NYS EMT B STATE WRITTEN EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE (2026/2027 EDITION)
150 Multiple-Choice Questions - Complete Practice Exam
Independent-Study Disclaimer
This practice examination is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the
New York State Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (BEMS), the National Registry of EMTs, or any other
agency. It is provided for educational and self-assessment purposes only and is not a substitute for official
training, curricula, protocols, or professional guidance. Standards are subject to change; always consult current
NYS BEMS, State EMS Code (10NYCRR-800), and National EMS Education Standards.
, Section 1: EMS Systems, Operations, & Legal/Ethical Issues – Roles,
Medical Direction, Consent, Documentation (20 questions)
Q1: Which of the following is a role of the EMT-B in the EMS system?
A. Performing surgery
B. Prescribing medications
C. Diagnosing medical conditions
D. Providing basic life support and prehospital care [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The EMT-B provides BLS and prehospital care. They do not perform surgery, prescribe, or make
medical diagnoses.
Q2: 'Medical direction' refers to:
A. The dispatch center
B. The ambulance billing
C. Oversight of the EMS provider's medical care, either online (direct) or offline (indirect) [CORRECT]
D. The hospital cafeteria
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Medical direction provides oversight of EMS care, online (direct) or offline (indirect). The others
are incorrect.
Q3: Which of the following is an example of 'offline' medical direction?
A. A physician on the radio giving orders
B. Protocols and standing orders [CORRECT]
C. A paramedic supervising
D. A dispatcher giving directions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Offline direction includes protocols and standing orders. Online direction is direct communication
with a physician.
Q4: Which of the following is an example of 'online' medical direction?
A. Reading a protocol book
B. Speaking directly with a medical control physician during a call [CORRECT]
C. Following standing orders
D. Documenting the call
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Online direction is direct communication with a physician during the call. The others are offline.
Q5: Which of the following is a component of 'quality control' in EMS?
A. Reviewing calls and outcomes to improve care [CORRECT]
B. Ignoring errors
C. Hiding mistakes
D. Avoiding reviews
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Quality control reviews calls and outcomes to improve care. The others are incorrect.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 2
, Q6: Which of the following is an example of 'expressed consent'?
A. An unconscious patient is treated
B. A conscious patient verbally agrees to care [CORRECT]
C. A parent refuses for a child
D. A patient is coerced
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Expressed consent is a conscious patient agreeing to care. Implied consent applies to
unconscious patients.
Q7: 'Implied consent' applies when:
A. The patient is unconscious or unable to consent and needs emergency care [CORRECT]
B. The patient is conscious and agrees
C. The patient refuses
D. The patient is a child with a parent present
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Implied consent allows treatment of an unconscious/unable patient needing emergency care. The
others are incorrect.
Q8: 'Involuntary consent' applies to:
A. A conscious, consenting patient
B. A patient who refuses
C. A minor with a parent
D. Patients detained by law enforcement or court order [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary consent applies to patients held by law or court order. The others are different.
Q9: Which of the following is TRUE about a patient who refuses care?
A. Treat the patient anyway
B. Ignore the refusal
C. The EMT should assess capacity, inform of risks, and obtain a signed refusal when appropriate
[CORRECT]
D. Force transport
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A refusal requires assessing capacity, informing of risks, and documenting a signed refusal when
appropriate. The others are improper.
Q10: Which of the following is TRUE about an advance directive (DNR)?
A. It is ignored
B. It is always followed without question
C. It should be respected and documented, and the EMT should follow applicable law [CORRECT]
D. It only applies in the hospital
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Advance directives are respected and documented per law. The others are incorrect.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 3
, Q11: Which of the following is TRUE about HIPAA?
A. It protects the privacy of patient health information [CORRECT]
B. It allows free sharing of all information
C. It only applies to hospitals
D. It is not relevant in EMS
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: HIPAA protects patient health information privacy. The others are incorrect.
Q12: Which of the following is TRUE about mandatory reporting?
A. The EMT must report certain situations (e.g., abuse, certain injuries) as required by law [CORRECT]
B. Nothing is reported
C. Reporting is optional
D. Only the hospital reports
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: EMTs have mandatory reporting obligations for certain situations. The others are incorrect.
Q13: Which of the following is TRUE about Good Samaritan laws?
A. They remove all liability
B. They only apply to physicians
C. They provide some protection from liability for those providing emergency care in good faith [CORRECT]
D. They are not relevant to EMTs
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Good Samaritan laws provide limited protection for good-faith emergency care. The others are
incorrect.
Q14: Which of the following is TRUE about negligence?
A. It is always intentional
B. It is not a concern
C. It only applies to physicians
D. It is a breach of duty causing harm [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Negligence is a breach of duty causing harm. The others are incorrect.
Q15: Which of the following is a component of negligence?
A. Only intent
B. Duty to act, breach of duty, causation, and damages [CORRECT]
C. Only a verbal mistake
D. None
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negligence requires duty, breach, causation, and damages. The others are incomplete.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 4
COMPREHENSIVE PRACTICE (2026/2027 EDITION)
150 Multiple-Choice Questions - Complete Practice Exam
Independent-Study Disclaimer
This practice examination is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the
New York State Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (BEMS), the National Registry of EMTs, or any other
agency. It is provided for educational and self-assessment purposes only and is not a substitute for official
training, curricula, protocols, or professional guidance. Standards are subject to change; always consult current
NYS BEMS, State EMS Code (10NYCRR-800), and National EMS Education Standards.
, Section 1: EMS Systems, Operations, & Legal/Ethical Issues – Roles,
Medical Direction, Consent, Documentation (20 questions)
Q1: Which of the following is a role of the EMT-B in the EMS system?
A. Performing surgery
B. Prescribing medications
C. Diagnosing medical conditions
D. Providing basic life support and prehospital care [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The EMT-B provides BLS and prehospital care. They do not perform surgery, prescribe, or make
medical diagnoses.
Q2: 'Medical direction' refers to:
A. The dispatch center
B. The ambulance billing
C. Oversight of the EMS provider's medical care, either online (direct) or offline (indirect) [CORRECT]
D. The hospital cafeteria
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Medical direction provides oversight of EMS care, online (direct) or offline (indirect). The others
are incorrect.
Q3: Which of the following is an example of 'offline' medical direction?
A. A physician on the radio giving orders
B. Protocols and standing orders [CORRECT]
C. A paramedic supervising
D. A dispatcher giving directions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Offline direction includes protocols and standing orders. Online direction is direct communication
with a physician.
Q4: Which of the following is an example of 'online' medical direction?
A. Reading a protocol book
B. Speaking directly with a medical control physician during a call [CORRECT]
C. Following standing orders
D. Documenting the call
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Online direction is direct communication with a physician during the call. The others are offline.
Q5: Which of the following is a component of 'quality control' in EMS?
A. Reviewing calls and outcomes to improve care [CORRECT]
B. Ignoring errors
C. Hiding mistakes
D. Avoiding reviews
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Quality control reviews calls and outcomes to improve care. The others are incorrect.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 2
, Q6: Which of the following is an example of 'expressed consent'?
A. An unconscious patient is treated
B. A conscious patient verbally agrees to care [CORRECT]
C. A parent refuses for a child
D. A patient is coerced
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Expressed consent is a conscious patient agreeing to care. Implied consent applies to
unconscious patients.
Q7: 'Implied consent' applies when:
A. The patient is unconscious or unable to consent and needs emergency care [CORRECT]
B. The patient is conscious and agrees
C. The patient refuses
D. The patient is a child with a parent present
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Implied consent allows treatment of an unconscious/unable patient needing emergency care. The
others are incorrect.
Q8: 'Involuntary consent' applies to:
A. A conscious, consenting patient
B. A patient who refuses
C. A minor with a parent
D. Patients detained by law enforcement or court order [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Involuntary consent applies to patients held by law or court order. The others are different.
Q9: Which of the following is TRUE about a patient who refuses care?
A. Treat the patient anyway
B. Ignore the refusal
C. The EMT should assess capacity, inform of risks, and obtain a signed refusal when appropriate
[CORRECT]
D. Force transport
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A refusal requires assessing capacity, informing of risks, and documenting a signed refusal when
appropriate. The others are improper.
Q10: Which of the following is TRUE about an advance directive (DNR)?
A. It is ignored
B. It is always followed without question
C. It should be respected and documented, and the EMT should follow applicable law [CORRECT]
D. It only applies in the hospital
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Advance directives are respected and documented per law. The others are incorrect.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 3
, Q11: Which of the following is TRUE about HIPAA?
A. It protects the privacy of patient health information [CORRECT]
B. It allows free sharing of all information
C. It only applies to hospitals
D. It is not relevant in EMS
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: HIPAA protects patient health information privacy. The others are incorrect.
Q12: Which of the following is TRUE about mandatory reporting?
A. The EMT must report certain situations (e.g., abuse, certain injuries) as required by law [CORRECT]
B. Nothing is reported
C. Reporting is optional
D. Only the hospital reports
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: EMTs have mandatory reporting obligations for certain situations. The others are incorrect.
Q13: Which of the following is TRUE about Good Samaritan laws?
A. They remove all liability
B. They only apply to physicians
C. They provide some protection from liability for those providing emergency care in good faith [CORRECT]
D. They are not relevant to EMTs
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Good Samaritan laws provide limited protection for good-faith emergency care. The others are
incorrect.
Q14: Which of the following is TRUE about negligence?
A. It is always intentional
B. It is not a concern
C. It only applies to physicians
D. It is a breach of duty causing harm [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Negligence is a breach of duty causing harm. The others are incorrect.
Q15: Which of the following is a component of negligence?
A. Only intent
B. Duty to act, breach of duty, causation, and damages [CORRECT]
C. Only a verbal mistake
D. None
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Negligence requires duty, breach, causation, and damages. The others are incomplete.
NYS EMT B State Written Exam - 2026/2027 Edition Page 4
