Emergency Medicine Exam | Actual Questions and Answers
Latest Updated 2026/2027 (Graded A+)
• Question
Initial steps in stabilizing a patient
Correct Answer: CDAB
I. Circulation (rapid CPR to reestablish circulation)
II. Defibrillaiton
III. Airway
IV. Breathing
- the main goal is to restore effective oxygenation,ventilation and circulation until return
of spontaneous
circulation or ACLS
• Question
Where do you check pulses
Correct Answer: Bilateral carotid and femoral pulses = most reliable
I. No pulse, start CPR immediately (2 minutes fast and hard and then switch out)
II. Never stop doing CPR until pulse is present (CPR while defibrillator is charging, stop
for electric discharge, and continue CPR)
• Question
What do you do with weak/thready pulses
Correct Answer: I. Start IVF resuscitaiton - IV access or IO as second
option
II. Thready pulses indicate hypotension and poor perfusion
III. Check frequent BP to reassess
• Question
What is defibrillation
Correct Answer: Shock to electrically terminate abnormal heart rate and restart. - The
earlier a fibrillating heart is defibrillated, the more successful (survival drops by 10%
with each minute)
• Question
How do you assess Airway?
Correct Answer: I. HEAD TILT-CHIN LIFT: assess if airway is obstructed vs. open - look for
foreign body, vomit, blood.
II. JAW THRUST - if C-spine injury suspected
,- 30 compressions for every 2 breaths
- Give one breath every 5-6 sections (don't over-ventilate the patient)
• Question
Advanced airway techniques
Correct Answer: I. LMA: Laryngeal Mask Airway
II. Cricothyroidotomy -surgical airway done as last resort when unable to maintain
oxygenation with other methods
• Question
Breathing
Correct Answer: I. Pay attention to resp rate, breathing pattern (normal vs. agonic
breaths)
II. O2 sats - goal is > 94%
III. Chest rise/tidal volume
IV. Waveform Capnography: measures CO2 input and output. Best measure for
assessing ventilation
V. Bag-valve-mask helps patients with poor or inadequate respiration.
VI. it saves lives!!
• Question
Supplemental O2
Correct Answer: I. All cardiac arrest patients get 100% O2
II. Room air= 21%
III. Nasal cannula O2 - raises FiO2 by 2-3% per liter. Normally give 1-6 Liters/minute
IV. Non-rebreather mask --> you are receiving 100% O2
• Question
How do you monitor CDAB?
Correct Answer: I. Reassess circulation: compression, check cardiac rhythm, pulse, give
meds to help Bp or rhythm prn
II. Monitor Oxygen and IV
III. DDx -goalis to find and treat reversible causes
• Question
What should be done after CDAB's?
Correct Answer: - VITAL SIGNS!!
, • Question
What are the vital signs
Correct Answer: I. HR/pulse: 60-100
II. Bp: 120/80
III. Resp rate: 16-20
- Temp 97-99
- O2 sat > 94%
- Pain!!! - 6th vital sign
• Question
Pain scale for infants
Correct Answer: FLACC Face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (0, 1, 2)
• Question
EMTALA
Correct Answer: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
I. hospitals are obligated to screen/treat a patient in the ER regardless of insurance
II. if a emergency medical condition exists - they must stabilize the patient before
transferring or d/c the pt
III. an emergency condition is anything with an abromal vital sign
• Question
Triage
Correct Answer: "trier" - to separate, sift or select based on priority of condition
• Question
Emergency Severity Index
Correct Answer: I. Categorize based on severity: 1 to 5
1 - most severe: cyanotic/not breathing - unreseponsive or not talking 2 - MI (life
threatening but talking) 3- appendicitis/ abdomino pelvic pain 4- ankle swelling, broken
leg 5- suture removal
II. Things you can physically see on a patient tent to be a category 4 or 5 = FAST
TRACTS (ie broken arm, small cut)
• Question
Types of GI bleeds
Correct Answer: - U GIB - ** DARK STOOLS - above the ligament of Treitz: Esophageal
varices, Dieulafoy lesion, PUD, Mallory Weiss Tear
- LGIB: ** BRight red blood - below lig of Treitz AVM (Atrio-venous
malformation),Divertriculitis,
Latest Updated 2026/2027 (Graded A+)
• Question
Initial steps in stabilizing a patient
Correct Answer: CDAB
I. Circulation (rapid CPR to reestablish circulation)
II. Defibrillaiton
III. Airway
IV. Breathing
- the main goal is to restore effective oxygenation,ventilation and circulation until return
of spontaneous
circulation or ACLS
• Question
Where do you check pulses
Correct Answer: Bilateral carotid and femoral pulses = most reliable
I. No pulse, start CPR immediately (2 minutes fast and hard and then switch out)
II. Never stop doing CPR until pulse is present (CPR while defibrillator is charging, stop
for electric discharge, and continue CPR)
• Question
What do you do with weak/thready pulses
Correct Answer: I. Start IVF resuscitaiton - IV access or IO as second
option
II. Thready pulses indicate hypotension and poor perfusion
III. Check frequent BP to reassess
• Question
What is defibrillation
Correct Answer: Shock to electrically terminate abnormal heart rate and restart. - The
earlier a fibrillating heart is defibrillated, the more successful (survival drops by 10%
with each minute)
• Question
How do you assess Airway?
Correct Answer: I. HEAD TILT-CHIN LIFT: assess if airway is obstructed vs. open - look for
foreign body, vomit, blood.
II. JAW THRUST - if C-spine injury suspected
,- 30 compressions for every 2 breaths
- Give one breath every 5-6 sections (don't over-ventilate the patient)
• Question
Advanced airway techniques
Correct Answer: I. LMA: Laryngeal Mask Airway
II. Cricothyroidotomy -surgical airway done as last resort when unable to maintain
oxygenation with other methods
• Question
Breathing
Correct Answer: I. Pay attention to resp rate, breathing pattern (normal vs. agonic
breaths)
II. O2 sats - goal is > 94%
III. Chest rise/tidal volume
IV. Waveform Capnography: measures CO2 input and output. Best measure for
assessing ventilation
V. Bag-valve-mask helps patients with poor or inadequate respiration.
VI. it saves lives!!
• Question
Supplemental O2
Correct Answer: I. All cardiac arrest patients get 100% O2
II. Room air= 21%
III. Nasal cannula O2 - raises FiO2 by 2-3% per liter. Normally give 1-6 Liters/minute
IV. Non-rebreather mask --> you are receiving 100% O2
• Question
How do you monitor CDAB?
Correct Answer: I. Reassess circulation: compression, check cardiac rhythm, pulse, give
meds to help Bp or rhythm prn
II. Monitor Oxygen and IV
III. DDx -goalis to find and treat reversible causes
• Question
What should be done after CDAB's?
Correct Answer: - VITAL SIGNS!!
, • Question
What are the vital signs
Correct Answer: I. HR/pulse: 60-100
II. Bp: 120/80
III. Resp rate: 16-20
- Temp 97-99
- O2 sat > 94%
- Pain!!! - 6th vital sign
• Question
Pain scale for infants
Correct Answer: FLACC Face, legs, activity, cry, consolability (0, 1, 2)
• Question
EMTALA
Correct Answer: Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act
I. hospitals are obligated to screen/treat a patient in the ER regardless of insurance
II. if a emergency medical condition exists - they must stabilize the patient before
transferring or d/c the pt
III. an emergency condition is anything with an abromal vital sign
• Question
Triage
Correct Answer: "trier" - to separate, sift or select based on priority of condition
• Question
Emergency Severity Index
Correct Answer: I. Categorize based on severity: 1 to 5
1 - most severe: cyanotic/not breathing - unreseponsive or not talking 2 - MI (life
threatening but talking) 3- appendicitis/ abdomino pelvic pain 4- ankle swelling, broken
leg 5- suture removal
II. Things you can physically see on a patient tent to be a category 4 or 5 = FAST
TRACTS (ie broken arm, small cut)
• Question
Types of GI bleeds
Correct Answer: - U GIB - ** DARK STOOLS - above the ligament of Treitz: Esophageal
varices, Dieulafoy lesion, PUD, Mallory Weiss Tear
- LGIB: ** BRight red blood - below lig of Treitz AVM (Atrio-venous
malformation),Divertriculitis,
