Santa Clara County EMS Exam: Questions With In-
Depth Solutions
Policy 108 - System Variance Reporting Correct Answer - incidents that
result in a threat to public safety, patient, by-stander, or responder harm
What types of incidents are considered Level A variances? Correct Answer -
any incident that results in a threat to public safety, patient, by-stander or
responder harm
1. gross negligence
2. fraud of certifications
3. repeated negligence
4. incompetence
A. any deviation from an EMS Agency policy or treatment protocol with
patient harm
B. medication or procedural errors with patient harm
C. failure or refusal to respond to request for aid, whether from the public or
another system provider
D. equipment failure or malfunction with patient harm
E. any significant EMS-related event that would be reported to another
regulatory agency
What is the maximum time you must report a Level A variance? Correct
Answer - within 24 hours
Who must be notified ASAP of a Level A variance? Correct Answer - EMS
On-Duty Chief via County Communications
What type of incidents are considered Level B variances? Correct Answer -
any incident that does NOT result in patient harm, but is a deviation from EMS
agency policies, procedures, and protocols
,A. potential clinical care variance
B. potential policy variance
C. poor interagency coordination
D. general complaint (public)
E. communications system variance
F. equipment failure or malfunction
What is the maximum time you must report a Level B variance? Correct
Answer - within five (5) business days
What type of incidents are considered Level C variances? Correct Answer -
incidents where the responders provided outstanding care and went above
and beyond the normal expectations of responders; compliments
A. good patient outcome
B. outstanding customer service
C. positive provider agency/hospital cooperation
D. field supervisor went above and beyond normal expectations
What form would you use to file a variance report? Correct Answer -
EMS Form #903
(System Performance Variance Report)
Policy 109 - Policy Development and Implementation Correct Answer -
standards for creation, revision, and implementation of SCC Pre-Hospital Care
Policy (including plans, protocols, procedures, etc.)
How will policy implementation be disseminated to you? Correct Answer -
EMS Program Manager
What other resources do you have to find new policies and updates? Correct
Answer - -county EMS website
-county EMS app
-electronic/social media
-hardcopy
Which policy addressed allocation and implementation of resources?
Correct Answer - Policy #109
, Policy 500 - Electronic Patient Care Correct Answer - minimum standard
criteria for the completion and submission of electronic patient care record
(ePCR)
When an MCI alert occurs with five (5) or more patients, is a PCR required?
Correct Answer - No; the EMS Agency may temporarily suspend the
requirement to complete an ePCR in certain times of mass causality incidents,
large scale disasters, or EMS Data System failure.
What would you use in lieu of an ePCR when an MCI alert occurs with five (5)
or more patients? Correct Answer - triage tags
Policy 501 - Hospital Radio Reports Correct Answer - standard hospital
radio report format for prehospital care providers to inform a hospital of
pending arrival and when communicating with the Base Hospital
What alerts (hospital report/ringdown) require use of the county radio?
Correct Answer - -Major Trauma Victim (MTV)
-STEMI
-Stroke
-critical patient transports, transporting with red lights and sirens (RLS/code
3)
-when cell phone/landline contact is NOT possible
What channel do you use for major alerts via the county radio when cell
phone contact is NOT possible? Correct Answer - EMS Command 92
For interfacility transports, what form of communication us used for
ringdowns? Correct Answer - NOT to occur on SCC EMS Communications
System frequencies; is the responsibility private ambulance service DISPATCH
center
What information is required when giving a DECON ALERT ringdown?
Correct Answer - 1. state "DECON ALERT"
2. identify that patient has been decontaminated
3. chemical name
4. decontamination methods used on-scene
5. DOT reference number
6. treatment info/considerations
Depth Solutions
Policy 108 - System Variance Reporting Correct Answer - incidents that
result in a threat to public safety, patient, by-stander, or responder harm
What types of incidents are considered Level A variances? Correct Answer -
any incident that results in a threat to public safety, patient, by-stander or
responder harm
1. gross negligence
2. fraud of certifications
3. repeated negligence
4. incompetence
A. any deviation from an EMS Agency policy or treatment protocol with
patient harm
B. medication or procedural errors with patient harm
C. failure or refusal to respond to request for aid, whether from the public or
another system provider
D. equipment failure or malfunction with patient harm
E. any significant EMS-related event that would be reported to another
regulatory agency
What is the maximum time you must report a Level A variance? Correct
Answer - within 24 hours
Who must be notified ASAP of a Level A variance? Correct Answer - EMS
On-Duty Chief via County Communications
What type of incidents are considered Level B variances? Correct Answer -
any incident that does NOT result in patient harm, but is a deviation from EMS
agency policies, procedures, and protocols
,A. potential clinical care variance
B. potential policy variance
C. poor interagency coordination
D. general complaint (public)
E. communications system variance
F. equipment failure or malfunction
What is the maximum time you must report a Level B variance? Correct
Answer - within five (5) business days
What type of incidents are considered Level C variances? Correct Answer -
incidents where the responders provided outstanding care and went above
and beyond the normal expectations of responders; compliments
A. good patient outcome
B. outstanding customer service
C. positive provider agency/hospital cooperation
D. field supervisor went above and beyond normal expectations
What form would you use to file a variance report? Correct Answer -
EMS Form #903
(System Performance Variance Report)
Policy 109 - Policy Development and Implementation Correct Answer -
standards for creation, revision, and implementation of SCC Pre-Hospital Care
Policy (including plans, protocols, procedures, etc.)
How will policy implementation be disseminated to you? Correct Answer -
EMS Program Manager
What other resources do you have to find new policies and updates? Correct
Answer - -county EMS website
-county EMS app
-electronic/social media
-hardcopy
Which policy addressed allocation and implementation of resources?
Correct Answer - Policy #109
, Policy 500 - Electronic Patient Care Correct Answer - minimum standard
criteria for the completion and submission of electronic patient care record
(ePCR)
When an MCI alert occurs with five (5) or more patients, is a PCR required?
Correct Answer - No; the EMS Agency may temporarily suspend the
requirement to complete an ePCR in certain times of mass causality incidents,
large scale disasters, or EMS Data System failure.
What would you use in lieu of an ePCR when an MCI alert occurs with five (5)
or more patients? Correct Answer - triage tags
Policy 501 - Hospital Radio Reports Correct Answer - standard hospital
radio report format for prehospital care providers to inform a hospital of
pending arrival and when communicating with the Base Hospital
What alerts (hospital report/ringdown) require use of the county radio?
Correct Answer - -Major Trauma Victim (MTV)
-STEMI
-Stroke
-critical patient transports, transporting with red lights and sirens (RLS/code
3)
-when cell phone/landline contact is NOT possible
What channel do you use for major alerts via the county radio when cell
phone contact is NOT possible? Correct Answer - EMS Command 92
For interfacility transports, what form of communication us used for
ringdowns? Correct Answer - NOT to occur on SCC EMS Communications
System frequencies; is the responsibility private ambulance service DISPATCH
center
What information is required when giving a DECON ALERT ringdown?
Correct Answer - 1. state "DECON ALERT"
2. identify that patient has been decontaminated
3. chemical name
4. decontamination methods used on-scene
5. DOT reference number
6. treatment info/considerations
