Pre-hospital Emergency Care 2025
1) Immediately following the onset of cardiac arrest, brain cells begin to die after:
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes
D) 15 minutes - correct answer -B) 5 minutes
2) Resuscitation, when started during which phase of cardiac arrest, provides the patient with the best
chance of survival?
A) Circulatory
B) Metabolic
C) Electrical
D) Bradycardic - correct answer -C) Electrical
3) A patient arrests at 1313 hours. E-911 is activated and dispatches an ambulance at 1315 hours. The
ambulance arrives on scene at 1319 hours, and the EMTs reach the patient's side and start care at 1321
hours. After transporting the patient, the patient is transferred to the ED staff at 1346 hours. Based on
that information, which of these statements would be considered correct?
A) Down time is 8 minutes
B) Total down time is 31 minutes
,C) Down time is 25 minutes
D) Total down time is 6 minutes - correct answer -A) Down time is 8 minutes
Systolic blood pressure - correct answer -The amount of pressure exerted against the walls of the
arteries when the left ventricle of the heart contracts and ejects blood. (PG. 330)
Diastolic Blood pressure - correct answer -The pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries while
the left ventricle of the heart is at rest. (PG. 330)
Pulse pressure - correct answer -The difference between the systolic blood pasture and the diastolic
blood pressure. (PG. 331)
Auscultation - correct answer -Listening for sounds within the body with a stethoscope. (PG. 332)
Palpation - correct answer -Feeling, as for a pulse. (PG. 332)
Orthostatic Vital signs - correct answer -A comparison of blood pressure and heart rate readings while a
patient is supine and while sitting upright or standing. (PG. 333)
Pulse Oximeter - correct answer -Measurement of blood oxygen saturation level. (PG. 334)
Cheif complaint - correct answer -The reason why the EMS crew was called. (PG. 339)
Open-ended questions - correct answer -Gets the patients to respond with a descriptive or more
detailed answer. (PG. 340)
Closed-Ended questions - correct answer -Yes or no questions. (PG. 340)
,S.A.M.P.L.E. - correct answer -Used to gather history of the patient: Signs and symptoms, Allergies,
Medications, Pertinent past history, Lastoral intake, and Events leading to the injury or illness. (PG. 341-
342)
4) You have been asked to describe the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival to a group of
Emergency Medical Responder students. Which of these is the best description of this concept?
A) A sequence of care that provides instructions on how to use an AED
B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of surviving cardiac
arrest
C) A treatment plan that helps to prevent and treat cardiac arrest in the general population
D) A treatment plan, that if followed, almost guarantees the survival of a patient with cardiac arrest -
correct answer -B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of
surviving cardiac arrest
5) When presenting information on cardiac arrest and automated external defibrillation to a community
group, a man asks why people should perform CPR prior to the arrival of EMS if the EMS responders will
provide a shock after they arrive. Your response would be:
A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which the heart can be successfully shocked into a
perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
B) "In many cases, CPR can reverse the cardiac arrest, making a shock by the AED unnecessary since the
shock may further damage the heart."
C) "In the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival, CPR is the most important link in surviving
cardiac arrest that occurs outside the hospital."
D) "CPR is needed to keep blood flowing through the body so the EMTs can give the patient IV
medications when they arrive." - correct answer -A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which
the heart can be successfully shocked into a perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
6) Which cardiac arrest rhythm is the AED designed to shock?
A) Asystole
B) Pulseless electrical activity
, C) Ventricular fibrillation
D) Bradycardia - correct answer -C) Ventricular fibrillation
7) The EMT should request advanced life support (ALS) backup for a patient in cardiac arrest because:
A) Paramedics must be present for the EMT to use the AED
B) Patients with cardiac arrest must be transported by ALS personnel
C) ALS care is superior to basic life support care, even when the AED is available
D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac arrest once successful
defibrillation has occurred - correct answer -D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient
going back into cardiac arrest once successful defibrillation has occurred
8) The AED should never be applied to a patient who is not in cardiac arrest because some patients in:
A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
B) Ventricular fibrillation may still be conscious and alert
C) Ventricular fibrillation may still have a pulse
D) Asystole may still have a pulse - correct answer -A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
9) Which of these is considered a benefit of the automated external defibrillator?
A) The ease and speed with which it can be used
B) Elimination of the need for a primary assessment
C) Its ability to identify and confirm cardiac arrest
D) The need for little-to-no CPR training to use the device - correct answer -A) The ease and speed with
which it can be used
10) Which link of the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival must occur first, if a patient is to
survive cardiac arrest?
A) Early CPR
B) Early defibrillation
C) Early activation
D) Early advanced life support - correct answer -C) Early activation
1) Immediately following the onset of cardiac arrest, brain cells begin to die after:
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes
D) 15 minutes - correct answer -B) 5 minutes
2) Resuscitation, when started during which phase of cardiac arrest, provides the patient with the best
chance of survival?
A) Circulatory
B) Metabolic
C) Electrical
D) Bradycardic - correct answer -C) Electrical
3) A patient arrests at 1313 hours. E-911 is activated and dispatches an ambulance at 1315 hours. The
ambulance arrives on scene at 1319 hours, and the EMTs reach the patient's side and start care at 1321
hours. After transporting the patient, the patient is transferred to the ED staff at 1346 hours. Based on
that information, which of these statements would be considered correct?
A) Down time is 8 minutes
B) Total down time is 31 minutes
,C) Down time is 25 minutes
D) Total down time is 6 minutes - correct answer -A) Down time is 8 minutes
Systolic blood pressure - correct answer -The amount of pressure exerted against the walls of the
arteries when the left ventricle of the heart contracts and ejects blood. (PG. 330)
Diastolic Blood pressure - correct answer -The pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries while
the left ventricle of the heart is at rest. (PG. 330)
Pulse pressure - correct answer -The difference between the systolic blood pasture and the diastolic
blood pressure. (PG. 331)
Auscultation - correct answer -Listening for sounds within the body with a stethoscope. (PG. 332)
Palpation - correct answer -Feeling, as for a pulse. (PG. 332)
Orthostatic Vital signs - correct answer -A comparison of blood pressure and heart rate readings while a
patient is supine and while sitting upright or standing. (PG. 333)
Pulse Oximeter - correct answer -Measurement of blood oxygen saturation level. (PG. 334)
Cheif complaint - correct answer -The reason why the EMS crew was called. (PG. 339)
Open-ended questions - correct answer -Gets the patients to respond with a descriptive or more
detailed answer. (PG. 340)
Closed-Ended questions - correct answer -Yes or no questions. (PG. 340)
,S.A.M.P.L.E. - correct answer -Used to gather history of the patient: Signs and symptoms, Allergies,
Medications, Pertinent past history, Lastoral intake, and Events leading to the injury or illness. (PG. 341-
342)
4) You have been asked to describe the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival to a group of
Emergency Medical Responder students. Which of these is the best description of this concept?
A) A sequence of care that provides instructions on how to use an AED
B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of surviving cardiac
arrest
C) A treatment plan that helps to prevent and treat cardiac arrest in the general population
D) A treatment plan, that if followed, almost guarantees the survival of a patient with cardiac arrest -
correct answer -B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of
surviving cardiac arrest
5) When presenting information on cardiac arrest and automated external defibrillation to a community
group, a man asks why people should perform CPR prior to the arrival of EMS if the EMS responders will
provide a shock after they arrive. Your response would be:
A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which the heart can be successfully shocked into a
perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
B) "In many cases, CPR can reverse the cardiac arrest, making a shock by the AED unnecessary since the
shock may further damage the heart."
C) "In the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival, CPR is the most important link in surviving
cardiac arrest that occurs outside the hospital."
D) "CPR is needed to keep blood flowing through the body so the EMTs can give the patient IV
medications when they arrive." - correct answer -A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which
the heart can be successfully shocked into a perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
6) Which cardiac arrest rhythm is the AED designed to shock?
A) Asystole
B) Pulseless electrical activity
, C) Ventricular fibrillation
D) Bradycardia - correct answer -C) Ventricular fibrillation
7) The EMT should request advanced life support (ALS) backup for a patient in cardiac arrest because:
A) Paramedics must be present for the EMT to use the AED
B) Patients with cardiac arrest must be transported by ALS personnel
C) ALS care is superior to basic life support care, even when the AED is available
D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac arrest once successful
defibrillation has occurred - correct answer -D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient
going back into cardiac arrest once successful defibrillation has occurred
8) The AED should never be applied to a patient who is not in cardiac arrest because some patients in:
A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
B) Ventricular fibrillation may still be conscious and alert
C) Ventricular fibrillation may still have a pulse
D) Asystole may still have a pulse - correct answer -A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
9) Which of these is considered a benefit of the automated external defibrillator?
A) The ease and speed with which it can be used
B) Elimination of the need for a primary assessment
C) Its ability to identify and confirm cardiac arrest
D) The need for little-to-no CPR training to use the device - correct answer -A) The ease and speed with
which it can be used
10) Which link of the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival must occur first, if a patient is to
survive cardiac arrest?
A) Early CPR
B) Early defibrillation
C) Early activation
D) Early advanced life support - correct answer -C) Early activation
