Paramedic Entrance Exam Study Guide
1. At what age is a human considered a Toddler? - ANS-1 year to 2 years
2. At what core temperature do mild hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-95-91.4
Fahrenheit or 35-33 Celsius
3. At what core temperature do moderate hypothermia symptoms occur? -
ANS-89.6-85.2 Fahrenheit or 32-29 Celsius
4. At what temperature do profound hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-68-48.2
Fahrenheit or 20-9 Celsius
5. At what temperature do severe hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-82.4-71.6
Fahrenheit or 28-22 Celsius
6. Define anterior - ANS-toward the front of the body
7. Define hypoxia - ANS-Inadequate oxygen being delivered to cells
8. Define posterior - ANS-Toward the back of the body (opposite of anterior)
9. Describe what arterial bleeding looks like. - ANS-Bright red blood that spurts out and
has a pulsating rhythm
10. Do you remove an impaled object? - ANS-no, stabalize
11. How can you determine if a pt experiencing behavioral issues is having a physical or
psychological issue? - ANS-If a pt is experiencing hallucinations, the MOI is most
likely psychological
12. How do you deal with a pt with severe kyphosis? - ANS-Pad the voids
13. How do you treat a hyperventilating pt? - ANS-Attempt to calm them down by talking
to them, if they pass out, then provide ventilations as necessary
14. How does activated charcoal work? - ANS-binds contents of stomach and prevents
absorption of contents into bloodstream
15. How does an EMT remove secretions from the airway of an unconscious pt with no
gag reflex? - ANS-Suction
16. How does an EMT treat heat stroke? - ANS-Remove the pt from the sun, place cold
packs on the groin, armpits, and around their neck. Fan the pt and spray them with
tepid water
17. How does an EMT treat hypothermia? - ANS-actively warm the pt by placing hot
packs on the groin, armpits, and chest, and wrap the pt in blankets
18. How far away from your face should you hold the microphone? - ANS-2 inches
19. How far away should the umbilical cord be cut? - ANS-6-9 inches from the newborn
and 2-3 inches past the first clamp
20. How many cervical vertebrae are there? - ANS-7
21. How many doses of epinephrine can be administered without approval from medical
control? - ANS-1
22. How many lumbar vertebrae are there? - ANS-5
23. How many sacral vertebrae are there? - ANS-5 fused
24. How many thoracic vertebrae are there? - ANS-12
25. How many vertebrae are in the Coccyx? - ANS-4 fused
26. How may vertebrae are there? - ANS-33
, 27. How often should an APGAR score be evaluated? - ANS-60 seconds after birth and
five minutes after birth
28. How often should vitals be assessed in a stable pt? - ANS-every 15 minutes
29. How often should vitals be assessed in an unstable pt? - ANS-Every 5 minutes
30. How should pad be placed on an infant if the only pads available ar adult pads? -
ANS-One on the front, and one on the back. Make a sandwich
31. In a pt with an implanted pacemaker, can they be shocked? - ANS-Yes, just be
careful with your pad placement
32. In the cardic arrest pt, at what time does irreversible tissue damage occur? - ANS-4-6
minutes after arrest
33. Is CPAP used to assist ventilations, or provide artificial ventilations? - ANS-Assist
ventilations
34. Should a frostbite injury be warmed rapidly, or slowly? - ANS-Slowly
35. Should suction be applied while going in, or while removing the catheter? -
ANS-While removing
36. Should you allow the sexual assault victim to shower or clean themselves before
transport? - ANS-No, if they shower, the police will have a harder time identifying who
assaulted them
37. What age is a human considered a Neonate? - ANS-Birth to 1 month
38. What age is a human considered a Preschooler? - ANS-3 years to 5 years
39. What age is a human considered a School Aged Child? - ANS-6 years to 11 years
40. What age is a human considered an Adolescent? - ANS-12 years to 15 years
41. What age is a human considered an Adult? - ANS-16 years and older
42. What are is a human considered an Infant? - ANS-1 month to 12 months
43. What are some signs of inadequate breathing? - ANS-Tachypnea, Bradypnea, poor
rhythm, poor quality, poor depth
44. What are the ABC's? - ANS-airway, breathing, circulation
45. What are the airway adjuncts available to an EMT-B? - ANS-Oropharyngeal and
Nasopharyngeal
46. What are the available peripheral and central pulse locations? - ANS-Central: Carotid
and Femoral artery
47. Peripheral: Radial, brachial, popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis arteries
48. What are the contraindications for a traction splint? - ANS-Pelvic instability, the injury
is within 1-2 inches from the knee or ankle, the knee or ankle have been injured,
partial amputation
49. What are the contraindications for CPAP? - ANS-Apnea, respiratory arrest, agonal
respirations, inability to understand and obey commands, inability to maintain their
airway, unresponsiveness, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, active vomiting, upper
GI bleed or recent gastric surgery, pneumothorax, tracheotomy, facial trauma,
increased intrathoracic pressure
50. What are the contraindications for nitroglycerin? - ANS-Systolic is less than 90, heart
rate is less than 50 or greater than 100, suspected head injury, the pt is an infant or
child, the three dose maximum has been reached, the pt has taken erectile
dysfunction medications in the past 48 hours
51. What are the contraindications of Aspirin? - ANS-GI bleeding, active ulcers,
hemorrhagic stroke, hx of bleeding or clotting disorders such as hemophilia. Known
allergy to Aspirin
1. At what age is a human considered a Toddler? - ANS-1 year to 2 years
2. At what core temperature do mild hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-95-91.4
Fahrenheit or 35-33 Celsius
3. At what core temperature do moderate hypothermia symptoms occur? -
ANS-89.6-85.2 Fahrenheit or 32-29 Celsius
4. At what temperature do profound hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-68-48.2
Fahrenheit or 20-9 Celsius
5. At what temperature do severe hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS-82.4-71.6
Fahrenheit or 28-22 Celsius
6. Define anterior - ANS-toward the front of the body
7. Define hypoxia - ANS-Inadequate oxygen being delivered to cells
8. Define posterior - ANS-Toward the back of the body (opposite of anterior)
9. Describe what arterial bleeding looks like. - ANS-Bright red blood that spurts out and
has a pulsating rhythm
10. Do you remove an impaled object? - ANS-no, stabalize
11. How can you determine if a pt experiencing behavioral issues is having a physical or
psychological issue? - ANS-If a pt is experiencing hallucinations, the MOI is most
likely psychological
12. How do you deal with a pt with severe kyphosis? - ANS-Pad the voids
13. How do you treat a hyperventilating pt? - ANS-Attempt to calm them down by talking
to them, if they pass out, then provide ventilations as necessary
14. How does activated charcoal work? - ANS-binds contents of stomach and prevents
absorption of contents into bloodstream
15. How does an EMT remove secretions from the airway of an unconscious pt with no
gag reflex? - ANS-Suction
16. How does an EMT treat heat stroke? - ANS-Remove the pt from the sun, place cold
packs on the groin, armpits, and around their neck. Fan the pt and spray them with
tepid water
17. How does an EMT treat hypothermia? - ANS-actively warm the pt by placing hot
packs on the groin, armpits, and chest, and wrap the pt in blankets
18. How far away from your face should you hold the microphone? - ANS-2 inches
19. How far away should the umbilical cord be cut? - ANS-6-9 inches from the newborn
and 2-3 inches past the first clamp
20. How many cervical vertebrae are there? - ANS-7
21. How many doses of epinephrine can be administered without approval from medical
control? - ANS-1
22. How many lumbar vertebrae are there? - ANS-5
23. How many sacral vertebrae are there? - ANS-5 fused
24. How many thoracic vertebrae are there? - ANS-12
25. How many vertebrae are in the Coccyx? - ANS-4 fused
26. How may vertebrae are there? - ANS-33
, 27. How often should an APGAR score be evaluated? - ANS-60 seconds after birth and
five minutes after birth
28. How often should vitals be assessed in a stable pt? - ANS-every 15 minutes
29. How often should vitals be assessed in an unstable pt? - ANS-Every 5 minutes
30. How should pad be placed on an infant if the only pads available ar adult pads? -
ANS-One on the front, and one on the back. Make a sandwich
31. In a pt with an implanted pacemaker, can they be shocked? - ANS-Yes, just be
careful with your pad placement
32. In the cardic arrest pt, at what time does irreversible tissue damage occur? - ANS-4-6
minutes after arrest
33. Is CPAP used to assist ventilations, or provide artificial ventilations? - ANS-Assist
ventilations
34. Should a frostbite injury be warmed rapidly, or slowly? - ANS-Slowly
35. Should suction be applied while going in, or while removing the catheter? -
ANS-While removing
36. Should you allow the sexual assault victim to shower or clean themselves before
transport? - ANS-No, if they shower, the police will have a harder time identifying who
assaulted them
37. What age is a human considered a Neonate? - ANS-Birth to 1 month
38. What age is a human considered a Preschooler? - ANS-3 years to 5 years
39. What age is a human considered a School Aged Child? - ANS-6 years to 11 years
40. What age is a human considered an Adolescent? - ANS-12 years to 15 years
41. What age is a human considered an Adult? - ANS-16 years and older
42. What are is a human considered an Infant? - ANS-1 month to 12 months
43. What are some signs of inadequate breathing? - ANS-Tachypnea, Bradypnea, poor
rhythm, poor quality, poor depth
44. What are the ABC's? - ANS-airway, breathing, circulation
45. What are the airway adjuncts available to an EMT-B? - ANS-Oropharyngeal and
Nasopharyngeal
46. What are the available peripheral and central pulse locations? - ANS-Central: Carotid
and Femoral artery
47. Peripheral: Radial, brachial, popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis arteries
48. What are the contraindications for a traction splint? - ANS-Pelvic instability, the injury
is within 1-2 inches from the knee or ankle, the knee or ankle have been injured,
partial amputation
49. What are the contraindications for CPAP? - ANS-Apnea, respiratory arrest, agonal
respirations, inability to understand and obey commands, inability to maintain their
airway, unresponsiveness, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, active vomiting, upper
GI bleed or recent gastric surgery, pneumothorax, tracheotomy, facial trauma,
increased intrathoracic pressure
50. What are the contraindications for nitroglycerin? - ANS-Systolic is less than 90, heart
rate is less than 50 or greater than 100, suspected head injury, the pt is an infant or
child, the three dose maximum has been reached, the pt has taken erectile
dysfunction medications in the past 48 hours
51. What are the contraindications of Aspirin? - ANS-GI bleeding, active ulcers,
hemorrhagic stroke, hx of bleeding or clotting disorders such as hemophilia. Known
allergy to Aspirin
