Geriatric Emergencies (Chapter 35)
A+ Grade Exam with Questions and
Correct Answers
When faced with a situation in which an older patient with a terminal illness is in cardiac arrest,
but written documentation regarding the patient's wishes cannot be located, the EMT should: -
✔✔attempt to resuscitate the patient.
An elderly patient may understate or minimize the symptoms of his or her illness because: - ✔✔he
or she fears hospitalization.
A "silent" heart attack occurs when: - ✔✔the usual chest pain is not present.
You are responding to the dementia unit at a nursing home for respiratory distress. When you arrive,
you notice that the patient is experiencing mild dyspnea and has an altered mental status. What can you
do to help determine if the patient's altered mental status is appropriate for her underlying dementia? -
✔✔Find a staff member who can explain the patient's underlying mental status to you.
Causes of delirium in the older patients include all of the following, EXCEPT: - ✔✔Alzheimer disease.
Because of the complexity of the older patient and the vagueness of his or her complaint, you should: -
✔✔attempt to differentiate between chronic and acute problems.
Which of the following statements regarding depression is true? - ✔✔It is diagnosed three
times more commonly in women than in men.
, A 70-year-old man complains of a sudden onset of difficulty breathing. He has dried blood on his lips and
is very anxious. His left leg is red, swollen, and painful. The EMT should: - ✔✔administer high-flow
oxygen.
Clouding of the lenses of the eyes is called: - ✔✔cataracts.
Motor nerve neuropathy is characterized by: - ✔✔loss of balance, muscle weakness, and spasms.
Findings during the social assessment of an older patient include all of the following, EXCEPT: -
✔✔outdated medications.
Hip fractures are more likely to occur when bones are weakened by ___ or infection. -
✔✔osteoporosis
The "E" of the GEMS diamond stands for: - ✔✔environmental assessment.
The reduction in brain weight and volume increases an older person's risk for: - ✔✔head trauma.
When transporting a stable older patient to the hospital, the MOST effective way to reduce his or
her anxiety is to: - ✔✔transport him or her to a hospital that he or she is familiar with.
In contrast to younger patients, older patients are more prone to a decrease in blood pressure upon
standing because: - ✔✔the body is less able to adapt the BP to rapid postural changes.
An 84-year-old male fell a week ago and has been bedridden since then. Today, he presents with
an altered mental status. His skin is pale and cold and his respirations are rapid and shallow. The
EMT should suspect: - ✔✔a systemic infection.
EMTs are dispatched to a residence for an 80-year-old woman who is ill. The patient's daughter states
that her mother almost fainted after going to the bathroom, and that her pulse was very slow. The
patient's pulse rate is 80 beats/min and irregular and she is conscious and alert. The EMTs should
suspect that the patient: - ✔✔experienced a vasovagal response.
A+ Grade Exam with Questions and
Correct Answers
When faced with a situation in which an older patient with a terminal illness is in cardiac arrest,
but written documentation regarding the patient's wishes cannot be located, the EMT should: -
✔✔attempt to resuscitate the patient.
An elderly patient may understate or minimize the symptoms of his or her illness because: - ✔✔he
or she fears hospitalization.
A "silent" heart attack occurs when: - ✔✔the usual chest pain is not present.
You are responding to the dementia unit at a nursing home for respiratory distress. When you arrive,
you notice that the patient is experiencing mild dyspnea and has an altered mental status. What can you
do to help determine if the patient's altered mental status is appropriate for her underlying dementia? -
✔✔Find a staff member who can explain the patient's underlying mental status to you.
Causes of delirium in the older patients include all of the following, EXCEPT: - ✔✔Alzheimer disease.
Because of the complexity of the older patient and the vagueness of his or her complaint, you should: -
✔✔attempt to differentiate between chronic and acute problems.
Which of the following statements regarding depression is true? - ✔✔It is diagnosed three
times more commonly in women than in men.
, A 70-year-old man complains of a sudden onset of difficulty breathing. He has dried blood on his lips and
is very anxious. His left leg is red, swollen, and painful. The EMT should: - ✔✔administer high-flow
oxygen.
Clouding of the lenses of the eyes is called: - ✔✔cataracts.
Motor nerve neuropathy is characterized by: - ✔✔loss of balance, muscle weakness, and spasms.
Findings during the social assessment of an older patient include all of the following, EXCEPT: -
✔✔outdated medications.
Hip fractures are more likely to occur when bones are weakened by ___ or infection. -
✔✔osteoporosis
The "E" of the GEMS diamond stands for: - ✔✔environmental assessment.
The reduction in brain weight and volume increases an older person's risk for: - ✔✔head trauma.
When transporting a stable older patient to the hospital, the MOST effective way to reduce his or
her anxiety is to: - ✔✔transport him or her to a hospital that he or she is familiar with.
In contrast to younger patients, older patients are more prone to a decrease in blood pressure upon
standing because: - ✔✔the body is less able to adapt the BP to rapid postural changes.
An 84-year-old male fell a week ago and has been bedridden since then. Today, he presents with
an altered mental status. His skin is pale and cold and his respirations are rapid and shallow. The
EMT should suspect: - ✔✔a systemic infection.
EMTs are dispatched to a residence for an 80-year-old woman who is ill. The patient's daughter states
that her mother almost fainted after going to the bathroom, and that her pulse was very slow. The
patient's pulse rate is 80 beats/min and irregular and she is conscious and alert. The EMTs should
suspect that the patient: - ✔✔experienced a vasovagal response.
