18 History Taking

Question 1

Why is information about the patient’s allergies important?
A.
Emergency medications often produce allergic reactions.
B.
It is important and useful to others involved in the patient’s care.
C.
Many unconscious patients are suffering from an allergic reaction.
D.
Patients with food allergies would be expected to develop a reaction several hours after eating.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The time of the patient’s last \_\_\_\_\_ helps determine the appropriateness of surgery.
A.
Menstrual period
C.
Oral intake
B.
Bowel movement
D.
Tetanus shot

Answer 2

C

Question 3

What age range should paramedics ask about last menstrual period when interviewing female patients?
A.
12 and 55
C.
11 and 45
B.
10 and 40
D.
14 and 65

Answer 3

A

Question 4

After determining the chief complaint, what is the next step that a paramedic should take?
A.
Obtain the history of the present illness.
B.
Obtain any significant past medical history.
C.
Stabilize any life-threatening situations.
D.
Determine the patient’s current health status.

Answer 4

C

Question 5

What is the component of the patient history that identifies the chief complaint and provides a full, clear, chronological account of the symptoms called?
A.
Current health history
C.
Past medical history
B.
History of present illness
D.
Sample history

Answer 5

B

Question 6

What does the letter Q represent in the mnemonic memory device, OPQRST?
A.
Quantity
C.
Quality
B.
Question
D.
Qualification

Answer 6

C

Question 7

The question “What makes your pain better?” is aimed at addressing which part of the OPQRST assessment?
A.
P
C.
S
B.
Q
D.
T

Answer 7

A

Question 8

You respond to a complaint of abdominal pain. Which mnemonic memory device can help you better understand the patient’s chief complaint?
A.
AEIOU
C.
OPQRST
B.
ABCDE
D.
DCAP-BLS

Answer 8

C

Question 9

A reported diagnosis of psychiatric illness would most accurately be documented in what part of the patient care report?
A.
Chief complaint
C.
Family history
B.
Significant past medical history
D.
Signs and symptoms

Answer 9

B

Question 10

What is a component of a patient’s past medical history that should be included in the patient care report?
A.
Onset of symptoms
C.
Surgeries
B.
Quality of pain
D.
Time of day

Answer 10

C

Question 11

Which of the following questions is the most open-ended?
A.
“Are you having pain?”
C.
“Is it a sharp pain?”
B.
“What is the pain like?”
D.
“Can you point to where it hurts?”

Answer 11

B

Question 12

What is the “main part” of the patient history?
A.
Identifying data
C.
Source of the history
B.
Past medical history
D.
Chief complaint

Answer 12

D

Question 13

What is the chief complaint best derived from?
A.
The scene size-up
B.
The patient, either verbally or nonverbally
C.
Medical records
D.
The initial radio dispatch

Answer 13

B

Question 14

Most chief complaints are characterized by pain, abnormal function, a change in the patient’s normal state, or which other finding?
A.
A finding in the physical examination
B.
An unusual observation made by the patient (e.g., heart palpitations)
C.
Respiratory distress
D.
Dizziness

Answer 14

B

Question 15

In the mnemonic memory device, SAMPLE, the M stands for \_\_\_\_\_.
A.
Medical history
C.
Manifestations
B.
Medications
D.
Multiple symptoms

Answer 15

B

Question 16

What would asking questions about a patient’s tobacco use and immunizations help assess?
A.
Socioeconomic status
C.
Family history
B.
Fitness level
D.
Current health status

Answer 16

D

Question 17

Asking a patient with abdominal pain about his or her last bowel movement would help the paramedic determine which factor?
A.
Current health status
C.
Chief complaint
B.
Past medical history
D.
Fitness level

Answer 17

A

Question 18

When asking a patient about medication use, what should the paramedic include?
A.
Prescription medications only
B.
Medications taken daily, but not taken on an occasional basis
C.
Over-the-counter medications and prescription medications, but not herbs
D.
Prescription and over-the-counter medications as well as herbs and homeopathic medications

Answer 18

D

Question 19

What term best describes the act of using the results of questions to think about associated problems and body system changes related to the patient’s complaint?
A.
Clinical reasoning
C.
Reflection
B.
Facilitation
D.
Clarification

Answer 19

A

Question 20

Which statement most resembles “false reassurance”?
A.
“Try to relax.”
B.
“We are doing everything that we can for you.”
C.
“Everything is going to be okay.”
D.
“You are seriously injured.”

Answer 20

C