WEST COAST EMT BLOCK 4 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY
GRADED A+
A 12-year-old male jumped approximately 12 feet from a tree and landed on
his feet. He complains of pain to his lower back. What injury mechanism is
MOST likely responsible for his back pain?
Select one:
A. Lateral impact to the spine
B. Secondary fall after the initial impact
C. Direct trauma to the spinal column
D. Energy transmission to the spine - (Correct answer) - D. Energy
transmission to the spine
A 15-year-old female was struck by a small car while riding her bicycle. She
was wearing a helmet and was thrown to the ground, striking her head. In
addition to managing problems associated with airway, breathing, and
circulation, it is MOST important for you to:
Select one:
A. leave her bicycle helmet on.
B. obtain baseline vital signs.
C. stabilize her entire spine.
D. inspect the helmet for cracks. - (Correct answer) - C. stabilize her entire
spine.
A young male sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen during an
altercation. As your partner is assessing and managing his airway, you
should control the obvious bleeding and then:
Select one:
A. auscultate bowel sounds.
B. assess for an exit wound.
C. apply a cervical collar.
,D. obtain baseline vital signs. - (Correct answer) - B. assess for an exit
wound.
According to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-
COT), an adult trauma patient should be transported to the highest level of
trauma center if he or she:
Select one:
A. was involved in a motor vehicle crash in which another patient in the
same vehicle was killed.
B. has a systolic blood pressure of less than 110 mm Hg or a heart rate
greater than 110 beats/min.
C. has a bleeding disorder or takes anticoagulant medications and has any
blunt or penetrating injury.
D. has a GCS score of less than or equal to 13 with a mechanism attributed
to trauma. - (Correct answer) - D. has a GCS score of less than or equal to 13
with a mechanism attributed to trauma.
According to the Association of Air Medical Services, you should consider air
medical transport of a trauma patient if:
Select one:
A. the patient requires advanced life support care and stabilization, and the
nearest ALS-ground ambulance is more than 5 to 10 minutes away.
B. traffic conditions hamper the ability to get the patient to a trauma center
by ground within the ideal time frame for the best clinical outcome.
C. ground transport will take your ambulance out of service for an extended
period of time, regardless of the severity of the patient's injuries.
D. he or she was involved in a motor vehicle crash in which another occupant
in the same vehicle was killed, even if your patient's injuries are minor. -
(Correct answer) - B. traffic conditions hamper the ability to get the patient
to a trauma center by ground within the ideal time frame for the best clinical
outcome.
,Approximately 25% of severe injuries to the aorta occur during:
Select one:
A. frontal collisions.
B. rollover collisions.
C. rear-end collisions.
D. lateral collisions. - (Correct answer) - D. lateral collisions.
Following a blunt injury to the head, a 22-year-old female is confused and
complains of a severe headache and nausea. On the basis of these signs and
symptoms, you should be MOST concerned with the possibility of:
Select one:
A. a fracture of the skull.
B. airway compromise.
C. intracranial bleeding.
D. spinal cord injury. - (Correct answer) - C. intracranial bleeding.
Force acting over a distance is the definition of:
Select one:
A. work.
B. latent energy.
C. kinetic energy.
D. potential energy. - (Correct answer) - A. work.
The index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
Select one:
A. the detection of less obvious life-threatening injuries.
B. a predictable pattern that leads to serious injuries.
, C. your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying injuries.
D. the way in which traumatic injuries occur. - (Correct answer) - C. your
awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying injuries.
When assessing a patient who experienced a blast injury, it is important to
remember that:
Select one:
A. solid organs usually rupture from the pressure wave.
B. secondary blast injuries are usually the least obvious.
C. primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.
D. primary blast injuries are typically the most obvious. - (Correct answer) -
C. primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.
When assessing an elderly patient who fell, it is important to remember that:
Select one:
A. any fall in the elderly is considered to be high-energy trauma.
B. osteoporosis can cause a fracture as a result of a fall from a standing
position.
C. bilateral hip fractures usually occur when an elderly person falls.
D. elderly patients who fall usually have a secondary head injury. - (Correct
answer) - B. osteoporosis can cause a fracture as a result of a fall from a
standing position.
When the speed of a motor vehicle doubles, the amount of kinetic energy:
Select one:
A. quadruples.
B. is not affected.
C. triples.
D. doubles. - (Correct answer) - A. quadruples.
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY
GRADED A+
A 12-year-old male jumped approximately 12 feet from a tree and landed on
his feet. He complains of pain to his lower back. What injury mechanism is
MOST likely responsible for his back pain?
Select one:
A. Lateral impact to the spine
B. Secondary fall after the initial impact
C. Direct trauma to the spinal column
D. Energy transmission to the spine - (Correct answer) - D. Energy
transmission to the spine
A 15-year-old female was struck by a small car while riding her bicycle. She
was wearing a helmet and was thrown to the ground, striking her head. In
addition to managing problems associated with airway, breathing, and
circulation, it is MOST important for you to:
Select one:
A. leave her bicycle helmet on.
B. obtain baseline vital signs.
C. stabilize her entire spine.
D. inspect the helmet for cracks. - (Correct answer) - C. stabilize her entire
spine.
A young male sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen during an
altercation. As your partner is assessing and managing his airway, you
should control the obvious bleeding and then:
Select one:
A. auscultate bowel sounds.
B. assess for an exit wound.
C. apply a cervical collar.
,D. obtain baseline vital signs. - (Correct answer) - B. assess for an exit
wound.
According to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-
COT), an adult trauma patient should be transported to the highest level of
trauma center if he or she:
Select one:
A. was involved in a motor vehicle crash in which another patient in the
same vehicle was killed.
B. has a systolic blood pressure of less than 110 mm Hg or a heart rate
greater than 110 beats/min.
C. has a bleeding disorder or takes anticoagulant medications and has any
blunt or penetrating injury.
D. has a GCS score of less than or equal to 13 with a mechanism attributed
to trauma. - (Correct answer) - D. has a GCS score of less than or equal to 13
with a mechanism attributed to trauma.
According to the Association of Air Medical Services, you should consider air
medical transport of a trauma patient if:
Select one:
A. the patient requires advanced life support care and stabilization, and the
nearest ALS-ground ambulance is more than 5 to 10 minutes away.
B. traffic conditions hamper the ability to get the patient to a trauma center
by ground within the ideal time frame for the best clinical outcome.
C. ground transport will take your ambulance out of service for an extended
period of time, regardless of the severity of the patient's injuries.
D. he or she was involved in a motor vehicle crash in which another occupant
in the same vehicle was killed, even if your patient's injuries are minor. -
(Correct answer) - B. traffic conditions hamper the ability to get the patient
to a trauma center by ground within the ideal time frame for the best clinical
outcome.
,Approximately 25% of severe injuries to the aorta occur during:
Select one:
A. frontal collisions.
B. rollover collisions.
C. rear-end collisions.
D. lateral collisions. - (Correct answer) - D. lateral collisions.
Following a blunt injury to the head, a 22-year-old female is confused and
complains of a severe headache and nausea. On the basis of these signs and
symptoms, you should be MOST concerned with the possibility of:
Select one:
A. a fracture of the skull.
B. airway compromise.
C. intracranial bleeding.
D. spinal cord injury. - (Correct answer) - C. intracranial bleeding.
Force acting over a distance is the definition of:
Select one:
A. work.
B. latent energy.
C. kinetic energy.
D. potential energy. - (Correct answer) - A. work.
The index of suspicion is MOST accurately defined as:
Select one:
A. the detection of less obvious life-threatening injuries.
B. a predictable pattern that leads to serious injuries.
, C. your awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying injuries.
D. the way in which traumatic injuries occur. - (Correct answer) - C. your
awareness and concern for potentially serious underlying injuries.
When assessing a patient who experienced a blast injury, it is important to
remember that:
Select one:
A. solid organs usually rupture from the pressure wave.
B. secondary blast injuries are usually the least obvious.
C. primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.
D. primary blast injuries are typically the most obvious. - (Correct answer) -
C. primary blast injuries are the most easily overlooked.
When assessing an elderly patient who fell, it is important to remember that:
Select one:
A. any fall in the elderly is considered to be high-energy trauma.
B. osteoporosis can cause a fracture as a result of a fall from a standing
position.
C. bilateral hip fractures usually occur when an elderly person falls.
D. elderly patients who fall usually have a secondary head injury. - (Correct
answer) - B. osteoporosis can cause a fracture as a result of a fall from a
standing position.
When the speed of a motor vehicle doubles, the amount of kinetic energy:
Select one:
A. quadruples.
B. is not affected.
C. triples.
D. doubles. - (Correct answer) - A. quadruples.
