Q&A Hero

Q: Your patient is a 17-year-old with a history of asthma. She is complaining of pain in her lower abdomen. Assessment reveals that her breath sounds are clear and equal, she has a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute, a heart rate of 96 beats per minute, and a blood pressure of 112/74 mmHg. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step? A) Provide high-concentration oxygen. B) Assist the patient in the administration of her metered-dose inhaler. C) Have the patient breathe into a paper bag to rebreathe some of her carbon dioxide. D) Insert a nasopharyngeal airway in the patient's nose.

Q: Your patient is a 34-year-old male complaining of pain "in his right side." He is pale and diaphoretic with a heart rate of 90 beats per minute, a respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute, and a blood pressure of 132/80 mmHg. The patient is very agitated and anxious. Which approach is most appropriate? A) Try to determine the cause of his pain. B) Tell the patient that you cannot transport him unless he calms down and lies still. C) Insert an oropharyngeal airway. D) Reassure him that you will make him as comfortable as possible and get him to the hospital for additional care.

Q: Your patient is a 40-year-old female who has n experiencing abdominal pain and vomiting for 2 days. She is now responsive to verbal stimulus; has cool, dry skin; a heart rate of 116; respirations of 24; and a blood pressure of 100/70. Which of the following is the BEST position for transporting this patient? A) Supine with the knees bent B) Left lateral recumbent with the legs bent C) Sitting up at a 90-degree angle D) Sitting up at a 45-degree angle

Q: Which of the following is a concern when caring for the patient with abdominal pain? A) Shock B) Patient comfort C) Airway management D) All of the above

Q: Which of the following is the main focus of the EMT's assessment and history taking of the patient with abdominal pain? A) Determining the possible need for immediate surgery B) Determining if the patient meets criteria to refuse treatment and transport C) Determining the cause of the pain D) Determining the presence of shock

Q: You are called to a nursing home for an 85-year-old patient complaining of abdominal pain. The patient has a history of dementia and cannot describe the pain to you. The nurse states the patient has n vomiting dark coffee ground emesis for about an hour. His blood pressure is 90/40, pulse 100, and respiratory rate of 24. Aside from the airway, what is your greatest concern? A) The patient will go into hypovolemic shock. B) The patient will have a myocardial infarction. C) The patient will have a stroke. D) The patient will become combative.

Q: Your patient is a 60-year-old male who is complaining of severe epigastric abdominal pain and difficulty breathing. He is pale, sweaty, and pleads with you, "Don't let me die, I think I'm going to die." Which of the following measures is NOT part of your initial treatment of this patient? A) Giving 15 lpm of oxygen by nonrebreather mask B) Applying the defibrillator pads to his chest C) Determining whether you should assist the patient in taking nitroglycerin D) Placing the patient in a position of comfort

Q: You are responding to a 52-year-old male patient complaining of heartburn with epigastric pain. The patient's vital signs are stable and he does not have any pain upon palpation. He has a history of reflux disease and is on several medications for heartburn and acid reflux. What is your greatest concern with this patient? A) He will aspirate on vomit. B) He will develop peritonitis. C) His appendix will rupture. D) He is suffering from a myocardial infarction.

Q: Pain felt in the epigastric region of the abdomen is of concern because of the possibility of which of the following? A) Influenza B) Extreme diarrhea with dehydration C) Myocardial infarction D) Kidney stones

Q: Which of the following is NOT a cause of abdominal pain? A) Stroke B) Food poisoning C) Heart attack D) Diabetes

Q: You respond to a 75-year-old female who is complaining of epigastric pain that feels like heartburn. The pain radiates to the right shoulder. Her vital signs are stable and she has a previous history of a myocardial infarction. She has prescription nitroglycerin tablets. She is most likely suffering from: A) cholecystitis. B) abdominal aortic aneurysm. C) Mittelschmerz. D) renal colic.

Q: You respond to a 65-year-old patient complaining of abdominal pain. Your physical exam reveals a nonpulsating mass in the lower left quadrant. You suspect: A) aortic abdominal aneurysm. B) appendicitis. C) splenic rupture. D) hernia.

Q: You are called to the scene of a patient with abdominal pain. Upon arrival, you find a 38-year-old Asian man on the floor next to his desk writhing in pain. He is complaining of severe right-sided flank pain. His blood pressure is 140/90, pulse 100, and his skin is ashen and diaphoretic. You suspect: A) cholecystitis. B) Mittelschmerz. C) renal colic. D) myocardial infarction.

Q: You are called to the scene of a 16-year-old female patient complaining of severe lower quadrant abdominal pain. The patient states she is sexually active. Upon palpation, you observe rebound tenderness in the right lower quadrant. You suspect: A) appendicitis. B) ectopic pregnancy. C) cholecystitis. D) renal colic.

Q: You respond, along with fire department Emergency Medical Responders, to a 48-year-old female having a syncope episode in the bathroom. You find the patient sitting on the commode vomiting into the trash can. The vomitus appears to look like coffee grounds and has a foul smell. The patient is pale and has n weak for the past few days. She has: A) peritonitis. B) abdominal aortic aneurysm. C) hernia. D) GI bleeding.

Q: The detection of a bulging mass through the belly button that is not pulsating should make the EMT suspicious that the patient may be suffering from which of the following? A) Hernia B) Ulcer C) Gastroenteritis D) Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Q: You arrive on the scene to find an approximately 60-year-old male patient writhing on the floor. He is complaining of a tearing pain radiating to his lower back. He has absent femoral pulses and has a pulsatile mass just superior to his umbilicus. You suspect which of the following conditions? A) Myocardial infarction B) Abdominal aortic aneurysm C) Acute pancreatitis D) Ruptured appendix

Q: You are called to a residence for a 48-year-old male patient. He is lying in bed and is incoherent. He is unable to follow commands. His blood pressure is 80/40, pulse 136, and respiratory rate of 36. His wife states that he had lower right abdominal pain for about two days and it progressively worsened. He said about an hour ago he had a sudden increase in pain and then became incoherent. The wife states the husband refused to see a doctor before, but she finally called 911. You suspect: A) appendicitis. B) splenic rupture. C) renal colic. D) peritonitis.

Q: You respond to the scene of a 50-year-old male complaining of severe abdominal pain. He has a history of alcohol and drug abuse. His vital signs are stable and he presents with epigastric pain that radiates to the back. He has guarding and point tenderness in the upper quadrants. You suspect: A) cholecystitis. B) myocardial infarction. C) gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). D) pancreatitis.

Q: You are called to a 25-year-old male complaining of right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain. His other symptoms are nausea and vomiting, fever, and decreasing pain in the umbilicus area. As an EMT, you feel this patient might have: A) appendicitis. B) pancreatitis. C) cholecystitis. D) peritonitis.

Q: You are called to a residential neighborhood at 12:30 A.M. Your patient has just finished eating a super-sized meal of deep fried fish. He is now complaining of a "crampy" pain in the right upper quadrant and has had two episodes of nausea and vomiting with a green emesis. What condition do you suspect that your patient is experiencing? A) Peptic ulcer B) Intestinal obstruction C) Cholecystitis D) Appendicitis

Q: You respond to an abdominal pain call. Your partner suspects that the patient is having an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). What type of pain is the patient most likely experiencing? A) Parietal B) Visceral C) Referred D) Tearing

Q: When the gallbladder is diseased, the pain is not only felt in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) but also in the right shoulder. This is known as: A) parietal pain. B) visceral pain. C) referred pain. D) tearing pain.

Q: Which of the following is a characteristic of referred pain? A) It is only felt in hollow organs. B) It is felt in a location other than the organ causing it. C) It is caused by psychological stress. D) It is usually described as "crampy" or "colicky."

Q: Which patient is experiencing visceral pain? A) 24-year-old male complaining of severe left flank pain B) 19-year-old female complaining of severe cramps in the lower abdominal quadrants C) 45-year-old female complaining of abdominal pain "all over" D) 28-year-old male with rebound tenderness

Q: Your patient is a 35-year-old female with abdominal pain. Which of the following findings CANNOT be attributed to the patient experiencing pain? A) Slight increase in blood pressure B) Shallow respirations C) Increased heart rate D) Decreased level of consciousness

Q: With the exception of the ________, most abdominal organs are not able to sense tearing sensations. A) aorta B) ovaries C) liver D) colon

Q: Which of the following is NOT a cause of parietal pain? A) Muscle spasm B) Bleeding into the abdominal cavity C) Inflammation D) Infection

Q: Which of the following is true concerning parietal pain? A) It is often described as "crampy" or "colicky." B) It arises from solid organs. C) It is usually intermittent in nature. D) It is generally localized to a particular area.

Q: Organs of the right upper quadrant include: A) pancreas, spleen, and part of the liver. B) most of the liver, gallbladder, and part of the large intestine. C) small intestine, stomach, and spleen. D) most of the liver, spleen, and gallbladder.

Q: Most organs of the abdomen are enclosed within the: A) extraperitoneal. B) peritoneum. C) retroperitoneal. D) midline.

Q: Which abdominal quadrant contains the appendix? A) Left lower B) Right upper C) Right lower D) Left upper

Q: Which of the following structures is (are) NOT located in the abdominal cavity? A) Kidneys B) Liver C) Spleen D) Stomach

Q: Which of the following organs is located in the retroperitoneal space? A) Liver B) Stomach C) Kidneys D) Uterus

Q: Pain that the patient feels in a body part or area of the body that has nothing to do with a diseased organ is termed: A) epigastric pain. B) abdominal pain. C) retroperitoneal pain. D) referred pain.

Q: Your patient was diagnosed with cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) three days ago. The patient now presents with nausea, vomiting, and pain in the right shoulder. The pain in the shoulder can be classified as: A) referred pain. B) visceral pain. C) pancreatic pain. D) somatic pain.

Q: The patient complaining of parietal abdominal pain would concern you the MOST is the one who: A) walks out to the ambulance informing you he has the worst "belly ache." B) is sitting upright in a chair, moaning in pain, and drinking antacid. C) is rolling about on the floor complaining of pain. D) is lying on the floor very still and quiet with his knees drawn up to his chest.

Q: Pain that originates in an organ, such as the intestines, is called ________ pain. A) visceral B) referred C) acute D) parietal

Q: Barbiturates may be referred to as which of the following? A) Downers B) Meth C) Acid D) Uppers

Q: Which of the following types of drugs may induce sleep or stupor? A) Tranquilizers B) Narcotics C) Hallucinogens D) Both A and B

Q: When a chemical substance is taken for reasons other than therapeutic use, this action is called: A) tolerance. B) psychological dependence. C) substance abuse. D) addiction.

Q: You respond to the county jail for a 48-year-old inmate arrested two days ago for public intoxication. Guards state the patient is a known alcoholic and "frequent flier." The guards state that for several hours the patient was "acting crazy" and seeing "bugs on the walls." The patient then began seizing and they called for an ambulance. You notice the patient is no longer seizing, diaphoretic, or confused. What condition do you suspect? A) Acute episode of paranoid schizophrenia B) Alcohol poisoning C) LSD abuse D) Delirium tremens

Q: You are treating a 61-year-old who is a chronic alcohol abuser. He is complaining of "snakes slithering around his ankles," and he tells you that he had only two drinks tonight. You notice that he is sweating, trembling, and anxious. Before you can complete your assessment, he begins to have a seizure. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this situation? A) The patient could not find an alcoholic beverage and drank antifreeze instead. B) The patient is suffering from alcohol withdrawal. C) The patient drank mouthwash instead of beverage alcohol. D) The patient is suffering from acute alcohol poisoning.

Q: Which of the following is a sign or symptom of withdrawal from alcohol? A) Seizures B) Sweating C) Hallucinations D) All of the above

Q: Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include all of the following except: A) swaying and unsteadiness of movement. B) confusion. C) nausea and vomiting. D) an acetone or ketone odor to the breath.

Q: Which of the following conditions can mimic the signs of alcohol intoxication? A) Epilepsy B) Head injuries C) Diabetes D) All of the above

Q: Which of the following would LEAST likely indicate that an emergency is due to drugs or alcohol? A) Empty liquor bottles at the scene B) Hospital discharge order with a pain prescription C) Unresponsive patient with unequal pupils D) Open sores and scars to the upper arms

Q: Your patient is a 50-year-old female with a history of alcoholism. She is found unresponsive in bed by her son. Which of the following possibilities should you keep in mind during your assessment? A) Low blood sugar B) Head injury C) Heart attack D) All of the above

Q: Which of the following is an injury that commonly occurs in alcoholic patients with even minor falls and blows to the head? A) Subdural hematoma B) Concussion C) Intracerebral hematoma D) Skull fracture

Q: Which of the following effects may occur due to chronic abuse of alcohol? A) Abnormal blood sugar levels B) Poor nutrition C) Potential for gastrointestinal bleeding D) All of the above

Q: Which of the following is the immediate toxic effect of alcohol? A) Central nervous system (CNS) stimulation B) Damage to the liver C) Central nervous system depression D) Irreversible damage to the kidneys

Q: A patient has a dry powder poison covering both upper extremities and chest. You should: A) cover the patient's arms with a burn sheet to preserve the powder for the emergency room. B) immediately wash the powder off to prevent further exposure. C) brush the powder off and irrigate the contaminated area with large amounts of water. D) flush the area with large amounts of water and then brush the remaining poison off.

Q: By what route does nitroglycerin spray enter the body? A) Inhalation B) Ingestion C) Absorption D) Injection

Q: Your patient has come in contact with a strong acid substance. Using an alkaline solution to treat the patient may result in which of the following? A) Production of heat when the acid and alkali interact B) Further damage to the patient's tissues C) Neutralization of the acid substance D) All of the above

Q: Your patient is a 48-year-old male who has n exposed to a toxic powder that can be absorbed through the skin. Which of the following measures should be taken by the EMT? A) Wipe the powder away with a damp cloth. B) Brush off the powder and flush the patient's skin with a solution of baking soda and water. C) Flush the patient's skin with copious amounts of water. D) Brush off the powder and flush the patient's skin with copious amounts of water.

Q: When a substance enters the body through unbroken skin, it has entered the body by which of the following routes? A) Absorption B) Ingestion C) Injection D) Consumption

Q: What clinical finding is MOST suggestive of an inhaled poison? A) Altered mental status B) Tachypnea C) Black-colored sputum D) Swollen tongue

Q: Your patient is an 18-year-old male who fell into a neighbor's swimming pool but was pulled out by bystanders. The neighbors report that the patient wandered into their yard and that he said he had a "funny numb feeling" in his head and his chest hurt before stumbling into the pool. As you are performing CPR, you notice that the mucous membranes in his mouth and nose are swollen. Which of the following would account for the patient's behavior and current condition? A) Volatile chemicals B) GHB C) Methamphetamine D) Carbon monoxide poisoning

Q: Smoke inhalation can result in all of the following except: A) airway swelling and obstruction. B) cardiac arrest. C) lung contusion. D) respiratory arrest.

Q: Which of the following is the MOST important means of managing a patient who has inhaled a poison, after the airway has been established? A) Hyperventilation B) High concentrations of oxygen C) Monitoring pulse oximetry D) Administering a specific antidote

Q: Which of the following is the BEST initial intervention for a patient who has inhaled a poison? A) Provide plenty of fresh air and monitor pulse oximetry readings. B) Perform abdominal thrusts to clear the airway, followed by high-concentration oxygen. C) Transport in a position of comfort and provide oxygen for patients with a decreased level of consciousness. D) Provide a patent airway, ventilation, and high-concentration oxygen.

Q: Your patient is a conscious 4-year-old female who has ingested a medication prescribed for her grandfather. To determine appropriate treatment, which of the following information is NOT necessary to provide to medical control? A) Patient's weight and the amount of medication taken B) Patient's vital signs and the time the medication was taken C) Any home remedies attempted by the patient's family D) Grandfather's name and the name of the physician who prescribed the medication

Q: Why should an EMT utilize a local poison control center in managing a poisoning patient? A) It places any legal liability on the poison control center. B) They can activate a specialty team to come and treat the patient. C) It prevents the EMT from having to do training on poisons. D) They can assist in finding out important information about the poison.

Q: You are called to the residence of a 78-year-old widow who lives alone with no children. She was found by neighbors on the floor of the living room. She has fallen and fractured her left humerus. She is disoriented and responds to verbal stimuli only. She has a blood pressure of 78/40 and a pulse of 48. She has a history of high blood pressure and takes medication for it. She also takes medication for high cholesterol and a medication to slow down a fast heart rate. Emergency Medical Responders find the medication bottles in the medicine cabinet and they are empty. Your partner suspects that she accidentally overdosed on her medications. Do you agree or disagree? A) Agree. The vital signs agree with this hypothesis. B) Disagree. The patient's vital signs are related to her broken arm. C) Agree. It is obvious that the broken arm is causing the decreased heart rate. D) Disagree. The vital signs indicate that she has not taken her medication in several days.

Q: Your patient is a conscious 16-year-old female who has ingested an unknown number of sleeping pills. Which of the following questions is LEAST pertinent to the care of this patient? A) How much do you weigh? B) Who do these sleeping pills belong to? C) Over what period of time did you take the pills? D) Has anyone tried to treat you with anything?

Q: Your patient is a 2-year-old conscious male who has swallowed a small quantity of bleach. Which of the following findings should you evaluate the patient for? A) Dilated pupils B) Irregular pulse C) Irritation in and around the mouth D) Respiratory depression

Q: Which of the following substances may be ordered by medical control to dilute a poison? A) Milk of magnesia or magnesium citrate B) Milk or water C) Milk or milk of magnesia D) Water with syrup of ipecac

Q: Regarding activated charcoal, which of the following is NOTtrue? A) Ingestion of strong acids or alkalis is a contraindication to its use. B) It is an antidote to many poisons. C) It can reduce the amount of poison absorbed by the gastrointestinal system. D) It does not work on all poisons.

Q: When a poison attaches to the chemical structure of activated charcoal, which of the following BEST describes this mechanism of action? A) Absorption B) Inactivation C) Incorporation D) Adsorption

Q: Which of the following statements regarding syrup of ipecac is NOT true? A) It has an immediate action. B) It can cause a patient to aspirate stomach contents into the lungs. C) It removes only about one-third of stomach contents. D) It causes emesis in all patients with a single dose.

Q: Your patient is a 3-year-old male with a stoma who has swallowed a household cleaner. Medical direction gives you an order for milk to dilute the stomach contents. Which of the following is the correct way of carrying out this order? A) Administer one glass of milk through the stoma. B) Have the patient drink one glass of milk. C) Have the patient drink a glass of milk while you plug the stoma to prevent leakage. D) Refuse the order and explain why.

Q: Your patient is a 38-year-old male who has taken an overdose of several different medications and has consumed some household cleaning agents as well. On your arrival, the patient only responds to painful stimuli, and has a heart rate of 90 beats per minute with a respiratory rate of 12 breaths per minute. Medical control orders you to give the patient two to three glasses of milk to drink to dilute the contents of the stomach. Which of the following actions should you do? A) Assist the patient in drinking only one glass of milk to reduce the risk of aspiration. B) Ask medical control if you can substitute water for the milk since water will not damage the lungs if aspirated. C) Refuse the order and explain why. D) Assist the patient in drinking as much of the two to three glasses of milk as he can.

Q: Your patient is a 7-year-old male who ate an unknown type of mushroom on a dare by his friends. You should ask all of the following questions except: A) When did you eat the mushroom? B) Are there any more of the mushrooms? C) Why did you eat the mushroom? D) How much did you eat?

Q: Your patient is a 3-year-old female who has taken an unknown quantity of aspirin. She is conscious and alert. Which of the following orders is likely to be given by medical control? A) Administer one to two glasses of milk. B) Administer activated charcoal. C) Induce vomiting by placing your finger in the child's throat. D) Administer syrup of ipecac.

Q: Your patient is a 17-year-old male who is spitting and coughing after swallowing some gasoline while siphoning from a gas tank. Which of the following should you do first? A) Administer syrup of ipecac. B) Insert a Combitube or another blind insertion device, if you are trained to do so. C) Have the patient drink a glass of milk. D) Contact medical control.

Q: Why would an EMT give activated charcoal to a patient who overdosed on the medication Soma? A) Activated charcoal is the antidote to Soma poisoning. B) Activated charcoal prevents the patient from vomiting. C) Activated charcoal coats the intestinal tract, preventing absorption by the body. D) Activated charcoal binds to the Soma, preventing absorption by the body.

Q: Which patient would most likely benefit from the administration of activated charcoal? A) 18-year-old patient who is passed out from drinking too much beer B) 45-year-old patient suffering from organophosphate poisoning C) 14-year-old female who overdoses on her grandfather's cardiac medication D) 8-year-boy who has a headache from carbon monoxide poisoning

Q: Which patient would MOST likely benefit from the administration of activated charcoal? A) Alert 16-year-old female who overdosed on Tylenol B) 48-year-old man who attempted suicide by drinking Drano C) Unresponsive 28-year-old female who overdosed on sleeping pills D) 28-year-old male who is suffering from food poisoning after eating eggs contaminated with salmonella

Q: Which of the following is a trade name for activated charcoal? A) Actifed B) Charcoal C) Actidose D) Mesquite

Q: Which of the following is NOT part of the treatment for a 15-year-old female who has swallowed drain cleaner? A) Call medical control. B) Administer milk or water. C) Maintain the airway. D) Administer activated charcoal.