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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

NREMT EMR Exam Questions

Page 7 of 25

121.

What is not typically relayed to EMS personnel by a dispatcher?

  •  The fastest route to the call

  • The nature of the call

  • The patient's name and location

  • The number of patients

Correct answer: The fastest route to the call

Dispatchers will not typically relay the fastest route to the call, as they are busy talking with the caller and dispatching the appropriate personnel. It is the responsibility of the first responder to determine the fastest route to the call.

Dispatchers will relay the nature of the call, the patient's name (if known) and location, and the number of patients. 

122.

When performing chest compressions on an adult patient, where are the hands placed?

  • Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the lower part of the sternum, then place the second hand on top of the first

  • Place the heel of one hand on the upper part of the chest on the upper part of the sternum, then place the second hand on top of the first

  • Place the heel of one hand on the lower part of the chest below the sternum, then place the second hand on top of the first

  • Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the lower part of the sternum, then place the second hand next to the first

Correct answer: Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the lower part of the sternum, then place the second hand on top of the first

For an adult patient, place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest on the lower part of the sternum, then place the second hand on top of the first. Next, interlock the fingers, keeping the arms straight when providing compression.

Do not place the hands on the upper part of the chest. If the hands are too high on the chest, the force applied will not produce adequate chest compression.

If the hands are too low on the sternum, the force applied with each compression could damage the patient's liver.

Place the hands on top of each other, not next to each other.

123.

What is the complete cessation of a person's heartbeat called?

  • Cardiac arrest

  • Myocardial infarction

  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

  • Angina pectoris

Correct answer: Cardiac arrest

In cardiac arrest, the heart will abruptly stop functioning, usually due to a disruption in the heart's electrical system. When there is a disruption to the electrical system, the heart stops pumping blood throughout the body, which leads to the loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness.

Myocardial infarction is a heart attack. Patients will still have a beating heart during a heart attack but can develop cardiac arrest if not treated quickly.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed when a patient goes into cardiac arrest.

Angina pectoris is chest pain from narrowing of the coronary arteries. Patients with angina pectoris will still have a heartbeat.

124.

A 44-year-old female amputated the tip of her finger while working at a restaurant. The amputated portion of her finger was located, and you are preparing the patient for transport.

How should you transport the amputated portion of her finger?

  •  Place the finger in a clean plastic bag and use ice packs or ice water to keep it cold

  •  Place the finger in a cup of ice water to keep it cold

  •  Place the finger in a clean plastic bag and put it directly on ice to keep it cold

  •  Place the finger in a cup of ice cubes to keep it cold

Correct answer: Place the finger in a clean plastic bag and use ice packs or ice water to keep it cold

When transporting a small amputated body part, you will place the amputated part in a clean plastic bag and use ice packs or ice water to keep the finger cold. If a clean plastic bag is not available, turn a surgical glove inside out and place the amputated part in the glove.

Water can damage the finger and make it harder for a surgeon to reattach it.

Do not place amputated body parts directly in contact with ice, which can also damage the tissues and make them difficult or impossible to reattach.

125.

In a breech birth, which part of the newborn's body presents first?

  • The buttocks

  • The head

  • An arm

  • A leg

Correct answer: The buttocks

In a breech birth, the newborn's buttocks come down the birth canal first, rather than the head. A breech birth is a true medical emergency, and the patient needs to be transported rapidly to the hospital to avoid maternal and fetal complications.

The head presents first in a normal delivery. When the head presents first at the vaginal opening, the term is called crowning.

When a limb presents first, it is a critical emergency, and the patient needs rapid transport to the hospital by ambulance. A limb presentation needs surgical intervention to ensure a healthy birth.

126.

When suctioning a patient using a suction control port on a rigid tip catheter, how do you create the suction?

  •  Place a finger over the suction control port for the allotted time

  • Do not place a finger over the suction control port 

  • Place a finger over the suction control port for 1 to 2 seconds

  •  Place a finger over the suction control port for 5 to 10 seconds

Correct answer: Place a finger over the suction control port for the allotted time 

With a suction control port on a rigid tip catheter, place a finger over the suction control port for the allotted time to suction the patient. For example, for an infant, place a finger over the suction control part (a small hole located close to the tip's handle) for no more than 5 seconds at a time.

If no finger is placed over the suction control port, suction will not be created.

If the finger is removed at any point, the suction will be lost. Keep a finger over the hole until suctioning is completed.

127.

During what phase of a situational crisis is it most common for a patient or relative to start screaming at EMRs for no apparent reason?

  • During the anger phase

  • During the denial phase

  • During the high-anxiety phase

  • During the grief phase

Correct answer: During the anger phase

The anger phase is the third phase of emotions that a person can experience in a situational crisis. During this phase, a patient or relative may start screaming at you for no apparent reason. Do not take this personally and realize this is a normal emotional phase. Remain calm and do not respond in an angry tone.

During denial, which is the second phase, a person will deny or refuse to accept an emotional event that has occurred. 

The high-anxiety phase is the first phase of a situational crisis in which a person exhibits high levels of anxiety or emotional shock. They may respond in a loud, shrill, or screaming voice, but it is typically in response to the event and not directly aimed at you.

128.

When a patient has been exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide, they can become severely poisoned by the gas. 

What does carbon monoxide combine with 200 times more readily than oxygen does?

  • Red blood cells

  • White blood cells

  • Plasma

  • Platelets

Correct answer: Red blood cells

Carbon monoxide combines with red blood cells 200 times more readily than oxygen does. This can make the patient extremely hypoxic, as the brain and other tissues get less oxygen, resulting in serious symptoms or death.

Carbon monoxide does not combine with the white blood cells, plasma, or platelets more readily than oxygen.

129.

An infectious disease is an illness that is transmitted by disease-carrying microorganisms such as a virus. What is the technical term for disease-carrying microorganisms?

  • Pathogens

  • Parasites

  • Bacteria

  • Fungi

Correct answer: Pathogens

Pathogens are disease-carrying microorganisms, which include viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi. A pathogen can cause disease in its host, with the severity of the disease symptoms referred to as virulence. Pathogens use a person's body to sustain, reproduce quickly, and colonize.

Parasites, bacteria, and fungi are types of pathogens but are not the technical terms for disease-carrying microorganisms.

130.

If a backboard is unavailable to remove a patient with a suspected spinal injury from the water, which of the following should not be used in its place?

  • An inflatable mattress

  • A door

  • A piece of plywood

  • A chaise lounge

Correct answer: An inflatable mattress

If a backboard is unavailable to remove a patient with a suspected spinal injury from the water, something hard and rigid should be put underneath the patient. An inflatable mattress is not rigid.

A door, a piece of plywood, or a chaise lounge can offer the needed support.

131.

What is the function of the epiglottis?

  • To prevent food from entering the larynx

  • To prevent food from entering the pharynx

  • To prevent food from entering the nasopharynx

  • To prevent food from entering the esophagus

Correct answer: To prevent food from entering the larynx

The epiglottis keeps food from entering the larynx and is located at the upper end of the larynx. It is a leaf-shaped flap that prevents food from entering the larynx when at rest. The epiglottis stays open during breathing, allowing air into the larynx, and folds down to cover the larynx when swallowing.

The pharynx is a tube that runs from the back of the nose down into the neck. The epiglottis does not prevent food from entering the pharynx.

The nasopharynx is the portion of the nasal cavity that connects the nasal cavity to the larynx. The epiglottis does not prevent food from entering the nasopharynx.

The esophagus is the muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach. The epiglottis only covers the larynx when swallowing.

132.

You are working as a high-school baseball coach and are certified as an emergency medical responder. A foul ball flies into the stands, striking a young girl in the head. The umpire stops the game, and you run to assess the girl. When you approach the patient, she says her head hurts and she feels like vomiting. You immediately suspect a concussion.

What are the three most common signs and symptoms of a concussion?

  • Headache, loss of memory, and confusion

  • Visible signs of trauma, loss of consciousness, and nausea and vomiting

  • Loss of consciousness, loss of memory, and dizziness

  • Visible signs of trauma, headache, and dizziness

Correct answer: Headache, loss of memory, and confusion

The three most common signs and symptoms of a concussion are a headache, loss of memory, and confusion. The signs and symptoms of a concussion can manifest immediately or hours or days after the injury. All patients who have received an injury to the head need to be seen by a physician to rule out a traumatic brain injury.

Visible signs of trauma are not necessary for a patient to have a concussion, and not all patients lose consciousness.

133.

What is a normal systolic blood pressure range for a pregnant patient?

  • 90 to 140 mmHg

  • 100 to 140 mmHg

  • 100 to 120 mmHg

  • 140 to 160 mmHg

Correct answer: 90 to 140 mmHg

The normal systolic blood pressure range for a pregnant patient is 90 to 140 mmHg. The systolic pressure reading is the top number of the reading. If the blood pressure is below 90 systolic, the patient is hypotensive. If it is above 140, the patient is hypertensive.

If a patient had a systolic pressure between 140 to 160 mmHg, they would be hypertensive and need prompt medical attention.

134.

A patient has sustained trauma. How soon should the patient be at a trauma center?

  • Within 1 hour of receiving the trauma

  • Within 1 hour of your arrival on scene

  • Within 2 hours of receiving the trauma

  • Within 30 minutes of your arrival on scene

Correct answer: Within 1 hour of receiving the trauma

Patients need to be at a trauma center within 1 hour of their injury. In emergency medicine, this window is called the Golden Hour. Receiving care within this timeframe greatly improves the patient's chance of survival.

The time does not start from your arrival at the scene but from the time the patient receives the trauma.

The time is 1 hour from the time of injury, not 2 hours.

135.

A 23-year-old female is lying on her back with vomitus around her. Her friends said she had a little too much to drink, then vomited and passed out. Your partner asks you to roll the patient onto her side so she won't aspirate.

If a patient aspirates vomitus, where does it go?

  • The lungs

  • The stomach

  • The esophagus

  • The trachea

Correct answer: The lungs

When a patient aspirates vomitus, it ends up in the lungs. This can happen due to decreased tongue control when a patient is unresponsive or intoxicated. If the patient was conscious, she would be able to cough or spit the vomitus out of her airway. Aspirating vomitus into the lungs could cause aspiration pneumonia and create further problems.

When a person swallows food or liquid, it goes down the esophagus and into the stomach. When a person aspirates, the foreign material goes down the trachea, ending up in the lungs.

136.

Which of the following will be the most useful resource for responders at the scene of a crash that involves a vehicle carrying hazardous materials? 

  • The North American Emergency Response Guidebook

  • The vehicle shipping papers 

  • Chemtrec

  • Response protocols 

Correct answer: The North American Emergency Response Guidebook

The North American Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) lists the most common hazardous materials and responder actions at a transportation crash, and it would be the most useful at the scene of a crash. The ERG helps identify the materials being transported, and actions that responders can take to help maintain safety. 

The shipping papers would be useful, but you would need to access the vehicle and may not be able to do so safely. The ERG allows the responder to initiate actions from a distance. Chemtrec would be useful if responders needed information about a specific chemical. Response protocols would be helpful in the response to the scene, but the ERG will be the most useful on the scene. 

137.

During two-rescuer CPR on any patient, how long should the switch time be when the rescuers exchange positions?

  • 5 seconds

  • 1 second

  • 15 seconds

  • 30 seconds

Correct answer: 5 seconds

When rescuers are switching positions after five cycles of CPR, the switch time should take no longer than 5 seconds. Switching positions allows the rescuer who is performing compressions to rest their arms. To ensure a switch of 5 seconds or fewer, the rescuers should work on opposite sides of the patient.

One second does not provide the rescuers with enough time to switch from compression to ventilation. Fifteen to 30 seconds is too long and will disrupt CPR.

138.

You and your partner are at the scene of a motor vehicle accident with two patients. One patient has minor injuries, and the other is unconscious and unresponsive. You call for an additional ambulance to respond, and you and your partner start treating the unconscious patient. You want to place an oropharyngeal airway to open their airway.

How do you select an appropriately sized airway?

  • Measure from the patient's earlobe to the corner of their mouth

  • Measure from the patient's earlobe to the tip of their nose

  • Measure from the top of the patient's ear to the corner of their mouth

  • Measure from the top of the patient's earlobe to the tip of their nose

Correct answer: Measure from the patient's earlobe to the corner of their mouth

Before inserting an oral airway into an unconscious patient without a gag reflex, choose the correct size by measuring from the patient's earlobe to the corner of their mouth. When the airway is inserted, it will rest inside the patient's mouth with the flange resting against the lips. The other end will rest on the back of the throat, keeping the tongue from blocking the airway.

To place a nasopharyngeal airway, measure from the patient's earlobe to the tip of their nose. An oral airway is measured to the mouth, and a nasal airway is measured to the nose. 

Both types of airway measurements start from the patient's earlobe, not from the top of the ear.

139.

What is the respiratory rate of a healthy, conscious newborn?

  • Greater than 40 breaths per minute

  • Greater than 10 breaths per minute

  • Greater than 20 breaths per minute

  • Greater than 30 breaths per minute

Correct answer: Greater than 40 breaths per minute

The respiratory rate in a healthy, conscious newborn is greater than 40 breaths per minute. Newborns have much smaller lungs than children and adults, so their respiratory rate is much higher. As the newborn develops, their respiratory rate will slow down.

A respiratory rate below 40 breaths per minute in a newborn is a cause for concern, and ventilation will need to be provided.

140.

What is the medical term for sudden-onset abdominal pain caused by disease or trauma that irritates the lining of the abdominal cavity?

  • Acute abdomen

  • Distended abdomen

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm

  • Distressed abdomen

Correct answer: Acute abdomen

When a patient has a sudden onset of abdominal pain caused by disease or trauma that irritates the lining of the abdominal cavity, they have an acute abdomen. If a patient has an acute abdomen, they require prompt transport to the hospital with possible surgical intervention. The irritation may be due to an infection or the presence of blood or leakage from the gastrointestinal tract into the abdominal cavity due to an injury or disease. Signs and symptoms of an acute abdomen involve referred pain to other parts of the body, a hard abdomen, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, a fever, and abdominal pain.

A patient may have a distended abdomen in association with an acute abdomen, but this is not the medical term.

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a condition in which the layers of the aorta in the abdomen weaken, causing blood to leak between the layers of the artery. When a patient has an abdominal aortic aneurysm, the artery can bulge and sometimes rupture, creating a life-threatening emergency.

Patients can experience gastric distress causing constipation, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, and cramping. However, this is not called a distressed abdomen.

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