EMT FISDAP EXAM 300 ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWER WITH RATIONALE NEW UPDATE
ALREADY GRADED A+
This comprehensive set of 300 unique, multiple-choice questions is specifically
designed to mirror the rigor and content of the **EMT FISDAP exam**,
which is widely used to predict student success on the National Registry
(NREMT) cognitive exam. It systematically covers the entire EMT
curriculum, including airway management, cardiac emergencies, trauma care,
medical emergencies (diabetes, anaphylaxis, seizures), obstetrics, pediatrics,
and EMS operations. Each question is presented as a realistic clinical scenario
with four distinct answer choices. Every entry provides the correct answer
alongside a detailed, evidence-based rationale that explains the underlying
pathophysiology and clinical reasoning, preparing you for exam success and
safe field practice.
1. A 4-year-old female with a tracheostomy has pulled out her tracheostomy tube.
The opening is partially obstructed with skin. What should you do?
A) Use a soft tip catheter and suction until clear
B) Insert a nasal airway into the stoma
C) Wipe the area clean and perform mouth-to-stoma ventilation
D) Cut the skin away from the stoma
Answer: A
Rationale: The priority is to clear the airway obstruction. A soft-tip catheter is the
most appropriate and safest tool to suction the stoma. The other options risk further
trauma or inadequate ventilation.
2. An unresponsive 10-year-old male was hit by a car and is bleeding heavily from
an open leg fracture. After securing his airway and manually stabilizing his
cervical spine, you should:
A) Place the patient in the Trendelenburg position
B) Perform a rapid trauma assessment
C) Control bleeding from the leg wound
D) Immobilize the extremity using a ladder splint
,Answer: C
Rationale: After the airway and C-spine are managed, life-threatening hemorrhage
must be controlled immediately. This patient is in hemorrhagic shock, and massive
bleeding is a preventable cause of trauma death.
3. A 46-year-old female was involved in a bar fight and has an obvious open neck
wound. You should dress this wound with a/an:
A) Occlusive dressing
B) Sterile gauze dressing
C) Pressure dressing
D) Moist gauze dressing
Answer: A
Rationale: An open neck wound poses a risk for an air embolism. An occlusive
dressing (e.g., a three-sided or petal dressing) prevents air from being sucked into
the circulatory system while allowing any trapped air to escape.
4. You are ventilating an apneic asthmatic patient with a BVM, but notice there is
inadequate chest rise. What should you do?
A) Reassess the airway for an obstruction
B) Increase the ventilation pressure
C) Switch to an O2-powered ventilation device
D) Increase the rate of the ventilations
Answer: A
Rationale: Inadequate chest rise during BVM ventilation is most often due to an
improperly positioned airway or an obstruction (e.g., the tongue, secretions, or
foreign body). The first step is to reassess the airway and reposition it or clear it.
5. Your patient is pale, diaphoretic, and complains of chest pressure. Her vitals are
R 18, P 58, and BP 88/50. You should suspect:
A) Unstable angina
B) A thoracic aneurysm
C) Cardiogenic shock
D) Pulmonary embolism
Answer: C
Rationale: The combination of chest pressure, pallor, diaphoresis, and hypotension
suggests cardiogenic shock. The patient is displaying signs of poor perfusion due
to the heart's inability to pump effectively.
6. What is the primary cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious patient?
A) Vomitus
,B) Tongue falling back
C) Laryngeal spasm
D) Secretions
Answer: B
Rationale: In an unconscious patient, the loss of muscle tone allows the tongue to
fall back against the posterior pharynx, occluding the airway. Correct positioning
(head-tilt-chin-lift or jaw-thrust) is essential to lift the tongue off the airway.
7. Which part of the body should you use to lift a stretcher?
A) Back
B) Arms
C) Legs
D) Abdomen
Answer: C
Rationale: You should always lift with your legs, not your back. The large muscle
groups in the legs are much stronger and more resistant to injury.
8. What type of shock is caused by a severe allergic reaction?
A) Hypovolemic
B) Cardiogenic
C) Anaphylactic
D) Neurogenic
Answer: C
Rationale: Anaphylactic shock is a distributive shock caused by a massive allergic
reaction. It leads to widespread vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, and
profound hypotension.
9. To properly immobilize a forearm fracture, the EMT should splint:
A) The wrist, elbow, and hand
B) The joints above and below the injury
C) Only the injury site itself
D) The entire arm and shoulder
Answer: B
Rationale: To prevent movement and further injury, a splint should immobilize the
joints immediately above and below the site of the fracture.
10. What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
A) Pump blood throughout the body
B) Facilitate gas exchange
C) Filter waste from the blood
, D) Regulate body temperature
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary function of the respiratory system is to facilitate the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment.
11. A patient with a history of emphysema is breathing 30 times per minute with a
pulse oximetry of 88%. You should administer oxygen at:
A) 2 L/min via nasal cannula
B) 10 L/min via non-rebreather mask
C) 15 L/min via BVM
D) 6 L/min via Venturi mask
Answer: B
Rationale: For a patient with hypoxia (SpO2 < 94%) and signs of respiratory
distress, the goal is to administer high-flow oxygen to correct the hypoxemia. A
non-rebreather mask at 10-15 L/min delivers the highest concentration of oxygen.
12. During the primary assessment of a trauma patient, you determine that the
patient has a patent airway, is breathing adequately, and has a weak radial pulse.
What should you do next?
A) Perform a rapid trauma assessment
B) Apply a cervical collar
C) Administer high-flow oxygen
D) Transport immediately
Answer: C
Rationale: The primary assessment follows the ABCDE sequence. After
confirming a patent airway and adequate breathing, the next step is to address
circulation and administer high-flow oxygen if the patient shows signs of shock or
poor perfusion.
13. A patient is experiencing a severe asthma attack and is wheezing. The EMT
knows that wheezing is caused by:
A) Fluid in the alveoli
B) Narrowing of the airways
C) A collapsed lung
D) An infection in the bronchioles
Answer: B
Rationale: Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound caused by air moving
through narrowed or obstructed airways. In asthma, bronchospasm and
inflammation cause this narrowing.
CORRECT ANSWER WITH RATIONALE NEW UPDATE
ALREADY GRADED A+
This comprehensive set of 300 unique, multiple-choice questions is specifically
designed to mirror the rigor and content of the **EMT FISDAP exam**,
which is widely used to predict student success on the National Registry
(NREMT) cognitive exam. It systematically covers the entire EMT
curriculum, including airway management, cardiac emergencies, trauma care,
medical emergencies (diabetes, anaphylaxis, seizures), obstetrics, pediatrics,
and EMS operations. Each question is presented as a realistic clinical scenario
with four distinct answer choices. Every entry provides the correct answer
alongside a detailed, evidence-based rationale that explains the underlying
pathophysiology and clinical reasoning, preparing you for exam success and
safe field practice.
1. A 4-year-old female with a tracheostomy has pulled out her tracheostomy tube.
The opening is partially obstructed with skin. What should you do?
A) Use a soft tip catheter and suction until clear
B) Insert a nasal airway into the stoma
C) Wipe the area clean and perform mouth-to-stoma ventilation
D) Cut the skin away from the stoma
Answer: A
Rationale: The priority is to clear the airway obstruction. A soft-tip catheter is the
most appropriate and safest tool to suction the stoma. The other options risk further
trauma or inadequate ventilation.
2. An unresponsive 10-year-old male was hit by a car and is bleeding heavily from
an open leg fracture. After securing his airway and manually stabilizing his
cervical spine, you should:
A) Place the patient in the Trendelenburg position
B) Perform a rapid trauma assessment
C) Control bleeding from the leg wound
D) Immobilize the extremity using a ladder splint
,Answer: C
Rationale: After the airway and C-spine are managed, life-threatening hemorrhage
must be controlled immediately. This patient is in hemorrhagic shock, and massive
bleeding is a preventable cause of trauma death.
3. A 46-year-old female was involved in a bar fight and has an obvious open neck
wound. You should dress this wound with a/an:
A) Occlusive dressing
B) Sterile gauze dressing
C) Pressure dressing
D) Moist gauze dressing
Answer: A
Rationale: An open neck wound poses a risk for an air embolism. An occlusive
dressing (e.g., a three-sided or petal dressing) prevents air from being sucked into
the circulatory system while allowing any trapped air to escape.
4. You are ventilating an apneic asthmatic patient with a BVM, but notice there is
inadequate chest rise. What should you do?
A) Reassess the airway for an obstruction
B) Increase the ventilation pressure
C) Switch to an O2-powered ventilation device
D) Increase the rate of the ventilations
Answer: A
Rationale: Inadequate chest rise during BVM ventilation is most often due to an
improperly positioned airway or an obstruction (e.g., the tongue, secretions, or
foreign body). The first step is to reassess the airway and reposition it or clear it.
5. Your patient is pale, diaphoretic, and complains of chest pressure. Her vitals are
R 18, P 58, and BP 88/50. You should suspect:
A) Unstable angina
B) A thoracic aneurysm
C) Cardiogenic shock
D) Pulmonary embolism
Answer: C
Rationale: The combination of chest pressure, pallor, diaphoresis, and hypotension
suggests cardiogenic shock. The patient is displaying signs of poor perfusion due
to the heart's inability to pump effectively.
6. What is the primary cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious patient?
A) Vomitus
,B) Tongue falling back
C) Laryngeal spasm
D) Secretions
Answer: B
Rationale: In an unconscious patient, the loss of muscle tone allows the tongue to
fall back against the posterior pharynx, occluding the airway. Correct positioning
(head-tilt-chin-lift or jaw-thrust) is essential to lift the tongue off the airway.
7. Which part of the body should you use to lift a stretcher?
A) Back
B) Arms
C) Legs
D) Abdomen
Answer: C
Rationale: You should always lift with your legs, not your back. The large muscle
groups in the legs are much stronger and more resistant to injury.
8. What type of shock is caused by a severe allergic reaction?
A) Hypovolemic
B) Cardiogenic
C) Anaphylactic
D) Neurogenic
Answer: C
Rationale: Anaphylactic shock is a distributive shock caused by a massive allergic
reaction. It leads to widespread vasodilation, increased capillary permeability, and
profound hypotension.
9. To properly immobilize a forearm fracture, the EMT should splint:
A) The wrist, elbow, and hand
B) The joints above and below the injury
C) Only the injury site itself
D) The entire arm and shoulder
Answer: B
Rationale: To prevent movement and further injury, a splint should immobilize the
joints immediately above and below the site of the fracture.
10. What is the primary function of the respiratory system?
A) Pump blood throughout the body
B) Facilitate gas exchange
C) Filter waste from the blood
, D) Regulate body temperature
Answer: B
Rationale: The primary function of the respiratory system is to facilitate the
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment.
11. A patient with a history of emphysema is breathing 30 times per minute with a
pulse oximetry of 88%. You should administer oxygen at:
A) 2 L/min via nasal cannula
B) 10 L/min via non-rebreather mask
C) 15 L/min via BVM
D) 6 L/min via Venturi mask
Answer: B
Rationale: For a patient with hypoxia (SpO2 < 94%) and signs of respiratory
distress, the goal is to administer high-flow oxygen to correct the hypoxemia. A
non-rebreather mask at 10-15 L/min delivers the highest concentration of oxygen.
12. During the primary assessment of a trauma patient, you determine that the
patient has a patent airway, is breathing adequately, and has a weak radial pulse.
What should you do next?
A) Perform a rapid trauma assessment
B) Apply a cervical collar
C) Administer high-flow oxygen
D) Transport immediately
Answer: C
Rationale: The primary assessment follows the ABCDE sequence. After
confirming a patent airway and adequate breathing, the next step is to address
circulation and administer high-flow oxygen if the patient shows signs of shock or
poor perfusion.
13. A patient is experiencing a severe asthma attack and is wheezing. The EMT
knows that wheezing is caused by:
A) Fluid in the alveoli
B) Narrowing of the airways
C) A collapsed lung
D) An infection in the bronchioles
Answer: B
Rationale: Wheezing is a high-pitched whistling sound caused by air moving
through narrowed or obstructed airways. In asthma, bronchospasm and
inflammation cause this narrowing.
