NREMT EMT Final Competency Certification Study
Guide Exam Questions with Certified for Accuracy
Answers 2024/2025
When caring for a patient with an acute behavioral crisis, your primary concern should
be:
• a: gathering all of the patient's medications.
• b: obtaining a complete past medical history.
• c: ensuring you and your partner's safety.
• d: providing safe transport to the hospital. correct answer you selected c; this is
correct!
Reason:when caring for a patient with a behavioral or emotional crisis, your primary
concern should be for your own personal safety as well as your partner's safety. Your
ultimate goal is to transport the patient to the hospital safely. Gather as much medical
history information as possible, but keep in mind that many patients experiencing an
emotional or behavioral crisis will not readily provide this information. It is important to
remember that patients with emotional or behavioral crises may appear calm initially;
however, there is always the potential for them to turn violent.
Unresponsiveness, shallow breathing, and constricted pupils are indicative of what type
of drug overdose?
• a:marijuana
• b:amphetamine
• c:narcotic
• d:barbiturate correct answer you selected c; this is correct!
Reason:signs of a narcotic (opiate) overdose from drugs such as heroin, morphine
(astromorph, duramorph), meperidine (demerol), or codeine include altered mental
status; slow, shallow breathing; pupillary constriction (miosis), hypotension; and
bradycardia. Narcotics are central nervous system depressants that, when taken in
excess, suppress the vital functions necessary for life, such as breathing, heart rate,
,and blood pressure. Barbiturates produce the same effects; however, the pupils are
typically dilated (mydriasis), not constricted. Marijuana and amphetamine drugs are
central nervous system stimulants and would thus cause the patient to become restless
or even combative.
Propoxyphene (darvon) is categorized as what type of drug?
• a:narcotic
• b:amphetamine
• c:benzodiazepine
• d:barbiturate correct answer the correct answer is a;
Reason:propoxyphene (darvon) is in the narcotic (opiate) class of drugs. Other
narcotics include heroin, morphine, codeine, and meperidine (demerol). Phenobarbital
is an example of a barbiturate. Drugs such as valium, klonopin, and xanax are
benzodiazepines. Amphetamines include drugs such as ritalin, adderall, and focalin.
A 60-year-old man presents with a severe right-sided headache. He is conscious and
alert. As you are assessing him, he tells you that the left side of his body feels weak. His
blood pressure is 190/100 mm hg, pulse is 88 beats/min, and respirations are 14
breaths/min. His past medical history includes diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension. You
should be most concerned with:
• a:his current blood pressure.
• b:the location of his headache.
• c:his blood glucose level.
• d:the presence of hemiparesis. correct answer you selected d; this is correct!
Reason:headaches are a common medical complaint and have numerous causes, most
of which are not life-threatening. Common causes of a headache include migraine and
cluster headaches, sinusitis, and muscle tension, among others. In some patients,
however, a headache can signal a serious problem. In this patient, you should be most
concerned with his unilateral weakness (hemiparesis); this is not a common finding in
patients with otherwise benign headaches and suggests a serious underlying problem
(eg, intracranial bleeding, brain tumor). The fact that his headache is to the right side of
his head and his weakness is to the left side of his body suggests that the problem lies
,in the right side of the brain. It is doubtful that his blood glucose level (bgl) is abnormal;
he is conscious and alert. However, it would not be unreasonable to assess his bgl. His
blood pressure, which is significantly elevated, could be causing his headache or may
be the result of other factors, such as noncompliance with his antihypertensive
medication, anxiety, or pain.
Which of the following would most likely cause a rapid drop in a patient's blood glucose
level?
• a:mild exertion after eating a meal
• b:forgetting to take prescribed insulin
• c:taking too much prescribed insulin
• d:eating a meal after taking insulin correct answer you selected c; this is correct!
Reason:compared to diabetic coma (hyperglycemic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemic crisis),
insulin shock (hypoglycemia, hypoglycemic crisis) has a rapid onset. It is commonly
caused when a patient accidentally takes too much prescribed insulin. Insulin is a fast-
acting drug that rapidly causes glucose to exit the bloodstream and enter the cell. Other
common causes of hypoglycemia include taking a regular dose of insulin but not eating
or taking insulin and exercising heavily. Eating a meal after taking insulin typically does
not cause a significant change in the patient's blood glucose level. If a person fails to
take his or her insulin, glucose will not be able to enter the cell and will accumulate in
the bloodstream (hyperglycemia).
A 44-year-old woman was bitten on the ankle by an unidentified snake while working in
her garden. She is conscious and alert, has stable vital signs, and denies shortness of
breath. Her only complaint is a burning sensation at the wound site. Your assessment
reveals two small puncture wounds, redness, and swelling. You should:
• a:conclude that envenomation likely did not occur, provide reassurance, and allow a
friend to take her to the hospital.
• b:give supplemental oxygen, splint her leg to decrease movement, and keep her leg
below the level of her heart.
• c:elevate her leg, cover the wound with a dry sterile dressing, and apply an ice pack to
reduce pain and swelling.
• d:administer high-flow oxygen, apply a constricting band proximal to the bite, and use
ice to prevent venom spread. correct answer you selected b; this is correct!
, Reason:given the fact that the snake was not identified, you should assume that it was
poisonous. Furthermore, the presence of puncture wounds, burning, redness, and
swelling are suggestive of envenomation. Therefore, you should provide emergency
care and transport the patient to the hospital. Treatment for a snake bite involves
keeping the patient calm, administering oxygen, splinting the affected extremity to
decrease movement (helps slow the spread of venom), keeping the extremity below the
level of the heart, and transporting the patient to the hospital. Do not apply ice to a
snake bite; it may constrict the blood vessels and force venom further into the
bloodstream. The use of a proximal constricting band is controversial; if one is used, it
should be loose, not tight. En route to the hospital, monitor the patient's vital signs and
mental status, and be alert for vomiting.
A 34-year-old female complains of persistent fever, fatigue, and night sweats. During
your assessment, you note that she has purple blotches on her arms and legs. She
most likely has:
• a:hiv/aids.
• b:chickenpox.
• c:tuberculosis.
• d:viral hepatitis. correct answer you selected a; this is correct!
Reason:signs of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection include persistent fever,
weight loss, fatigue, a cough, and night sweats. The presence of purple skin blotches
(malignant lesions called kaposi's sarcoma) is consistent with acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (aids), also known as late stage hiv infection. Patients with
tuberculosis (tb) also present with fever, fatigue, weight loss, a cough, and night sweats;
however, skin lesions are not common. Hepatitis is characterized by right upper
quadrant abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, and a yellow tint to the skin and
sclera (jaundice). Chickenpox is unlikely; the associated rash is characterized by
pustules that crust over, not purple blotches.
The daughter of an elderly patient states that her mother is acting confused and talking
incoherently. This nature of illness is most consistent with:
• a:diabetic complications.
• b:altered mental status.
• c:cardiac compromise.
Guide Exam Questions with Certified for Accuracy
Answers 2024/2025
When caring for a patient with an acute behavioral crisis, your primary concern should
be:
• a: gathering all of the patient's medications.
• b: obtaining a complete past medical history.
• c: ensuring you and your partner's safety.
• d: providing safe transport to the hospital. correct answer you selected c; this is
correct!
Reason:when caring for a patient with a behavioral or emotional crisis, your primary
concern should be for your own personal safety as well as your partner's safety. Your
ultimate goal is to transport the patient to the hospital safely. Gather as much medical
history information as possible, but keep in mind that many patients experiencing an
emotional or behavioral crisis will not readily provide this information. It is important to
remember that patients with emotional or behavioral crises may appear calm initially;
however, there is always the potential for them to turn violent.
Unresponsiveness, shallow breathing, and constricted pupils are indicative of what type
of drug overdose?
• a:marijuana
• b:amphetamine
• c:narcotic
• d:barbiturate correct answer you selected c; this is correct!
Reason:signs of a narcotic (opiate) overdose from drugs such as heroin, morphine
(astromorph, duramorph), meperidine (demerol), or codeine include altered mental
status; slow, shallow breathing; pupillary constriction (miosis), hypotension; and
bradycardia. Narcotics are central nervous system depressants that, when taken in
excess, suppress the vital functions necessary for life, such as breathing, heart rate,
,and blood pressure. Barbiturates produce the same effects; however, the pupils are
typically dilated (mydriasis), not constricted. Marijuana and amphetamine drugs are
central nervous system stimulants and would thus cause the patient to become restless
or even combative.
Propoxyphene (darvon) is categorized as what type of drug?
• a:narcotic
• b:amphetamine
• c:benzodiazepine
• d:barbiturate correct answer the correct answer is a;
Reason:propoxyphene (darvon) is in the narcotic (opiate) class of drugs. Other
narcotics include heroin, morphine, codeine, and meperidine (demerol). Phenobarbital
is an example of a barbiturate. Drugs such as valium, klonopin, and xanax are
benzodiazepines. Amphetamines include drugs such as ritalin, adderall, and focalin.
A 60-year-old man presents with a severe right-sided headache. He is conscious and
alert. As you are assessing him, he tells you that the left side of his body feels weak. His
blood pressure is 190/100 mm hg, pulse is 88 beats/min, and respirations are 14
breaths/min. His past medical history includes diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension. You
should be most concerned with:
• a:his current blood pressure.
• b:the location of his headache.
• c:his blood glucose level.
• d:the presence of hemiparesis. correct answer you selected d; this is correct!
Reason:headaches are a common medical complaint and have numerous causes, most
of which are not life-threatening. Common causes of a headache include migraine and
cluster headaches, sinusitis, and muscle tension, among others. In some patients,
however, a headache can signal a serious problem. In this patient, you should be most
concerned with his unilateral weakness (hemiparesis); this is not a common finding in
patients with otherwise benign headaches and suggests a serious underlying problem
(eg, intracranial bleeding, brain tumor). The fact that his headache is to the right side of
his head and his weakness is to the left side of his body suggests that the problem lies
,in the right side of the brain. It is doubtful that his blood glucose level (bgl) is abnormal;
he is conscious and alert. However, it would not be unreasonable to assess his bgl. His
blood pressure, which is significantly elevated, could be causing his headache or may
be the result of other factors, such as noncompliance with his antihypertensive
medication, anxiety, or pain.
Which of the following would most likely cause a rapid drop in a patient's blood glucose
level?
• a:mild exertion after eating a meal
• b:forgetting to take prescribed insulin
• c:taking too much prescribed insulin
• d:eating a meal after taking insulin correct answer you selected c; this is correct!
Reason:compared to diabetic coma (hyperglycemic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemic crisis),
insulin shock (hypoglycemia, hypoglycemic crisis) has a rapid onset. It is commonly
caused when a patient accidentally takes too much prescribed insulin. Insulin is a fast-
acting drug that rapidly causes glucose to exit the bloodstream and enter the cell. Other
common causes of hypoglycemia include taking a regular dose of insulin but not eating
or taking insulin and exercising heavily. Eating a meal after taking insulin typically does
not cause a significant change in the patient's blood glucose level. If a person fails to
take his or her insulin, glucose will not be able to enter the cell and will accumulate in
the bloodstream (hyperglycemia).
A 44-year-old woman was bitten on the ankle by an unidentified snake while working in
her garden. She is conscious and alert, has stable vital signs, and denies shortness of
breath. Her only complaint is a burning sensation at the wound site. Your assessment
reveals two small puncture wounds, redness, and swelling. You should:
• a:conclude that envenomation likely did not occur, provide reassurance, and allow a
friend to take her to the hospital.
• b:give supplemental oxygen, splint her leg to decrease movement, and keep her leg
below the level of her heart.
• c:elevate her leg, cover the wound with a dry sterile dressing, and apply an ice pack to
reduce pain and swelling.
• d:administer high-flow oxygen, apply a constricting band proximal to the bite, and use
ice to prevent venom spread. correct answer you selected b; this is correct!
, Reason:given the fact that the snake was not identified, you should assume that it was
poisonous. Furthermore, the presence of puncture wounds, burning, redness, and
swelling are suggestive of envenomation. Therefore, you should provide emergency
care and transport the patient to the hospital. Treatment for a snake bite involves
keeping the patient calm, administering oxygen, splinting the affected extremity to
decrease movement (helps slow the spread of venom), keeping the extremity below the
level of the heart, and transporting the patient to the hospital. Do not apply ice to a
snake bite; it may constrict the blood vessels and force venom further into the
bloodstream. The use of a proximal constricting band is controversial; if one is used, it
should be loose, not tight. En route to the hospital, monitor the patient's vital signs and
mental status, and be alert for vomiting.
A 34-year-old female complains of persistent fever, fatigue, and night sweats. During
your assessment, you note that she has purple blotches on her arms and legs. She
most likely has:
• a:hiv/aids.
• b:chickenpox.
• c:tuberculosis.
• d:viral hepatitis. correct answer you selected a; this is correct!
Reason:signs of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection include persistent fever,
weight loss, fatigue, a cough, and night sweats. The presence of purple skin blotches
(malignant lesions called kaposi's sarcoma) is consistent with acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (aids), also known as late stage hiv infection. Patients with
tuberculosis (tb) also present with fever, fatigue, weight loss, a cough, and night sweats;
however, skin lesions are not common. Hepatitis is characterized by right upper
quadrant abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, and a yellow tint to the skin and
sclera (jaundice). Chickenpox is unlikely; the associated rash is characterized by
pustules that crust over, not purple blotches.
The daughter of an elderly patient states that her mother is acting confused and talking
incoherently. This nature of illness is most consistent with:
• a:diabetic complications.
• b:altered mental status.
• c:cardiac compromise.
