EMT FISDAP READINESS EXAM 4
Questions and Answers
In contrast to the assessment of a trauma patient, assessment of a medical
patient:
almost exclusiv... [Show More] ely focuses on physical signs that indicate the patient is
experiencing a problem.
is focused on the nature of illness, the patient's chief complaint, and his or her
symptoms.
requires a thorough head-to-toe exam that involves a detailed assessment of all
body systems.
is not as complex for the EMT because most patients typically present with classic
symptoms.
b
Which of the following statements regarding medical emergencies is correct?
Medical emergencies always take priority over traumatic injuries.
Medical emergencies can appear to be trauma in nature.
Medical emergencies and traumatic injuries always have distinctive presentations.
Medical emergencies rarely precipitate traumatic injuries.
b
You and your EMT partner arrive at the residence of a 50-year-old man who
complains of weakness. Your primary assessment reveals that he is critically ill
and will require aggressive treatment. The closest hospital is 25 miles away. You
should:
perform a detailed secondary assessment, assess his vital signs, and then
transport rapidly.
manage all threats to airway, breathing, and circulation and consider requesting
an ALS unit.
administer oxygen via nonrebreathing mask and obtain as much of his medical
history as possible.
load him into the ambulance, begin transport, and perform all treatment en route
to the hospital.
b
ou have just completed your primary assessment of a 48-year-old man with
crushing chest pain. The patient has been given 324 mg of aspirin and is receiving
high-flow oxygen via nonrebreathing mask. As you begin your secondary
assessment, you note that his mental status has deteriorated and he is now
bradycardic. You should:
continue with your secondary assessment.
prepare the patient for immediate transport.
insert a nasal airway and assist his breathing.
request an ALS unit to respond to the scene.
b
A 33-year-old female presents with lower abdominal quadrant pain. She is
conscious and alert, but in moderate pain. While your partner is asking her
questions about her medical history, you take her vital signs. When you assess her
radial pulse, you are unable to locate it. You should:
assess the rate, regularity, and quality of her carotid pulse.
advise your partner that the patient's blood pressure is low.
immediately take her blood pressure to see if she is hypotensive.
conclude that she is perfusing adequately since she is conscious.
a
Ten days after treating a 34-year-old patient with tuberculosis, you are given a
tuberculin skin test, which yields a positive result. This MOST likely indicates that:
you are actively infected with tuberculosis and should be treated immediately.
the disease is dormant in your body, but will probably never cause symptoms.
you contracted the disease by casual contact instead of exposure to secretions.
you were exposed to another infected person prior to treating the 34-year-old
patient.
d
Which of the following statements regarding the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV) is correct?
HIV is far more contagious than hepatitis B and is easily transmitted in the health
care setting.
The risk of HIV infection is high, even if an infected person's blood comes in
contact with your intact skin.
The risk of HIV infection is greatest when deposited on a mucous membrane or
directly into the bloodstream.
Most patients who are infected with HIV experience chronic symptoms that vary
in duration and severity.
c
A 58-year-old man complains of chest discomfort and nausea. He is conscious and
alert. His blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg, his pulse is 104 beats/min, and his
respirations are 16 breaths/min. Your partner has applied supplemental oxygen.
Prior to assisting the patient with one of his prescribed nitroglycerin tablets, you
ask him if he takes medication to treat erectile dysfunction and he tells you that
he does. You should:
avoid giving him nitroglycerin and transport him at once.
ask him what he takes, how much, and when he last took it.
recall that medications for erectile dysfunction can cause hypertension if given
with nitroglycerin.
administer his nitroglycerin and then reassess his blood pressure.
b
Your primary assessment of an elderly woman reveals that she is conscious and
alert, but she is experiencing difficulty breathing. She has a history of
emphysema, hypertension, and congestive heart failure. As you assess the
patient's circulatory status, you should direct your partner to:
perform a head-to-toe secondary assessment.
assess her oxygen saturation and blood pressure.
retrieve the stretcher and prepare for transport.
administer oxygen with the appropriate device.
d
Which of the following is MOST characteristic of adequate breathing?
22 breaths/min with an irregular pattern of breathing and cyanosis
20 breaths/min with shallow movement of the chest wall and pallor
24 breaths/min with bilaterally equal breath sounds and pink skin
30 breaths/min with supraclavicular retractions and clammy skin
c
You are dispatched to a residence for a 67-year-old female who was awakened by
shortness of breath and sharp chest pain. Her husband tells you that she was
recently discharged from the hospital after having hip surgery. Your assessment
reveals dried blood around her mouth, facial cyanosis, and an oxygen saturation
of 88%. This patient's presentation is MOST consistent with: [Show Less]
