Q&A Hero

Q: Upon assessment of your patient, you notice that he has cool, sweaty skin. This finding is best described as which of the following? A) Diagnosis B) Sign C) Complaint D) Symptom

Q: The method of taking blood pressure by using a stethoscope to listen to the characteristic sounds produced is called: A) auscultation. B) articulation. C) palpation. D) pulsation.

Q: A patient with a pulse rate of 120 beats per minute is considered which of the following? A) Dyscardic B) Normocardic C) Tachycardic D) Bradycardic

Q: What is the pressure remaining in the arteries after the pulse wave has passed through? A) Venous pressure B) Systolic blood pressure C) Diastolic blood pressure D) Resting blood pressure

Q: When the heart contracts and forces blood into the arteries, the pressure created is known as the: A) pulse pressure. B) systolic blood pressure. C) diastolic blood pressure. D) central venous pressure.

Q: You respond to a childcare center for a report of an injured 4-year-old. Her pulse is 130 beats per minute. Which of the following BEST describes this finding? A) Bradycardic B) Normal for the child's age C) Tachycardic D) Unable to determine without knowing the family history

Q: What category would include a patient with a blood pressure of 134/84 mmHg? A) Hypotension B) Normotension C) Hypertension D) Prehypertension

Q: If capillary refill is assessed in a child patient, how long should it take the normal pink color to return to the nail bed? A) 2 seconds B) 4 seconds C) 3 seconds D) 5 seconds

Q: An approximate normal systolic blood pressure can be calculated for infants and children by using which of the following formulas? A) 80 plus 2 times the age in years B) 120 plus 2 times the age in years C) 120 minus 2 times the age in years D) 80 times 2 plus the age in years

Q: You respond to a 30-month-old patient who has passed out. Is the patient's blood pressure important to your treatment and why? A) Yes, blood pressure must be taken on everyone because without it we cannot impact the patient's field management. B) No, blood pressure taken on children younger than age 3 can cause damage to the tender tissues of the arm that could lead to hypertension in later life. C) Yes, blood pressure can be taken on children because it is the only way we can understand the patient's condition. D) No, blood pressure taken on children younger than age 3 is difficult and has little impact on the patient's field management.

Q: An inaccurate oxygen saturation reading can result in all of the following except: A) carbon monoxide inhalation. B) a patient that smokes cigarettes. C) a patient wearing fingernail polish. D) Any of the above

Q: Slight movement of the chest during respiration is usually indicative of which of the following? A) Labored breathing B) Normal breathing C) Noisy breathing D) Shallow breathing

Q: When pupils are dilated they are: A) elliptical or elongated in shape. B) smaller than normal. C) larger than normal. D) irregularly shaped.

Q: You have a 38-year-old patient who has fainted. Following your local protocol you use a light wave device to determine the SpO2. As the EMT, you attach the device on the patient's finger, which gives you a reading of 91. What does that reading indicate? A) Significant hypoxia B) Severe hypoxia C) Normal results D) Mild hypoxia

Q: Which of the following is a normal respiratory rate for an adult at rest? A) 12 breaths per minute B) 10 breaths per minute C) 24 breaths per minute D) 22 breaths per minute

Q: Your patient has a heart rate of 82, a respiratory rate of 16, and a blood pressure of 120/80 and does not appear to be in any distress. You should repeat vital sign measurements at least every: A) 5 minutes. B) 10 minutes. C) 15 minutes. D) 20 minutes.

Q: You are about to apply a blood pressure cuff to an unconscious patient when you notice that she appears to have a tube underneath the skin of her arm. The tube feels like it has fluid going through it. You should: A) move the cuff down to the forearm and inflate. B) continue to take her blood pressure in the arm. C) find another site to measure her blood pressure. D) use an automatic blood pressure cuff instead.

Q: The range of normal blood glucose level is from a low of 60 to 80 mg/dL to a high of: A) 110 to 130. B) 100 to 120. C) 90 to 100. D) 120 to 140.

Q: Your patient is warm, dry, pink, and denies shortness of breath. Which of the following should the EMT expect to find when evaluating the patient's oxygen saturation? A) 91% B) 98% C) 102% D) 95%

Q: You are assessing an 82-year-old female that has been lost in the woods behind her nursing home for several hours on a crisp fall evening. Your pulse oximeter shows her oxygen saturation to be 82% even though she appears to be breathing adequately. In order to ensure an accurate reading you should: A) try a different pulse oximeter. B) place the probe on the patient's toe. C) place the probe on the patient's earlobe. D) warm the patient's hands and try again.

Q: The device that some EMS services use as a light wave device to measure oxygen saturation (SpO2) is called a(n): A) capnography. B) sphygmomanometer. C) end tidal CO2 meter. D) pulse oximeter.

Q: You are transporting a patient to the hospital from a motor vehicle crash. Your patient's initial blood pressure was 88/52. You should reassess blood pressure: A) at least every 5 minutes. B) at least every 15 minutes. C) only if the pulse rate changes. D) only if the patient gets worse.

Q: When taking blood pressure, the cuff should be inflated to what point? A) 30 mmHg beyond the point where the pulse disappears B) Until the patient says it hurts C) Until the Velcro starts to crackle D) Until the gauge reads 200 mmHg

Q: You are transporting a patient down a bumpy road. Your patient's blood pressure has just been measured by the monitor to be 190/110. The patient's blood pressure on scene was 130/80. You should: A) ignore the blood pressure reading. B) have the driver increase truck speed. C) apply the automatic cuff to the other arm. D) re-measure the blood pressure manually.

Q: You are attempting to assess the blood pressure of a 35-year-old male at the scene of a multiple vehicle collision. The scene is very noisy and you are unable to clearly hear the patient's heartbeat. You should: A) use an automatic blood pressure machine. B) obtain the blood pressure by palpation. C) try using the patient's other arm. D) have your partner try auscultating the blood pressure.

Q: To determine blood pressure, the EMT should position the cuff over the upper arm and place the stethoscope over the brachial artery. Next, she should inflate the cuff, then slowly deflate the cuff, listening for clicks or tapping sounds while remembering the number at the first sound. What is the next step in taking a blood pressure? A) Dump all the pressure and record the number as the diastolic pressure. B) Re-inflate the cuff on the patient's arm and repeat the process to verify the reading. C) Continue releasing pressure until the clicks or tapping stop, and record both numbers. These are the blood pressure. D) Remove the cuff from the patient's arm, place it on the opposite arm, and repeat the process to verify the reading.

Q: All of the following are common techniques for measuring blood pressure, except: A) Palpation B) Rhythm method C) Blood pressure monitor D) Auscultation

Q: What are the three ways to take blood pressure? A) Sphygmomanometer, blood pressure monitor, and heart monitor B) Palpation, auscultation, and blood pressure monitor C) Sphygmomanometer, auscultation, and blood pressure monitor D) Auscultation, palpation, and osculation

Q: You are called to a 72-year-old patient with weakness and headache with an initial blood pressure of 140/92. Her repeat blood pressure at 5 minutes is unchanged. Her condition is called: A) stroke. B) prehypertension. C) hypertension. D) hypotension.

Q: Which of the following BEST describes the proper placement of the blood pressure cuff? A) Covering two-thirds of the upper arm B) Midway between the elbow and shoulder C) One inch below the armpit D) Covering the patient's elbow

Q: Which of the following is NOT a cause of unequal pupils? A) Fright B) Artificial eye C) Stroke D) Eye injury

Q: What is the normal response of the pupils when exposed to bright light? A) Fluttering B) Dilation C) Constriction D) No effect

Q: When the EMT checks the pupils he or she is checking for what three things? A) Movement, gaze, and equality B) Color, equality, and reactivity C) Reactivity, gaze, and equality D) Size, equality, and reactivity

Q: Your patient is in late stages of liver failure and has requested to be transported to the emergency department. You take your body substance isolation and move him to your cot and notice his skin is warm and dry with a yellow color. Your radio report to the hospital should state your patient is: A) flushed. B) mottled. C) jaundiced. D) cyanotic.

Q: Which of the following is the BEST way to assess a patient's skin temperature? A) Place your cheek against the patient's forehead. B) Place the back of your hand against the patient's forehead. C) Place your cheek against the patient's abdomen. D) Place the back of your hand against the patient's abdomen.

Q: The term cyanosis is used when the patient's skin color is noted to be which of the following characteristics? A) Yellow B) Blue-gray C) Very pale D) Flushed

Q: You are called to care for a child who has fallen out of a third-story window. You arrive to find the child in his mother's arms. As you approach, you notice the child's skin is pale with dark spots of cyanosis. You would report this uncommon condition of blotchy skin as: A) mottling. B) flushed. C) jaundiced. D) cyanotic.

Q: The increase in the work of breathing is reported as: A) labored breathing. B) troubled breathing. C) noisy breathing. D) obstructed breathing.

Q: You are assessing a 55-year-old male complaining of chest pain and have determined that his radial pulse is barely palpable. You also determine that there were 20 pulsations over a span of 30 seconds. Based on this, how would you report this patient's pulse? A) Pulse 20, weak, and regular B) Pulse 20 and weak C) Pulse 40 and weak D) Pulse 40, weak, and irregular

Q: In a conscious adult patient, which of the following pulses should be assessed initially? A) Brachial B) Radial C) Carotid D) Pedal

Q: Recording and documenting your patient's first set of vital signs is very important because, when combined with reassessments, it allows you to do which of the following? A) Make an accurate diagnosis of the patient's illness. B) Compare your patient's condition with other patients' conditions. C) Discover trends and changes in the patient's condition. D) Fill in all of the blanks on the patient care report form.

Q: Vital signs should be reassessed every ________ minutes for a stable patient. A) 15 B) 10 C) 5 D) 20

Q: Where do baseline vital signs fit into the sequence of patient assessment? A) Ongoing assessment B) At primary assessment C) At secondary assessment D) At the patient's side

Q: How often should a patient's vital signs be reassessed during transport to the hospital after he has had his pulse restored with CPR and the use of an AED? A) Every 10 minutes B) Every 15 minutes C) Every 2 minutes D) Every 5 minutes

Q: You respond to a cafeteria to find an unconscious person with gurgling sounds upon exhalation and inhalation. What is the probable cause of the respiratory sounds? A) Cardiac arrest B) Complete airway obstruction C) Fluids in the airway D) Tongue blocking the airway

Q: A patient being transported by ambulance to the hospital can have his blood pressure measured by which of the following methods? A) Blood pressure monitor B) Palpation C) Auscultation D) Any of the above

Q: You are approaching an adult female lying supine on the ground with snoring respirations. You should: A) open her airway with a jaw-thrust maneuver. B) insert an oropharyngeal airway. C) insert a nasopharyngeal airway. D) ventilate with a bag-valve mask.

Q: Your partner is assessing a 55-year-old man who was found sitting on the tailgate of his truck after being involved in a motor vehicle collision. In order to provide for stabilization of the patient's cervical spine, you should: A) lay the patient down in the truck bed. B) instruct the patient to stand up. C) stand behind the patient in the truck bed. D) assist the patient to the stretcher.

Q: Which of the following findings is generally NOT used to assess an adult's circulation? A) Patient's skin color, temperature, and condition B) Patient's distal pulse rate C) Evaluation for bleeding D) Patient's capillary refill time

Q: During the primary assessment of an unresponsive two-month old infant, which pulse should be palpated? A) Brachial B) Carotid C) Umbilical D) Radial

Q: Which of the following differences should be expected when assessing a pediatric patient, as compared to the adult patient? A) The normal pulse rate is slower. B) Capillary refill is not as reliable an indicator of circulatory status. C) The normal respiratory rate is faster. D) An adult's tongue is proportionally larger than that of a child and should always be considered as a potential airway obstruction.

Q: Which of the following is the proper position for maintaining the airway in a child with a decreased level of consciousness? A) Hyperextension of the neck; placing a pillow under the back if necessary B) Placing the head and neck in a neutral position; using a folded towel under the shoulders if necessary C) Flexing the neck to place the chin on the chest; placing a folded towel under the back of the head if necessary D) Using a cervical collar to keep the chin elevated

Q: What is a normal capillary refill time in a pediatric patient? A) 3 seconds B) 1 minute C) 5 seconds D) less than 2 seconds

Q: Which of the following is the correct manner for checking for responsiveness in an apparently unresponsive infant? A) Pinching the earlobe B) Rubbing the sternum with your knuckles C) Flicking the soles of the feet D) Shaking the child

Q: Which of the following indicates a possible circulatory problem? A) Weak, thready pulse that is normal in rate B) Slow pulse C) Rapid pulse D) All of the above

Q: Your patient is a 33-year-old man who has been ejected from his vehicle during a high-speed collision. During your primary assessment it is discovered that he is not moving, does not appear to have adequate respirations, and has suffered moderate external bleeding. Which of the following should be done first? A) Control the bleeding with direct pressure. B) Open the airway. C) Begin bag-valve-mask ventilations. D) Check the patient's carotid pulse.

Q: You have arrived on the scene at a high school football field where a 17-year-old male is lying on the ground. He is unresponsive and cyanotic, and he is making obvious respiratory effort without moving adequate amounts of air. Which of the following should be done first? A) Assist ventilations with a bag-valve-mask device and supplemental oxygen. B) Open the patient's airway using a manual maneuver. C) Apply high-concentration oxygen by nonrebreather mask. D) Insert a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal airway.

Q: Which of the following is a good indication of an occluded airway? A) The patient is crying loudly. B) The patient is speaking clearly. C) The patient is alert. D) The patient has snoring respirations.

Q: Which of the following is the most reliable means of determining whether a patient has any immediately life-threatening conditions? A) Systematic approach to assessment B) Obtaining a detailed medical history C) Thorough scene size-up D) Use of intuition

Q: You find a teenage male lying supine in his bedroom. You hear gurgling sounds from the patient's mouth and see vomit with pill fragments on the floor. You should: A) ventilate with oxygen. B) suction the airway. C) identify the pills. D) perform chest thrusts.

Q: You are approaching a 16-year-old male with bright red spurting blood coming from his leg. He is screaming, and he begs you to help him. You should: A) control the bleeding. B) ask him to calm down. C) assess his airway. D) apply oxygen.

Q: Which of the following patients is a high priority for transport? A) Adult male with dull abdominal pain B) Adult male with sharp lower back pain C) Adult male with a headache D) Adult male with difficulty breathing

Q: Your patient is a 42-year-old woman who fell two feet from a ladder and is complaining of pain in her ankle. Which of the following are you unable to determine from the information given? A) Chief complaint B) Airway status C) General impression D) Transport priority

Q: During the primary assessment of a responsive adult patient, where should the pulse be checked? A) At the radial artery B) At the femoral artery C) At the brachial artery D) At the carotid artery

Q: For which of the following patients would capillary refill be a reliable sign of circulatory status? A) 24-year-old homeless man who has spent the night outside in the rain B) 92-year-old man complaining of weakness on his right side C) 50-year-old woman complaining of chest pain D) 3-year-old child with a fever and cough

Q: In the primary assessment, which of the following is NOT an acceptable method of assessing the patient's circulatory status? A) Assessing the patient's skin color B) Taking a blood pressure reading C) Checking a radial pulse D) Looking for serious bleeding

Q: Which of the following presentations would be considered normal during the "Breathing" phase of the primary assessment? A) Respiratory rate of 6 with shallow depth B) Respiratory rate of 28 with adequate depth C) Respiratory rate of 12 with adequate depth D) Respiratory rate of 16 with altered mental status

Q: You enter a room to find a 16-year-old female sitting upright in a chair with her back straight, leaning forward, and her arms supporting her. She is having a hard time talking to you. You should suspect: A) abdominal pain. B) chest discomfort. C) allergic reaction. D) respiratory distress.

Q: Which of the following is NOT assessed during the "Breathing" phase of the primary assessment? A) Determining the depth of respiration B) Counting the respiratory rate C) Determining the presence of respirations D) Obtaining a pulse oximetry reading

Q: Which of the following is NOT performed during the "Airway" phase of the primary assessment? A) Head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver B) Obtaining the respiratory rate C) Suctioning D) Insertion of an oropharyngeal airway

Q: You are approaching a young adult male lying supine on the ground with his eyes closed. You should: A) open his airway. B) ask him if he is okay. C) expose his chest. D) feel for a pulse.

Q: The mnemonic AVPU is used to evaluate which of the following? A) Patient's chief complaint B) Patient's level of responsiveness C) Patient's transport priority D) EMT's general impression of the patient's condition

Q: Which of the following is NOT true regarding a patient who has a mental status of less than "alert"? A) His brain may not be getting enough oxygen. B) He is in a state of rapid eye movement sleep. C) He may not have adequate blood circulation. D) He requires high-concentration oxygen.

Q: A patient whose mental status can be described as "verbal" is able to: A) tell you his or her name, his or her location, and what day it is. B) respond only to a stimulus such as the EMT rubbing his sternum with his knuckles. C) talk spontaneously and respond to the EMT's questions. D) respond to speaking or shouting by opening the eyes.

Q: Which of the following questions will most likely elicit your patient's chief complaint? A) What made you call 911 this evening? B) Do you have any medical problems? C) How have you been feeling lately? D) Have you been drinking today?

Q: Your patient is a 72-year-old female who has "twisted her ankle" coming down some steps. She is alert and complaining of pain in her right ankle, but she jokes about her "clumsiness." Which of the following should you do next? A) Take immediate manual control of the patient's cervical spine. B) Administer high-concentration oxygen by nonrebreather mask. C) Determine the presence of a carotid pulse. D) Ask if the patient has pain anywhere besides her ankle.

Q: You find a middle-aged unresponsive man lying prone on the ground near a ladder. You should: A) move the ladder out of the way. B) roll him over to a supine position. C) pick him up with a scoop stretcher. D) manually immobilize his head.

Q: Which of the following techniques is used when formulating the general impression? A) Detecting odors B) Listening for unusual sounds C) Looking for visual clues D) All of the above

Q: Your patient is a middle-aged man who appears to be in distress and is clutching his chest. These observations lead you to suspect which type of problem? A) Choking B) Cardiac C) Anaphylaxis D) Digestive

Q: You are at the scene where a 19-year-old female college student has been drinking large quantities of alcohol throughout the evening. On your arrival, the patient is lying on her back with no signs of trauma, has vomited, and has slow, wet sounding respirations. Which of the following should you do next? A) Determine the respiratory rate. B) Check for carotid and radial pulses. C) Assist respirations with a bag-valve-mask device. D) Open the patient's airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver.