils, 6. Oxygen Saturation (SpO2).
42. What is the normal respiratory rate for an adult?
A: 12-20 breaths per minute.
43. What is the normal resting pulse rate for an adult?
A: 60-100 beats per minute.
44. What is a normal blood pressure for an adult?
A: Approximately 120/80 mmHg (Systolic/Diastolic).
45. What does the "systolic" blood pressure represent?
A: The pressure in the arteries when the left ventricle contracts.
46. What does the "diastolic" blood pressure represent?
A: The pressure in the arteries when the left ventricle is at rest.
