WEST COAST EMT BLOCK 4 PRACTICE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES 2025 (VERIFIED
ANSWERS)
1. During your initial assessment of an unresponsive adult patient, you note that
the patient is breathing irregularly and has a weak pulse. What is your
immediate action?
A) Start chest compressions immediately
B) Administer high-flow oxygen and prepare for transport
C) Open the airway and prepare to assist ventilations
D) Check blood glucose level
Answer: C) Open the airway and prepare to assist ventilations
Rationale: The patient is breathing irregularly, indicating inadequate ventilation.
Opening the airway and assisting ventilation is the priority to ensure adequate
oxygenation before transport.
,2. A patient with a suspected stroke presents with slurred speech and weakness
on one side of the body. What is the most important information to obtain from
the patient or bystanders?
A) Patient’s blood pressure history
B) Time of symptom onset
C) Patient’s medication list
D) Allergies to medications
Answer: B) Time of symptom onset
Rationale: Knowing the exact time symptoms began is critical for stroke
management and to determine eligibility for certain treatments.
3. You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle accident where the driver is
conscious but complaining of severe chest pain and shortness of breath. What is
your first priority?
A) Immobilize the cervical spine
B) Assess airway and breathing
C) Control external bleeding
D) Rapid transport without assessment
Answer: B) Assess airway and breathing
Rationale: Airway and breathing are always the highest priority to ensure oxygen
delivery, especially in chest trauma.
4. What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to ventilations when
providing two-rescuer CPR to an adult patient?
,A) 15:2
B) 30:2
C) 30:1
D) 15:1
Answer: B) 30:2
Rationale: The American Heart Association recommends a ratio of 30
compressions to 2 ventilations for adult CPR with two rescuers.
5. A diabetic patient is found unresponsive. You check their blood glucose and
find a reading of 40 mg/dL. What is your next step?
A) Administer oral glucose immediately
B) Provide high-flow oxygen and transport
C) Administer intravenous dextrose or glucagon if trained
D) Wait for ALS to arrive
Answer: C) Administer intravenous dextrose or glucagon if trained
Rationale: Hypoglycemia with altered mental status requires prompt
administration of IV dextrose or glucagon to restore blood glucose levels.
6. When suctioning a patient’s airway, what is the maximum duration you
should suction at one time?
A) 15 seconds
B) 10 seconds
C) 5 seconds
D) 20 seconds
, Answer: B) 10 seconds
Rationale: Suctioning should be limited to 10 seconds to prevent hypoxia and
trauma to the airway.
7. Which of the following is the best indicator of adequate circulation in a
trauma patient?
A) Presence of a strong radial pulse
B) Skin color and temperature
C) Capillary refill time
D) Blood pressure
Answer: A) Presence of a strong radial pulse
Rationale: A palpable radial pulse indicates a systolic blood pressure of at least 80
mm Hg and suggests adequate circulation.
8. What is the primary purpose of applying a tourniquet in the field?
A) Reduce pain caused by bleeding
B) Control life-threatening external hemorrhage
C) Prevent infection at the wound site
D) Promote blood clotting
Answer: B) Control life-threatening external hemorrhage
Rationale: Tourniquets are applied to stop severe bleeding that cannot be
controlled by direct pressure.
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES 2025 (VERIFIED
ANSWERS)
1. During your initial assessment of an unresponsive adult patient, you note that
the patient is breathing irregularly and has a weak pulse. What is your
immediate action?
A) Start chest compressions immediately
B) Administer high-flow oxygen and prepare for transport
C) Open the airway and prepare to assist ventilations
D) Check blood glucose level
Answer: C) Open the airway and prepare to assist ventilations
Rationale: The patient is breathing irregularly, indicating inadequate ventilation.
Opening the airway and assisting ventilation is the priority to ensure adequate
oxygenation before transport.
,2. A patient with a suspected stroke presents with slurred speech and weakness
on one side of the body. What is the most important information to obtain from
the patient or bystanders?
A) Patient’s blood pressure history
B) Time of symptom onset
C) Patient’s medication list
D) Allergies to medications
Answer: B) Time of symptom onset
Rationale: Knowing the exact time symptoms began is critical for stroke
management and to determine eligibility for certain treatments.
3. You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle accident where the driver is
conscious but complaining of severe chest pain and shortness of breath. What is
your first priority?
A) Immobilize the cervical spine
B) Assess airway and breathing
C) Control external bleeding
D) Rapid transport without assessment
Answer: B) Assess airway and breathing
Rationale: Airway and breathing are always the highest priority to ensure oxygen
delivery, especially in chest trauma.
4. What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to ventilations when
providing two-rescuer CPR to an adult patient?
,A) 15:2
B) 30:2
C) 30:1
D) 15:1
Answer: B) 30:2
Rationale: The American Heart Association recommends a ratio of 30
compressions to 2 ventilations for adult CPR with two rescuers.
5. A diabetic patient is found unresponsive. You check their blood glucose and
find a reading of 40 mg/dL. What is your next step?
A) Administer oral glucose immediately
B) Provide high-flow oxygen and transport
C) Administer intravenous dextrose or glucagon if trained
D) Wait for ALS to arrive
Answer: C) Administer intravenous dextrose or glucagon if trained
Rationale: Hypoglycemia with altered mental status requires prompt
administration of IV dextrose or glucagon to restore blood glucose levels.
6. When suctioning a patient’s airway, what is the maximum duration you
should suction at one time?
A) 15 seconds
B) 10 seconds
C) 5 seconds
D) 20 seconds
, Answer: B) 10 seconds
Rationale: Suctioning should be limited to 10 seconds to prevent hypoxia and
trauma to the airway.
7. Which of the following is the best indicator of adequate circulation in a
trauma patient?
A) Presence of a strong radial pulse
B) Skin color and temperature
C) Capillary refill time
D) Blood pressure
Answer: A) Presence of a strong radial pulse
Rationale: A palpable radial pulse indicates a systolic blood pressure of at least 80
mm Hg and suggests adequate circulation.
8. What is the primary purpose of applying a tourniquet in the field?
A) Reduce pain caused by bleeding
B) Control life-threatening external hemorrhage
C) Prevent infection at the wound site
D) Promote blood clotting
Answer: B) Control life-threatening external hemorrhage
Rationale: Tourniquets are applied to stop severe bleeding that cannot be
controlled by direct pressure.
