Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Emergency Care Systems, Research, and Public Health ..................................................................................... 2
Chapter 2 Workforce Safety and Wellness of the EMT ...................................................................................................... 12
Chapter 3 Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues ....................................................................................................................24
Chapter 4 Documentation ................................................................................................................................................. 40
Chapter 5 Communication .................................................................................................................................................50
Chapter 6 Lifting and Moving Patients .............................................................................................................................. 61
Chapter 7 Anatomy, Physiology, and Medical Terminology .............................................................................................. 70
Chapter 8 Pathophysiology ............................................................................................................................................... 90
Chapter 9 Life Span Development ................................................................................................................................... 106
Chapter 10 Airway Management, Artificial Ventilation, and Oxygenation ..................................................................... 114
Chapter 11 Vital Signs, Monitoring Devices, and History Taking .................................................................................... 140
Chapter 12 Scene Size-Up................................................................................................................................................. 167
Chapter 13 Patient Assessment ........................................................................................................................................ 173
Chapter 14 General Pharmacology and Medication Administration ............................................................................... 198
Chapter 15 Shock and Resuscitation ................................................................................................................................207
Chapter 16 Respiratory Emergencies .............................................................................................................................. 228
Chapter 17 Cardiovascular Emergencies ..........................................................................................................................249
Chapter 18 Altered Mental Status, Stroke, and Headache ............................................................................................... 273
Chapter 19 Seizures and Syncope.................................................................................................................................... 288
Chapter 20 Acute Diabetic Emergencies.......................................................................................................................... 301
Chapter 21 Allergic and Anaphylactic Reactions ............................................................................................................. 315
Chapter 22 Toxicologic Emergencies ............................................................................................................................... 327
Chapter 23 Abdominal, Hematologic, Gynecologic, Genitourinary, and RenalEmergencies .......................................... 354
Chapter 24 Environmental Emergencies ......................................................................................................................... 379
Chapter 25 Submersion Incidents: Drowning and Diving Emergencies ........................................................................ 400
Chapter 26 Psychiatric Emergencies .............................................................................................................................. 409
Chapter 27 Trauma Overview: The Trauma Patient and the Trauma System ................................................................. 421
Chapter 28 Bleeding and Soft Tissue Trauma ................................................................................................................. 431
Chapter 29 Burns ............................................................................................................................................................ 448
Chapter 30 Musculoskeletal Trauma and Nontraumatic Fractures ............................................................................... 460
Chapter 31 Head Trauma ................................................................................................................................................. 471
Chapter 32 Spinal Trauma and Spine Motion Restriction .............................................................................................. 484
Chapter 33 Eye, Face, and Neck Trauma ........................................................................................................................ 499
Chapter 34 Chest Trauma ............................................................................................................................................... 508
Chapter 35 Abdominal and Genitourinary Trauma ......................................................................................................... 518
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,Chapter 36 Multisystem Trauma and Trauma in Special Patient Populations ............................................................... 526
Chapter 37 Obstetrics and Care of the Newborn.............................................................................................................. 537
Chapter 38 Pediatrics ....................................................................................................................................................... 559
Chapter 39 Geriatrics .......................................................................................................................................................583
Chapter 40 Patients with Special Challenges ................................................................................................................... 596
Chapter 41 The Combat Veteran ...................................................................................................................................... 613
Chapter 42 Ambulance Operations and Air Medical Response ....................................................................................... 618
Chapter 43 Gaining Access and Patient Extrication ........................................................................................................ 625
Chapter 44 Hazardous Materials ..................................................................................................................................... 631
Chapter 45 Multiple-Casualty Incidents and Incident Management .............................................................................. 637
Chapter 46 EMS Response to Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction ........................................................ 645
Chapter 1 Emergency Care Systems, Research, and Public
Health
1) What is a primary purpose of the modern-day EMS system?
A) Provide a means of transport to and from the hospital
B) Ensure that all members of society have equal access to hospitals
C) Decrease the incidence of death and disability related to injury and illness
D) Provide emergency health care services to medically underserved
areasAnswer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 7
Objective: 1-2
2) Most authorities agree that the modern-day EMS system evolved after the release of
whichdocument?
A) The Emergency Medical Services Act of 1973
B) The white paper "Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern
Society" in 1966
C) The American Heart Association's Guidelines for Cardiac Resuscitation
D) Emergency Medical Services: Agenda for the Future, in 1996
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 3
Objective: 1-2
3) An Emergency Medical Responder comes to you and states that he would like to work for
your emergency ambulance service on a full-time basis. Knowing the National EMS Scope of
Practice Model, you inform him of which element?
A) He will be able to take care of only patients with non-life-threatening complaints
B) He will first need approval from your ambulance service's medical director
C) He will be able to work only with an Advanced EMT or paramedic
D) He will first have to become an Emergency Medical Technician
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6-7
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, Objective: 1-1
4) As defined by the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, the four levels of EMS
practitioners include:
A) Ambulance drivers
B) EMS medical director
C) Paramedics
D) Emergency medical
dispatchersAnswer: C
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6-7
Objective: 1-3
5) An Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) approaches you and states that he is interested
inbecoming an EMT. Specifically, he asks what he will be able to do as an EMT that he cannot
presently do as an EMR. You respond by saying he will be able to:
A) Administer some medications
B) Assist in emergency childbirth
C) Use an automated external defibrillator
D) Obtain vital signs
Answer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 6-7
Objective: 1-5
6) You have been dispatched for a 61-year-old female in cardiac arrest. Emergency Medical
Responders (EMRs) are on scene. In your community, all EMS practitioners are trained
according to the National EMS Scope of Practice Model. Given this, which type of care do you
expect the EMRs to be providing?
A) Emergency medication administration
B) Automated external defibrillation
C) Intravenous therapy
D) Reading an
electrocardiogramAnswer: B
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 6
Objective: 1-5
7) An EMT with your service states that she desires to become a paramedic because she wants
toprovide advanced care. Under the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, which one of these
types of care will she be able to provide as a paramedic that she cannot provide as an EMT?
A) Automated blood pressure monitoring
B) Assistance with emergency childbirth
C) Interfacility transports
D) IV therapy
Answer: D
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 7
Objective: 1-5
8) Which statement made by an EMT requires immediate intervention by a superior or
theservice supervisor?
A) "I always wear my seat belt whenever I am in the patient compartment of the
ambulance,unless I have to remove it to care for a patient."
B) "I drive as fast as I can to get to the scene of an emergency, especially if a child is sick or
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, injured according to dispatch information."
C) "When I am driving with lights and sirens, I instruct my partner that he will need to handle
allradio communications."
D) "I put exam gloves on for every patient I contact, even if he or she does not have a known or
suspected infectious disease."
Answer: B
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 9
Objective: 1-7
9) Which statement shows that the EMT has a good understanding of her role
andresponsibilities related to being an EMT?
A) "The patient's needs come before anyone else's needs."
B) "At the scene of an emergency, my responsibility is to get to the patient no matter what."
C) "My safety comes first, and then the patient's safety."
D) "As an EMT, I recognize that the public's safety comes before the safety of me or my
partner."
Answer: C
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 8-9
Objective: 1-7
10) An ambulance with two EMTs arrives in front of a house for an unknown medical
emergency. On scene, bystanders report that a female patient was beaten by her husband in the
driveway and then dragged back into the house. They state that the patient appeared
unconsciousand was bleeding from the head. Which action would the EMTs perform next?
A) Do not enter the scene until it has been controlled by law enforcement
B) Quietly enter the home and quickly move the patient to the ambulance
C) Remove the husband from the house, then provide emergency care to the wife
D) Enter the home to protect the patient while waiting for the police to
arriveAnswer: A
Diff: 2 Page Ref: 9
Objective: 1-7
11) Why is EMS in a unique position to contribute significantly to mobile integrated health care?
A) EMS providers are familiar with and capable of functioning in the out-of-
hospitalenvironment
B) Ambulances are easily identified
C) The community trusts uniformed health care providers
D) EMS providers are familiar with the many routes of medication
administrationAnswer: A
Diff: 1 Page Ref: 17
Objective: 1-15
12) You have arrived on the scene of a motor vehicle collision. A car has gone off the road and
into a utility pole. The pole is broken and wires are hanging just above the car. You do not see
any sparking or arcing of the wires. The driver of the car is slumped over the steering wheel and
not moving. Several bystanders around the car are yelling for you to help. Which steps
representthe correct order of your response?
A) Clear the bystanders, allow the fire department to secure the wires, access the
patient,extricate the patient, transport
B) Access the patient, clear the bystanders, allow the fire department to secure the
wires,extricate the patient, transport
C) Clear the bystanders, access the patient, extricate the patient, transport, allow the
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