Chapter 1 quiz

Question 0

You are interviewing for the position of EMT with a busy urban service. This morning you are to meet with the service’s medical director. You have been told that he likes when applicants ask questions about his role as the medical director. Related to his responsibilities as medical director, which one of the following questions is most appropriate?
A) “Do you assign the daily chores that must be completed around the stations?”
B) “How often are the emergency care protocols updated?”
C) “How do you determine the wages that the EMTs are paid?”
D) “How do you determine the number and location of ambulances within the system?”

Answer 0

B) “How often are the emergency care protocols updated?”

Question 1

You have arrived on the scene of a motor vehicle collision. A car has gone off the road and into a utility pole. The pole is broken and wires are hanging just above the car. You do not see any sparking or arcing of the wires. The driver of the car is slumped over the steering wheel and not moving. There are several bystanders around the car yelling for you to help. Which of the following lists the correct order of your response?
A) Access the patient, fire department secures the wires, clear bystanders, extricate patient, transport
B) Clear bystanders, fire department secures the wires, access the patient, extricate the patient, transport
C) Access the patient, clear bystanders, fire department secures the wires, extricate patient, transport
D) Clear bystanders, access the patient, extricate the patient, transport, fire department secures the wires

Answer 1

B) Clear bystanders, fire department secures the wires, access the patient, extricate the patient, transport

Question 2

Before contacting medical direction for authorization to assist a shortness of breath patient with his or her metered-dose inhaler, protocols state that the EMT must first attempt to provide relief by administering oxygen. You recognize that the administration of oxygen is best described as a(n):
A) direct permission. 
B) quality improvement. 
C) standing order. 
D) on-line medical direction.

Answer 2

C) standing order.

Question 3

An ambulance with two EMTs arrives in front of a house for an unknown medical call in a good section of town. On scene, bystanders report that a female patient was beaten by her husband in the driveway and then dragged back into the house. They continue by stating that the patient appeared unconscious and was bleeding from the head. Which action would the EMTs perform next?
A) Enter the home to protect the patient while waiting for the police to arrive.
B) Quietly enter the home and quickly move the patient to the ambulance.
C) Remove the husband from the house, then provide emergency care to the wife.
D) Remove the ambulance and themselves from the scene and wait for the police.

Answer 3

D) Remove the ambulance and themselves from the scene and wait for the police.

Question 4

A 14-year-old boy has fallen through a plate glass window and is bleeding heavily from a laceration to his arm. His panicked mother has called 911 for help. Since the 911 operators are also Emergency Medical Dispatchers, which one of the following will they be able to provide?
A) The names of the EMTs who are responding
B) Whether the EMS response is covered by medical insurance
C) Simultaneous notification of the hospital
D) Instructions on how to control bleeding

Answer 4

D) Instructions on how to control bleeding

Question 5

You work in a community that has an “enhanced” 911 system. Which one of the following is true about that system?
A) The EMS system uses EMTs, Advanced EMTs, and paramedics.
B) The total response time for EMS rarely exceeds 9 minutes.
C) The fire department responds simultaneously with EMS.
D) The location of the 911 call is displayed to the call taker.

Answer 5

D) The location of the 911 call is displayed to the call taker.

Question 6

You have arrived on the scene of a medical emergency and find a woman lying on the floor of a grocery store. As you approach her, you know that your first priority as an EMT is:
A) patient advocacy. 
B) patient care. 
C) personal safety. 
D) public safety.

Answer 6

C) personal safety

Question 7

Which one of the following statements about EMS in the United States is true?
A) The federal government oversees all aspects of EMS in the United States.
B) Each state has governmental control of its own EMS system, independent of the federal government.
C) The Federal Department of Health and Human Services establishes curricula for all levels of EMS education.
D) The EMS system is controlled and governed by the National Highway Transport and Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Answer 7

B) Each state has governmental control of its own EMS system, independent of the federal government.

Question 8

Which of the following statements accurately describes the hospital emergency department?
A) It is designed to evaluate and treat patients prior to other needed medical care (if needed).
B) It is the only destination to which EMS can transport patients with a medical emergency.
C) It provides lifesaving care instructions to callers accessing the 911 system.
D) It requires patients to make an appointment, unless they arrive by ambulance.

Answer 8

A) It is designed to evaluate and treat patients prior to other needed medical care (if needed).

Question 9

The county dispatch center where you work employs Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs) as call takers. This enables the dispatch center to:
A) provide medical instructions to the caller prior to the arrival of EMS.
B) handle all emergency calls, including those for police, fire, and EMS.
C) use computer technology when dispatching the closest ambulance.
D) properly utilize an enhanced 911 call-taking system.

Answer 9

A) provide medical instructions to the caller prior to the arrival of EMS.

Question 10

You are by the side of a confused diabetic patient who has a low blood sugar level. You know that the patient needs orally administered sugar, so following your service's guidelines, you call the physician on duty at the hospital emergency department and request permission to administer it. This request is an example of:
A) medical cooperation. 
B) standing orders. 
C) on-line medical direction. 
D) off-line medical direction.

Answer 10

C) on-line medical direction.

Question 11

A young man wishes to become an EMT and asks you what he will need to do to become certified. You would reply that he must first:
A) demonstrate that he has prior medical experience.
B) show that he has provided CPR in an emergency at least once.
C) volunteer with an ambulance service to gain experience.
D) complete a course that meets the requirements of the USDOT.

Answer 11

D) complete a course that meets the requirements of the USDOT.

Question 12

How would the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) be satisfied for a pregnant Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) who suffers from paralysis of both legs and requires use of a wheelchair?
A) Scheduled shifts during daylight hours only
B) Wheelchair accessibility to and from dispatch
C) Transport by your service to and from work
D) Hourly pay rate 10 percent above the other EMDs

Answer 12

B) Wheelchair accessibility to and from dispatch

Question 13

On the scene of a minor motor vehicle collision, you are attending to a female patient complaining of head and neck pain. A crowd has gathered to watch the action. Which one of the following will the observing public most likely remember about the incident?
A) Position of the emergency vehicles 
B) Number of emergency vehicles 
C) Color of the ambulances 
D) Wrinkled uniforms worn by the EMTs

Answer 13

D) Wrinkled uniforms worn by the EMTs

Question 14

Which one of the following is an appropriate outcome of a project undertaken by the quality improvement (QI) committee?
A) A program by which raises are based on performance and attitude
B) Community fundraiser to raise money for new EMS equipment
C) Termination of three EMTs who are chronically late to work
D) Monthly continuing education programs in which seldom-used skills are practiced

Answer 14

D) Monthly continuing education programs in which seldom-used skills are practiced

Question 15

Which one of the following statements shows that the EMT has a good understanding of her role and responsibility related to being an EMT?
A) “On a scene of an emergency, my responsibility is to get to the patient no matter what.”
B) “As an EMT, I recognize that the public’s safety comes before the safety of me or my partner.”
C) “My safety comes first and then the patient’s safety.”
D) “The patient’s needs come before anyone else’s needs.”

Answer 15

C) “My safety comes first and then the patient’s safety.”

Question 16

Which statement made by an EMT indicates understanding of the underlying benefit of using evidence-based medicine?
A) Formulates emergency care guidelines that have been reviewed by the legal community
B) Provides for legal representation in the quality improvement process
C) Allows the use of research and evidence in determining what care is effective
D) Improves patient care while simultaneously reducing the costs associated with EMS

Answer 16

C) Allows the use of research and evidence in determining what care is effective

Question 17

Once a scene is free of safety hazards, the EMT must recognize and focus on the needs of the:
A) family. 
B) patient. 
C) rescuers. 
D) bystanders.

Answer 17

B) patient.

Question 18

The EMT would recognize which of the following as placing the patient at greatest risk for a medical mistake?
A) Driving to an emergency at night
B) Backing the ambulance into a patient’s driveway
C) Transferring care from one EMT to another
D) Responding to a call in an “unsafe” neighborhood

Answer 18

C) Transferring care from one EMT to another

Question 19

You would recognize that the functions of a state EMS agency include:
A) review of patient care reports (PCRs) to ensure proper care.
B) determination of the number of EMRs, EMTs, AEMTs, and paramedics.
C) encourage fair wages for the different levels of EMS providers.
D) regulation of statewide Emergency Medical Services system.

Answer 19

D) regulation of statewide Emergency Medical Services system.

Question 20

As a supervisor with an emergency ambulance service, which of the following would recognize as falling under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
A) An EMT who has requested help with a drug and alcohol problem
B) Applicant who cannot pass the EMT certification exam because he is dyslexic
C) Blind patient that your service transports regularly to and from the hospital
D) A dispatcher with a prosthetic leg who requires parking next to the building entrance

Answer 20

D) A dispatcher with a prosthetic leg who requires parking next to the building entrance

Question 21

The EMT would recognize which of the following as an advantage of the 911 universal number?
A) It is less expensive to operate than a 7- or 10-digit telephone number.
B) It allows for simultaneous dispatch of EMS, law enforcement, and fire services.
C) It is able to track the location of all emergency vehicles in an EMS system.
D) It can easily accommodate non-emergency as well as emergency situations.

Answer 21

B) It allows for simultaneous dispatch of EMS, law enforcement, and fire services.

Question 22

At a public 911 center meeting, a concerned woman asks if voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) can be used to access the community emergency operations center. You would inform her that:
A) Internet providers are encouraged to provide 911 access, but are not required by law.
B) Internet providers are required to provide medical instructions prior to arrival of EMS.
C) Internet providers are required to provide their own 911 service to subscribers.
D) Internet providers must provide a callback number and location of the 911 call.

Answer 22

D) Internet providers must provide a callback number and location of the 911 call.

Question 23

A female jogger has collapsed on the trail of a public park. A crowd of curious onlookers has collected and are watching as the EMT examines the patient for any life-threatening conditions. After determining that there are none and the patient is stable, the EMT acts as a patient advocate by:
A) asking curious onlookers to leave the scene.
B) transporting the patient to the hospital using lights and sirens.
C) continuing care despite the crowd’s presence.
D) informing the crowd that the patient appears to be okay.

Answer 23

A) asking curious onlookers to leave the scene

Question 24

A 40-year-old man has been seriously injured in a car crash. He is unresponsive and has what you believe to be a collapsed lung. Additionally, his left leg is severely deformed and his vital signs are unstable. A passenger in the car informs you that the patient is a diabetic and has heart problems. Given this information, which one of the following is the best destination for this patient?
A) Trauma center 
B) Spine injury center 
C) Stroke center 
D) Cardiac center

Answer 24

A) Trauma center

Question 25

Your service’s medical director would like to explore the idea of EMTs using special transport ventilators when caring for patients who require assistance with their breathing. Using the evidence-based medicine approach, which one of the following should you do first?
A) Search the medical literature for information related to this topic.
B) Contact vendors who sell ventilators and ask for price quotations.
C) Select specific EMTs to conduct a field trial of particular ventilators.
D) Go to a local hospital to see what kind of ventilators they use.

Answer 25

A) Search the medical literature for information related to this topic.

Question 26

Which one of the following would be an EMS public health initiative?
A) Purchasing new equipment to better help those suffering a medical emergency
B) Providing emergency ambulance service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
C) Educating the public on the benefit of wearing seat belts
D) Volunteering time to help raise money for a sick child and his family

Answer 26

C) Educating the public on the benefit of wearing seat belts

Question 27

As an EMT, which requirement is needed so that you can provide routine and emergency medical care to the sick and injured?
A) Safe driving record 
B) Service medical director 
C) Prior medical experience 
D) Knowledgeable partner

Answer 27

B) Service medical director

Question 28

To be a medical director of an ambulance service, which one of the following requirements must the individual satisfy?
A) Emergency physician with surgical experience
B) Physician who was a paramedic
C) Physician with a college degree in EMS
D) Licensed physician

Answer 28

D) Licensed physician

Question 29

Which one of the following patients should benefit most by calling an enhanced 911 system?
A) Patient requiring advanced medical care
B) Patient who cannot reach his phone
C) Patient with sudden onset of confusion
D) Patient with chest pain

Answer 29

C) Patient with sudden onset of confusion

Question 30

If a patient with chest pain takes a daily aspirin, your medical director wants the EMT to contact an emergency department physician first before administering additional aspirin. The act of contacting the emergency department physician for permission to administer additional aspirin is an example of:
A) on-line medical direction. 
B) indirect medical control. 
C) off-line medical direction. 
D) quality improvement.

Answer 30

A) on-line medical direction.

Question 31

You are assessing an 81-year-old female complaining of chest pain with accompanying dizziness and weakness. She also has a history of Alzheimer’s dementia and is very confused. After ruling out life threats to the airway, breathing, and circulation, your partner leaves to retrieve the stretcher. Within a few minutes, he has the stretcher at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the bedroom where you and the patient are located. He states that he needs help moving the stretcher up the stairs. Regarding patient safety, your best action would be to:
A) instruct a family member to sit with the patient while you help move the stretcher.
B) walk the patient to the stairs and then have her sit there while you help move the stretcher.
C) close the door to the room so the patient cannot leave and then help with the stretcher.
D) ambulate the patient from the room and down the stairs to the stretcher.

Answer 31

A) instruct a family member to sit with the patient while you help move the stretcher.

Question 32

It has been some time since you were involved in the care of a pediatric patient. You decide to review the assessment and treatment basics that your medical director requires. To review this information, which one of the following resources should you consult first?
A) Emergency Medical Responders 
B) Service protocols 
C) Reputable Internet websites 
D) Emergency department nurses

Answer 32

B) Service protocols

Question 33

Which one of the following statements made by an EMT requires immediate intervention by a superior or the service supervisor?
A) “I put exam gloves on for every patient I contact, even if he or she does not have an infectious disease.”
B) “When I am driving with lights and sirens, I instruct my partner that he will need to handle all radio communications.”
C) “I always wear my seat belt whenever I am in the ambulance, unless I have to remove it to care for a patient.”
D) “I drive as fast as I can to get to the scene of an emergency, especially if a child is sick or injured.”

Answer 33

D) “I drive as fast as I can to get to the scene of an emergency, especially if a child is sick or injured.”

Question 34

You have been asked to sit on your service’s quality improvement (QI) committee. As a knowledgeable EMT, you recognize that you will be involved in projects that serve to:
A) communicate with insurance companies for increased reimbursement.
B) identify and reeducate EMTs that routinely do not provide proper care.
C) recruit and educate EMTs into the profession of the Emergency Medical Services.
D) examine ways in which the delivery of emergency care can be improved.

Answer 34

D) examine ways in which the delivery of emergency care can be improved.

Question 35

As defined by The National EMS Scope of Practice Model, the four levels of EMS practitioners include:
A) paramedics. 
B) ambulance drivers. 
C) EMS Medical Director. 
D) emergency medical dispatchers.

Answer 35

A) paramedics

Question 36

You have been dispatched for a 61-year-old female in cardiac arrest. Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs) are on scene. In your community all EMS practitioners are trained according to the National EMS Scope of Practice Model. Which one of the following do you expect the EMRs to be providing?
A) Reading an electrocardiogram (ECG) 
B) Automated external defibrillation 
C) Intravenous (IV) therapy 
D) Emergency medication administration

Answer 36

B) Automated external defibrillation

Question 37

An Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) approaches you and states that he is interested in becoming an EMT. Specifically, he asks what he will be able to do as an EMT that he cannot presently do as an EMR. You respond by saying he will be able to:
A) administer some medications.
B) perform emergency childbirth.
C) obtain vital signs.
D) use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Answer 37

A) administer some medications.

Question 38

An EMT with your service states that he desires to become a paramedic because he wants to provide advanced care. Under the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, which one of the following will he be able to provide as a paramedic that he cannot provide as an EMT?
A) Advanced patient assessment 
B) Automated blood pressure monitoring 
C) Emergency childbirth 
D) Interfacility transports

Answer 38

A) Advanced patient assessment

Question 39

Most authorities agree that the modern-day EMS system evolved after the release of what document?
A) The White Paper “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society”
B) The Emergency Medical Services: Agenda for the Future
C) The Emergency Medical Services Act of 1973
D) The American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiac Resuscitation

Answer 39

A) The White Paper “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society”

Question 40

Which one of the following best illustrates the primary purpose of the modern-day EMS system?
A) Decrease the incidence of death and/or disability related to injury and illness
B) Provide emergency health care services to medically underserved areas
C) Provide a means of transport to and from the hospital
D) Ensure that all members of society have equal access to hospitals

Answer 40

A) Decrease the incidence of death and/or disability related to injury and illness

Question 41

An Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) comes to you and states that he would like to work for your emergency ambulance service. Knowing the National EMS Scope of Practice Model, you inform him of which one of the following?
A) He will only be able to work with an advanced EMT or paramedic.
B) He will first have to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
C) He will first need approval from your ambulance service’s medical director.
D) He will only be able to take care of patients with non-life-threatening complaints.

Answer 41

B) He will first have to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)