West Coast EMT Block #2 Exam – 2025 Practice Questions with
Verified Answers
A 60-year-old man is found to be unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. You should:
Select one:
A. start CPR and transport immediately.
B. begin CPR until an AED is available.
C. withhold CPR until he is defibrillated.
D. determine if he has a valid living will. B. begin CPR until an AED is available. CORRECT ANSWER Basic
life support (BLS) is defined as:
Select one:
A. basic lifesaving treatment that is performed by bystanders while EMS providers are en route to the
scene of an emergency.
B. noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions such as airway obstruction, respiratory
arrest, and cardiac arrest.
C. invasive emergency medical interventions such as intravenous therapy, manual defibrillation, and
advanced airway management.
D. any form of emergency medical treatment that is performed by advanced EMTs, paramedics,
physicians, and emergency nurses. B. noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions
such as airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest. CORRECT ANSWER Between each
chest compression, you should __________.
Select one:
A. check for a pulse
B. allow full chest recoil
C. administer a breath
D. remove your hands from the chest B. allow full chest recoil CORRECT ANSWER Complications
associated with chest compressions include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. a fractured sternum.
B. gastric distention.
,C. rib fractures.
D. liver laceration. B. gastric distention. CORRECT ANSWER CPR is in progress on a pregnant
woman. Shortly after manually displacing her uterus to the left, return of spontaneous circulation
occurs. Which of the following would MOST likely explain this?
Select one:
A. Displacement of her uterus caused blood to flow backward, which increased blood flow to her heart.
B. Increased blood flow to her heart caused her ventricles to stop fibrillating, which restored her pulse.
C. Displacement of her uterus allowed her lungs to expand more fully, which restored her pulse.
D. Pressure was relieved from her aorta and vena cava, which improved chest compression
effectiveness. D. Pressure was relieved from her aorta and vena cava, which improved chest
compression effectiveness. CORRECT ANSWER CPR retraining is the MOST effective when it:
Select one:
A. occurs every 24 months.
B. is delivered by computer.
C. involves hands-on practice.
D. is self-paced and brief. C. involves hands-on practice. CORRECT ANSWER CPR should be
initiated when:
Select one:
A. rigor mortis is obvious.
B. signs of putrefaction are present.
C. the carotid pulse is very weak.
D. a valid living will is unavailable. D. a valid living will is unavailable. CORRECT ANSWER CPR will
NOT be effective if the patient is:
Select one:
A. supine.
B. prone.
C. horizontal.
D. on a firm surface. B. prone. CORRECT ANSWER Gastric distention will MOST likely occur:
Select one:
a. when you deliver minimal tidal volume.
b.
,c. in patients who are intubated.
d. when the airway is completely obstructed.
e. if you ventilate a patient too quickly. e. if you ventilate a patient too quickly. CORRECT ANSWER If
an object is visible in the unconscious patient's airway, you should __________.
Select one:
A. leave it in place
B. continue chest compressions
C. remove it
D. place the patient on his or her side C. remove it CORRECT ANSWER In most cases,
cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children is caused by:
Select one:
A. a cardiac dysrhythmia.
B. severe chest trauma.
C. respiratory arrest.
D. a drug overdose. C. respiratory arrest. CORRECT ANSWER Several attempts to adequately open
a trauma patient's airway with the jaw-thrust maneuver have been unsuccessful. You should:
Select one:
A. try opening the airway by lifting up on the chin.
B. suction the airway and reattempt the jaw-thrust maneuver.
C. tilt the head back while lifting up on the patient's neck.
D. carefully perform the head tilt-chin lift maneuver. D. carefully perform the head tilt-chin lift
maneuver. CORRECT ANSWER Signs of a sudden severe upper airway obstruction include all of the
following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. grasping the throat.
B. acute cyanosis.
C. inability to speak.
D. forceful coughing. D. forceful coughing. CORRECT ANSWER The impedance threshold device (ITD)
may improve circulation during active compression-decompression CPR by:
Select one:
, A. limiting the amount of air that enters the lungs during the recoil phase between chest compressions,
which results in negative intrathoracic pressure and improved cardiac filling.
B. maintaining increased intrathoracic pressure during the downward stroke of each chest compression,
which forces more blood from both of the ventricles.
C. drawing all of the air out of the lungs in between chest compressions, which causes positive
intrathoracic pressure and a reduction of blood return to the right side of the heart.
D. maximizing the amount of air in the lungs following chest recoil, which hyperinflates the lungs and
forces more blood from the ventricle during each compression. A. limiting the amount of air that enters
the lungs during the recoil phase between chest compressions, which results in negative intrathoracic
pressure and improved cardiac filling. CORRECT ANSWER What is the correct compression-to-
ventilation ratio for adult CPR?
Select one:
A. 30:2
B. 5:1
C. 30:1
D. 3:2 A. 30:2 CORRECT ANSWER When performing CPR on a child, you should compress the chest:
Select one:
A. to a depth of 1 to 2 inches.
B. with one or two hands.
C. until a radial pulse is felt.
D. 80 to 100 times per minute. B. with one or two hands. CORRECT ANSWER While rescuer one is
finishing his or her fifth cycle of 30 compressions, rescuer two should:
Select one:
A. give two breaths and prepare to start compressions.
B. suction the patient's mouth and give two more ventilations.
C. assess for a carotid pulse for 15 seconds.
D. move to the opposite side of the patient's chest. D. move to the opposite side of the patient's
chest. CORRECT ANSWER Without practice, your CPR skills will __________.
Select one:
A. become part of your muscle memory
B. improve over time
C. come back automatically when needed
Verified Answers
A 60-year-old man is found to be unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. You should:
Select one:
A. start CPR and transport immediately.
B. begin CPR until an AED is available.
C. withhold CPR until he is defibrillated.
D. determine if he has a valid living will. B. begin CPR until an AED is available. CORRECT ANSWER Basic
life support (BLS) is defined as:
Select one:
A. basic lifesaving treatment that is performed by bystanders while EMS providers are en route to the
scene of an emergency.
B. noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions such as airway obstruction, respiratory
arrest, and cardiac arrest.
C. invasive emergency medical interventions such as intravenous therapy, manual defibrillation, and
advanced airway management.
D. any form of emergency medical treatment that is performed by advanced EMTs, paramedics,
physicians, and emergency nurses. B. noninvasive emergency care that is used to treat conditions
such as airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest. CORRECT ANSWER Between each
chest compression, you should __________.
Select one:
A. check for a pulse
B. allow full chest recoil
C. administer a breath
D. remove your hands from the chest B. allow full chest recoil CORRECT ANSWER Complications
associated with chest compressions include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. a fractured sternum.
B. gastric distention.
,C. rib fractures.
D. liver laceration. B. gastric distention. CORRECT ANSWER CPR is in progress on a pregnant
woman. Shortly after manually displacing her uterus to the left, return of spontaneous circulation
occurs. Which of the following would MOST likely explain this?
Select one:
A. Displacement of her uterus caused blood to flow backward, which increased blood flow to her heart.
B. Increased blood flow to her heart caused her ventricles to stop fibrillating, which restored her pulse.
C. Displacement of her uterus allowed her lungs to expand more fully, which restored her pulse.
D. Pressure was relieved from her aorta and vena cava, which improved chest compression
effectiveness. D. Pressure was relieved from her aorta and vena cava, which improved chest
compression effectiveness. CORRECT ANSWER CPR retraining is the MOST effective when it:
Select one:
A. occurs every 24 months.
B. is delivered by computer.
C. involves hands-on practice.
D. is self-paced and brief. C. involves hands-on practice. CORRECT ANSWER CPR should be
initiated when:
Select one:
A. rigor mortis is obvious.
B. signs of putrefaction are present.
C. the carotid pulse is very weak.
D. a valid living will is unavailable. D. a valid living will is unavailable. CORRECT ANSWER CPR will
NOT be effective if the patient is:
Select one:
A. supine.
B. prone.
C. horizontal.
D. on a firm surface. B. prone. CORRECT ANSWER Gastric distention will MOST likely occur:
Select one:
a. when you deliver minimal tidal volume.
b.
,c. in patients who are intubated.
d. when the airway is completely obstructed.
e. if you ventilate a patient too quickly. e. if you ventilate a patient too quickly. CORRECT ANSWER If
an object is visible in the unconscious patient's airway, you should __________.
Select one:
A. leave it in place
B. continue chest compressions
C. remove it
D. place the patient on his or her side C. remove it CORRECT ANSWER In most cases,
cardiopulmonary arrest in infants and children is caused by:
Select one:
A. a cardiac dysrhythmia.
B. severe chest trauma.
C. respiratory arrest.
D. a drug overdose. C. respiratory arrest. CORRECT ANSWER Several attempts to adequately open
a trauma patient's airway with the jaw-thrust maneuver have been unsuccessful. You should:
Select one:
A. try opening the airway by lifting up on the chin.
B. suction the airway and reattempt the jaw-thrust maneuver.
C. tilt the head back while lifting up on the patient's neck.
D. carefully perform the head tilt-chin lift maneuver. D. carefully perform the head tilt-chin lift
maneuver. CORRECT ANSWER Signs of a sudden severe upper airway obstruction include all of the
following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. grasping the throat.
B. acute cyanosis.
C. inability to speak.
D. forceful coughing. D. forceful coughing. CORRECT ANSWER The impedance threshold device (ITD)
may improve circulation during active compression-decompression CPR by:
Select one:
, A. limiting the amount of air that enters the lungs during the recoil phase between chest compressions,
which results in negative intrathoracic pressure and improved cardiac filling.
B. maintaining increased intrathoracic pressure during the downward stroke of each chest compression,
which forces more blood from both of the ventricles.
C. drawing all of the air out of the lungs in between chest compressions, which causes positive
intrathoracic pressure and a reduction of blood return to the right side of the heart.
D. maximizing the amount of air in the lungs following chest recoil, which hyperinflates the lungs and
forces more blood from the ventricle during each compression. A. limiting the amount of air that enters
the lungs during the recoil phase between chest compressions, which results in negative intrathoracic
pressure and improved cardiac filling. CORRECT ANSWER What is the correct compression-to-
ventilation ratio for adult CPR?
Select one:
A. 30:2
B. 5:1
C. 30:1
D. 3:2 A. 30:2 CORRECT ANSWER When performing CPR on a child, you should compress the chest:
Select one:
A. to a depth of 1 to 2 inches.
B. with one or two hands.
C. until a radial pulse is felt.
D. 80 to 100 times per minute. B. with one or two hands. CORRECT ANSWER While rescuer one is
finishing his or her fifth cycle of 30 compressions, rescuer two should:
Select one:
A. give two breaths and prepare to start compressions.
B. suction the patient's mouth and give two more ventilations.
C. assess for a carotid pulse for 15 seconds.
D. move to the opposite side of the patient's chest. D. move to the opposite side of the patient's
chest. CORRECT ANSWER Without practice, your CPR skills will __________.
Select one:
A. become part of your muscle memory
B. improve over time
C. come back automatically when needed
