NREMT Cognitive Exam Prep Questions
and Answers
Who developed the first EMT National Standard Curriculum? - Correct Answers -Early
in the 1970s, the US Department of Transportation developed the first EMT National
Standard Curriculum.
What are the levels of EMS training? - Correct Answers -Emergency Medical
Responder (EMR): provides basic, immediate care including bleeding control, CPR,
AED and emergency childbirth.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): includes all EMR skills, advanced oxygen and
ventilation skills, pulse oximetry, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring, and
administration of certain medications.
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT): includes all EMT skills, advanced
airway devices, intravenous and intraosseous access, blood glucose monitoring, and
administration of additional medications.
Paramedic: includes all preceding training levels, advanced assessment and
management skills, various invasive skills, and extensive pharmacology interventions.
This is the highest level of prehospital care outlined in the National EMS Education
Standards.
What are EMT roles and responsibilities? - Correct Answers -Equipment preparedness
Emergency vehicle operations
Establish, maintain scene safety
Patient assessment and treatment
Lifting and moving
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Patient advocacy
Professional development
Quality improvement
Illness and injury prevention
Maintain certification/licensure
Where does the modern EMS system have its origin? - Correct Answers -The modern
EMS system has its origins in funeral homes, which often operated ambulances.
However, funeral home operators were often serving competing business interests and
patients received little trained care until the hospital.
What is considered the "birth" of EMS? - Correct Answers -In 1966, a paper titled
"Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society" is
,published by the National Academy of Sciences. This paper is widely known in the EMS
profession as the White Paper. The White Paper is widely considered the birth of
modern EMS. It spotlighted inadequacies of prehospital care in the United States,
particularly related to trauma.
What is the role of the medical director? - Correct Answers -The medical director is a
physician responsible for providing medical oversight. The medical director oversees
quality improvement.
What are the two types of medical direction? - Correct Answers -Online medical
direction: direct contact between the physician and EMT via or radio.
Offline medical direction: written guidelines and protocols.
What is an EMT's first priority? - Correct Answers -The EMT's first priority is always his
or her own safety. Scene safety is always the top priority!
The EMT's safety priorities after personal safety are for his/her partner(s), patients and
bystanders.
What are the types of stress? - Correct Answers -Acute stress: an immediate
physiological and psychological reaction to a specific event.
Delayed stress: a stress reaction that develops after the stressful event. It does not
interfere with the EMT's ability to perform during the stressful event. PTSD is an
example of delayed stress.
Cumulative stress: the result of exposure to stressful situations over a prolonged period
of time.
What are the stages of grief? - Correct Answers -Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
How can you prevent the risk of infection? - Correct Answers -Immediately report
exposures to the designated infection control officer.
Handwashing is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand
sanitizers can be effective, but soap and water is preferred when available.
What are the two types of PPE? - Correct Answers -Minimum PPE: gloves and eye
protection should be used during any patient contact situation.
Expanded PPE: use disposable gown and mask for significant contact with any body
fluid--for example, during childbirth. Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) mask o
N-95 respirator for suspected airborne disease exposure, such as tuberculosis.
,What are emergency moves? - Correct Answers -These are used when the scene is
dangerous and the patient must be moved before providing patient care. Types of
emergency moves include the armpit-forearm drag, shirt drag, and blanket drag.
What is an urgent move? - Correct Answers -Used when the patient has potentially life-
threatening injuries or illness and must be moved quickly for evaluation and transport.
Rapid extrication: an urgent move used for patients in a motor vehicle; it requires
multiple rescuers and a long backboard. The patient is rotated onto a backboard with
manual cervical spine precautions and removed from the vehicle.
What are non-urgent moves? - Correct Answers -Used when there are no hazards and
no life-threatening conditions are apparent.
Types of non-urgent moves include direct ground lift, extremity lift, direct carry method,
and draw sheet method.
What is the log roll technique? - Correct Answers -Commonly used to place a patient on
a backboard or assess the posterior.
Can be done while maintaining manual cervical spine precautions.
Should have at least three trained personnel. The person controlling manual cervical
spine protection should direct the log roll.
What are special considerations for bariatric patients? - Correct Answers -Obese
patients pose additional challenges and risks to providers during lifting and movement.
Some EMS systems have special bariatric ambulances with specialized equipment,
automated lifting systems, and wider stretchers capable of a greater weight capacity.
What is supine hypotensive syndrome? - Correct Answers -Patients in the later stages
of pregnancy should not be placed supine due to the risk of supine hypotensive
syndrome. Place the pregnant patient on her left side. If patient has potential cervical
spine trauma, tilt backboard to the left about 20 degrees.
When can patients be restrained? - Correct Answers -In general, patients may be
forcibly restrained if they pose a significant, immediate threat to you, your partner, or
others.
Restraining a patient against his will is a last resort.
Anticipate and plan. Request law enforcement assistance. Contact medical direction
when possible.
Guidelines for restraining a patient:
-Get additional help whenever possible; at least 4 people is recommended.
-Use the minimum amount of force necessary to protect yourself, the patient and others.
-Secure patient supine, with backboard if available. DO NOT secure the patient in a
prone position.
-Use soft, padded restraints.
-Monitor the patient's level of consciousness, airway, and distal circulation continuously.
, -Thoroughly document the reason for restraining the patient, the method of restraint, the
duration of restraint, and frequent reassessment of the patient while restrained.
What is the use of force doctrine? - Correct Answers -The EMT must act reasonably to
prevent harm to a patient being forcibly restrained. The use of force must be protective,
not punitive.
What is scope of practice? - Correct Answers -Scope of practice outlines the actions a
provider is legally allowed to perform based on his or her license or certification level.
Scope of practice is tied to the licensure or certification, not the individual's knowledge
or experience.
Each state determines the scope of practice for its EMS providers.
What is standard of care? - Correct Answers -Standard of care is the degree of care a
reasonable person with similar training would provide in a similar situation.
Standard of care requires EMTs to competently perform the indicated assessment and
treatment within their scope of practice.
What are sources that help establish standard of care? - Correct Answers -National
EMS Education Standards
State protocols and guidelines
Medical direction
EMS agency's policies and procedures
Reputable textbooks
Care considered acceptable by similarly trained providers in the same community.
What is informed consent? - Correct Answers -Informed consent is required from all
patients who are alert and competent.
-Patient must be informed of your carer plan and associated risks of accepting or
refusing care and transport.
-Patient must be informed of, and understand, all information that would impact a
reasonable person's decision to accept or refuse care and transport.
What is expressed consent? - Correct Answers -Expressed consent also requires that
the patient be alert and competent to give expressed consent. Expressed consent can
be given verbally or nonverbally.
-Expressed consent is similar to informed consent, but not usually as in-depth as
informed consent.
-Expressed consent is often used to obtain consent for more basic assessments or
procedures.
What is implied consent? - Correct Answers -Implied consent allows assumption of
consent for emergency care from an unresponsive or incompetent patient.
-Patients might be incompetent for many reasons, such as alcohol, drugs, head injury,
hypoxia, hypoglycemia, or mental incompetency.
and Answers
Who developed the first EMT National Standard Curriculum? - Correct Answers -Early
in the 1970s, the US Department of Transportation developed the first EMT National
Standard Curriculum.
What are the levels of EMS training? - Correct Answers -Emergency Medical
Responder (EMR): provides basic, immediate care including bleeding control, CPR,
AED and emergency childbirth.
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): includes all EMR skills, advanced oxygen and
ventilation skills, pulse oximetry, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring, and
administration of certain medications.
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT): includes all EMT skills, advanced
airway devices, intravenous and intraosseous access, blood glucose monitoring, and
administration of additional medications.
Paramedic: includes all preceding training levels, advanced assessment and
management skills, various invasive skills, and extensive pharmacology interventions.
This is the highest level of prehospital care outlined in the National EMS Education
Standards.
What are EMT roles and responsibilities? - Correct Answers -Equipment preparedness
Emergency vehicle operations
Establish, maintain scene safety
Patient assessment and treatment
Lifting and moving
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Patient advocacy
Professional development
Quality improvement
Illness and injury prevention
Maintain certification/licensure
Where does the modern EMS system have its origin? - Correct Answers -The modern
EMS system has its origins in funeral homes, which often operated ambulances.
However, funeral home operators were often serving competing business interests and
patients received little trained care until the hospital.
What is considered the "birth" of EMS? - Correct Answers -In 1966, a paper titled
"Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society" is
,published by the National Academy of Sciences. This paper is widely known in the EMS
profession as the White Paper. The White Paper is widely considered the birth of
modern EMS. It spotlighted inadequacies of prehospital care in the United States,
particularly related to trauma.
What is the role of the medical director? - Correct Answers -The medical director is a
physician responsible for providing medical oversight. The medical director oversees
quality improvement.
What are the two types of medical direction? - Correct Answers -Online medical
direction: direct contact between the physician and EMT via or radio.
Offline medical direction: written guidelines and protocols.
What is an EMT's first priority? - Correct Answers -The EMT's first priority is always his
or her own safety. Scene safety is always the top priority!
The EMT's safety priorities after personal safety are for his/her partner(s), patients and
bystanders.
What are the types of stress? - Correct Answers -Acute stress: an immediate
physiological and psychological reaction to a specific event.
Delayed stress: a stress reaction that develops after the stressful event. It does not
interfere with the EMT's ability to perform during the stressful event. PTSD is an
example of delayed stress.
Cumulative stress: the result of exposure to stressful situations over a prolonged period
of time.
What are the stages of grief? - Correct Answers -Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
How can you prevent the risk of infection? - Correct Answers -Immediately report
exposures to the designated infection control officer.
Handwashing is the single most important way to prevent the spread of infection. Hand
sanitizers can be effective, but soap and water is preferred when available.
What are the two types of PPE? - Correct Answers -Minimum PPE: gloves and eye
protection should be used during any patient contact situation.
Expanded PPE: use disposable gown and mask for significant contact with any body
fluid--for example, during childbirth. Use a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) mask o
N-95 respirator for suspected airborne disease exposure, such as tuberculosis.
,What are emergency moves? - Correct Answers -These are used when the scene is
dangerous and the patient must be moved before providing patient care. Types of
emergency moves include the armpit-forearm drag, shirt drag, and blanket drag.
What is an urgent move? - Correct Answers -Used when the patient has potentially life-
threatening injuries or illness and must be moved quickly for evaluation and transport.
Rapid extrication: an urgent move used for patients in a motor vehicle; it requires
multiple rescuers and a long backboard. The patient is rotated onto a backboard with
manual cervical spine precautions and removed from the vehicle.
What are non-urgent moves? - Correct Answers -Used when there are no hazards and
no life-threatening conditions are apparent.
Types of non-urgent moves include direct ground lift, extremity lift, direct carry method,
and draw sheet method.
What is the log roll technique? - Correct Answers -Commonly used to place a patient on
a backboard or assess the posterior.
Can be done while maintaining manual cervical spine precautions.
Should have at least three trained personnel. The person controlling manual cervical
spine protection should direct the log roll.
What are special considerations for bariatric patients? - Correct Answers -Obese
patients pose additional challenges and risks to providers during lifting and movement.
Some EMS systems have special bariatric ambulances with specialized equipment,
automated lifting systems, and wider stretchers capable of a greater weight capacity.
What is supine hypotensive syndrome? - Correct Answers -Patients in the later stages
of pregnancy should not be placed supine due to the risk of supine hypotensive
syndrome. Place the pregnant patient on her left side. If patient has potential cervical
spine trauma, tilt backboard to the left about 20 degrees.
When can patients be restrained? - Correct Answers -In general, patients may be
forcibly restrained if they pose a significant, immediate threat to you, your partner, or
others.
Restraining a patient against his will is a last resort.
Anticipate and plan. Request law enforcement assistance. Contact medical direction
when possible.
Guidelines for restraining a patient:
-Get additional help whenever possible; at least 4 people is recommended.
-Use the minimum amount of force necessary to protect yourself, the patient and others.
-Secure patient supine, with backboard if available. DO NOT secure the patient in a
prone position.
-Use soft, padded restraints.
-Monitor the patient's level of consciousness, airway, and distal circulation continuously.
, -Thoroughly document the reason for restraining the patient, the method of restraint, the
duration of restraint, and frequent reassessment of the patient while restrained.
What is the use of force doctrine? - Correct Answers -The EMT must act reasonably to
prevent harm to a patient being forcibly restrained. The use of force must be protective,
not punitive.
What is scope of practice? - Correct Answers -Scope of practice outlines the actions a
provider is legally allowed to perform based on his or her license or certification level.
Scope of practice is tied to the licensure or certification, not the individual's knowledge
or experience.
Each state determines the scope of practice for its EMS providers.
What is standard of care? - Correct Answers -Standard of care is the degree of care a
reasonable person with similar training would provide in a similar situation.
Standard of care requires EMTs to competently perform the indicated assessment and
treatment within their scope of practice.
What are sources that help establish standard of care? - Correct Answers -National
EMS Education Standards
State protocols and guidelines
Medical direction
EMS agency's policies and procedures
Reputable textbooks
Care considered acceptable by similarly trained providers in the same community.
What is informed consent? - Correct Answers -Informed consent is required from all
patients who are alert and competent.
-Patient must be informed of your carer plan and associated risks of accepting or
refusing care and transport.
-Patient must be informed of, and understand, all information that would impact a
reasonable person's decision to accept or refuse care and transport.
What is expressed consent? - Correct Answers -Expressed consent also requires that
the patient be alert and competent to give expressed consent. Expressed consent can
be given verbally or nonverbally.
-Expressed consent is similar to informed consent, but not usually as in-depth as
informed consent.
-Expressed consent is often used to obtain consent for more basic assessments or
procedures.
What is implied consent? - Correct Answers -Implied consent allows assumption of
consent for emergency care from an unresponsive or incompetent patient.
-Patients might be incompetent for many reasons, such as alcohol, drugs, head injury,
hypoxia, hypoglycemia, or mental incompetency.
