West Coast EMT Block Exam #3 Actual Exam Questions with Verified Answers
– 2025 Update A+ Study Guide
A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped before you arrived at
the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your questions appropriately, and refuses EMS
transport. Which of the following would be the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of
transport?
Select one:
A. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is 15
B. His wife states that this was his "usual" seizure
C. He has experienced seizures since he was 20
D. He is currently not prescribed any medications D. He is currently not prescribed any
medications CORRECT ANSWER A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for
thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:
Select one:
A. has had a prior heart attack.
B. has bleeding within the brain.
C. has a GCS score that is less than 8.
D. is older than 60 years of age. B. has bleeding within the brain. CORRECT ANSWER A patient whose
speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:
Select one:
A. paraplegia.
B. dysphagia.
C. dysarthria.
D. aphasia. C. dysarthria. CORRECT ANSWER A patient with an altered mental status is:
Select one:
A. typically alert but is confused as to preceding events.
B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
C. usually able to be aroused with a painful stimulus.
,D. completely unresponsive to all forms of stimuli. B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being
aroused. CORRECT ANSWER During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female,
you should:
Select one:
A. insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assist ventilations.
B. ask family members if the patient has a history of stroke.
C. immediately determine the patient's blood glucose level.
D. ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed. D. ensure a patent airway and support
ventilation as needed. CORRECT ANSWER Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the
following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. an embolism.
B. cerebral vasodilation.
C. a thrombus.
D. an acute arterial rupture. B. cerebral vasodilation. CORRECT ANSWER The left cerebral
hemisphere controls:
Select one:
A. heart rate and pupil reaction.
B. the right side of the face.
C. breathing and blood pressure.
D. the right side of the body. D. the right side of the body. CORRECT ANSWER The MOST significant
risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:
Select one:
A. diabetes mellitus.
B. hypertension.
C. heavy exertion.
D. severe stress. B. hypertension. CORRECT ANSWER The three major parts of the brain are the:
Select one:
A. midbrain, cerebellum, and spinal cord.
B. brain stem, midbrain, and spinal cord.
C. cerebellum, medulla, and occiput.
,D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. CORRECT
ANSWER When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:
Select one:
A. ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
B. expect to see one arm slowly drift down to the patient's side.
C. observe movement of the arms for approximately 2 minutes.
D. ask the patient to hold his or her arms up with the palms down. A. ask the patient to close his or
her eyes during the assessment. CORRECT ANSWER When caring for a patient with documented
hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert for:
Select one:
A. a seizure.
B. respiratory distress.
C. an acute stroke.
D. a febrile convulsion. A. a seizure. CORRECT ANSWER When you are obtaining medical history from
the family of a suspected stroke patient, it is MOST important to determine:
Select one:
A. if the patient has been hospitalized before.
B. if there is a family history of a stroke.
C. when the patient last appeared normal.
D. the patient's overall medication compliance. C. when the patient last appeared normal. CORRECT
ANSWER Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and
symptoms of a stroke?
Select one:
A. Intracranial bleeding
B. A postictal state
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Hypovolemia D. Hypovolemia CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following conditions would MOST
likely affect the entire brain?
Select one:
A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
B. Ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe
, C. Blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe
D. Reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure?
Select one:
A. A generalized seizure without incontinence
B. A seizure that causes the patient to stare blankly
C. A seizure that begins in one extremity
D. A seizure that is not preceded by an aura C. A seizure that begins in one extremity CORRECT
ANSWER Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience during
the postictal state that follows a seizure?
Select one:
A. A gradually decreasing level of consciousness
B. A rapidly improving level of consciousness
C. Hyperventilation and hypersalivation
D. Confusion and fatigue D. Confusion and fatigue CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following
symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's headache is caused by sinus congestion?
Select one:
A. The headache began suddenly
B. There is associated neck stiffness
C. There is numbness in the extremities
D. The pain is worse when bending over D. The pain is worse when bending over CORRECT ANSWER
You are caring for a 68-year-old man with sudden onset of left-sided paralysis and slurred speech. His
airway is patent, his respirations are 14 breaths/min with adequate depth, and his oxygen saturation is
98%. Treatment for this patient should include:
Select one:
A. recovery position and transport.
B. oral glucose gel and transport.
C. high-flow oxygen and transport.
D. ventilatory assistance and transport. A. recovery position and transport. CORRECT ANSWER You
respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the scene, you enter the
residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old male. The child is conscious and crying.
According to the mother, the child had been running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that
lasted approximately 3 minutes. You should:
– 2025 Update A+ Study Guide
A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped before you arrived at
the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your questions appropriately, and refuses EMS
transport. Which of the following would be the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of
transport?
Select one:
A. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is 15
B. His wife states that this was his "usual" seizure
C. He has experienced seizures since he was 20
D. He is currently not prescribed any medications D. He is currently not prescribed any
medications CORRECT ANSWER A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for
thrombolytic (fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:
Select one:
A. has had a prior heart attack.
B. has bleeding within the brain.
C. has a GCS score that is less than 8.
D. is older than 60 years of age. B. has bleeding within the brain. CORRECT ANSWER A patient whose
speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:
Select one:
A. paraplegia.
B. dysphagia.
C. dysarthria.
D. aphasia. C. dysarthria. CORRECT ANSWER A patient with an altered mental status is:
Select one:
A. typically alert but is confused as to preceding events.
B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
C. usually able to be aroused with a painful stimulus.
,D. completely unresponsive to all forms of stimuli. B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being
aroused. CORRECT ANSWER During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female,
you should:
Select one:
A. insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assist ventilations.
B. ask family members if the patient has a history of stroke.
C. immediately determine the patient's blood glucose level.
D. ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed. D. ensure a patent airway and support
ventilation as needed. CORRECT ANSWER Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the
following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. an embolism.
B. cerebral vasodilation.
C. a thrombus.
D. an acute arterial rupture. B. cerebral vasodilation. CORRECT ANSWER The left cerebral
hemisphere controls:
Select one:
A. heart rate and pupil reaction.
B. the right side of the face.
C. breathing and blood pressure.
D. the right side of the body. D. the right side of the body. CORRECT ANSWER The MOST significant
risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:
Select one:
A. diabetes mellitus.
B. hypertension.
C. heavy exertion.
D. severe stress. B. hypertension. CORRECT ANSWER The three major parts of the brain are the:
Select one:
A. midbrain, cerebellum, and spinal cord.
B. brain stem, midbrain, and spinal cord.
C. cerebellum, medulla, and occiput.
,D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. CORRECT
ANSWER When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:
Select one:
A. ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
B. expect to see one arm slowly drift down to the patient's side.
C. observe movement of the arms for approximately 2 minutes.
D. ask the patient to hold his or her arms up with the palms down. A. ask the patient to close his or
her eyes during the assessment. CORRECT ANSWER When caring for a patient with documented
hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert for:
Select one:
A. a seizure.
B. respiratory distress.
C. an acute stroke.
D. a febrile convulsion. A. a seizure. CORRECT ANSWER When you are obtaining medical history from
the family of a suspected stroke patient, it is MOST important to determine:
Select one:
A. if the patient has been hospitalized before.
B. if there is a family history of a stroke.
C. when the patient last appeared normal.
D. the patient's overall medication compliance. C. when the patient last appeared normal. CORRECT
ANSWER Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and
symptoms of a stroke?
Select one:
A. Intracranial bleeding
B. A postictal state
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Hypovolemia D. Hypovolemia CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following conditions would MOST
likely affect the entire brain?
Select one:
A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
B. Ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe
, C. Blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe
D. Reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure?
Select one:
A. A generalized seizure without incontinence
B. A seizure that causes the patient to stare blankly
C. A seizure that begins in one extremity
D. A seizure that is not preceded by an aura C. A seizure that begins in one extremity CORRECT
ANSWER Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience during
the postictal state that follows a seizure?
Select one:
A. A gradually decreasing level of consciousness
B. A rapidly improving level of consciousness
C. Hyperventilation and hypersalivation
D. Confusion and fatigue D. Confusion and fatigue CORRECT ANSWER Which of the following
symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's headache is caused by sinus congestion?
Select one:
A. The headache began suddenly
B. There is associated neck stiffness
C. There is numbness in the extremities
D. The pain is worse when bending over D. The pain is worse when bending over CORRECT ANSWER
You are caring for a 68-year-old man with sudden onset of left-sided paralysis and slurred speech. His
airway is patent, his respirations are 14 breaths/min with adequate depth, and his oxygen saturation is
98%. Treatment for this patient should include:
Select one:
A. recovery position and transport.
B. oral glucose gel and transport.
C. high-flow oxygen and transport.
D. ventilatory assistance and transport. A. recovery position and transport. CORRECT ANSWER You
respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the scene, you enter the
residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old male. The child is conscious and crying.
According to the mother, the child had been running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that
lasted approximately 3 minutes. You should:
