Chapter 4 - Communications & Documentation

Question 1

A 4-year-old boy had an apparent seizure. He is conscious and calm and is sitting on his mother’s lap. His father is sitting in a nearby chair. The child’s mother suddenly begins crying uncontrollably, which causes the child to start crying. You should:

Select one:

A. ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother.

B. give the child a favorite toy or blanket to hold onto and perform your assessment to the best of your ability.

C. reassure the child’s mother that seizures in children are very common and that there is nothing to worry about.

D. attempt to calm the child’s mother, but avoid separating her from her child because this will increase her anxiety.

Answer 1

A. ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother.

Question 2

As you are wheeling your patient through the emergency department doors, you receive another call for a major motor vehicle crash. You should:

Select one:

A. respond only after giving a verbal patient report to a nurse or physician.

B. leave a copy of the run form with a nurse and then respond to the call.

C. place the patient in a high-visibility area and then respond to the call.

D. inform the admissions clerk of the situation and then respond at once.

Answer 2

A. respond only after giving a verbal patient report to a nurse or physician.

Question 3

Communicating with patients who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can be facilitated by doing all of the following, EXCEPT:

Select one:

A. shining a light on your face when you are in a darkened environment.

B. placing yourself in a position to ensure that the patient can see your lips.

C. elevating the tone of your voice and exaggerating word pronunciation.

D. providing pen and paper if the patient prefers to write his or her response.

Answer 3

C. elevating the tone of your voice and exaggerating word pronunciation.

(it’s just insulting, and make you look silly)

Question 4

During your assessment of a 20-year-old man with a severe headache and nausea, you ask him when his headache began, but he does not answer your question immediately. You should:

Select one:

A. allow him time to think about the question and respond to it.

B. repeat your question because he probably did not hear you.

C. ask him if he frequently experiences severe headaches and nausea.

D. tell him that you cannot help him unless he answers your questions.

Answer 4

A. allow him time to think about the question and respond to it.

Question 5

Effective therapeutic communication skills require _________.

Select one:

A. verbal and nonverbal communication techniques
B. correct use of complex medical terminology
C. supervision by advanced life support personnel
D. English-speaking patients or family members

Answer 5

A. verbal and nonverbal communication techniques

Question 6

Ethnocentrism is defined as:

Select one:

A. understanding that people from different cultural backgrounds respond to pain and stress differently.

B. suspecting that a person has an ulterior motive based on the tone of his or her voice when answering a question.

C. subconsciously forcing your cultural values onto a patient because you feel that your own values are more acceptable.

D. considering your own cultural values to be more important when interacting with people of a different culture.

Answer 6

D. considering your own cultural values to be more important when interacting with people of a different culture.

Question 7

Medical control gives you an order that seems inappropriate for the patient’s condition. After confirming that you heard the physician correctly, you should:

Select one:

A. state that you will not carry out the order because it is inappropriate.

B. carry out the order and then carefully document it on the run form.

C. advise the physician that the order is unclear and ask for clarification.

D. obtain consent from the patient and then carry out the order as usual.

Answer 7

C. advise the physician that the order is unclear and ask for clarification.

Question 8

When providing a patient report via radio, you should protect the patient’s privacy by:

Select one:

A. withholding medical history data.
B. not disclosing his or her name.
C. refraining from objective statements.
D. using coded medical language.

Answer 8

B. not disclosing his or her name.

Question 9

When relaying patient information via radio, communications should be:

Select one:

A. lengthy and complete.
B. brief and easily understood.
C. spoken in a loud voice.
D. coded and scripted.

Answer 9

B. brief and easily understood.

Question 10

When you are communicating with an older patient, it is important to remember that:

Select one:

A. most older people think clearly and are capable of answering questions.
B. hostility and confusion should be presumed to be due to the patient’s age.
C. your questions should focus exclusively on the patient’s obvious problem.
D. speaking loudly and distinctly will ensure that the patient can hear you.

Answer 10

A. most older people think clearly and are capable of answering questions.

Question 11

Which of the following incidents does NOT require a report to be filed with local authorities?

Select one:

A. Gunshot wounds
B. Animal bites
C. Spousal abuse
D. Cardiac arrest

Answer 11

D. Cardiac arrest

Question 12

Which of the following statements is NOT appropriate to document in the narrative section of a PCR?
Select one:

A. “The patient admits to smoking marijuana earlier in the day.”

B. “General impression revealed that the patient was intoxicated.”

C. “After oxygen was administered, the patient’s breathing improved.”

D. “Significant damage was noted to the front end of the vehicle.”

Answer 12

B. “General impression revealed that the patient was intoxicated.”

Question 13

Which of the following statements regarding a “dedicated line” is correct?

Select one:

A. It is a frequency that is used exclusively by EMTs to communicate with one another in the field.

B. It is a designated frequency on a portable radio that provides direct access to medical control.

C. It is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users.

D. It is a constantly open line of communication that is under the exclusive control of a single user.

Answer 13

C. It is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users.

Question 14

Which of the following statements regarding a patient refusal is correct?

Select one:

A. Advice given to a patient who refuses EMS treatment should not be documented.

B. Documentation of proposed care is unnecessary if the patient refuses treatment.

C. A patient who consumed a few beers will likely be able to refuse EMS treatment.

D. A mentally competent adult has the legal right to refuse EMS care and transport.

Answer 14

D. A mentally competent adult has the legal right to refuse EMS care and transport.

Question 15

Which of the following types of questions allow for the most detailed response?

Select one:

A. Closed-ended questions
B. Yes or no questions
C. Open-ended questions
D. Multiple questions asked at once

Answer 15

C. Open-ended questions

Question 16

Which of the following will help improve radio communications?

Select one:

A. Answer questions with “yes” or “no.”
B. Wait 1 second after pressing the transmit button before speaking.
C. Hold the radio at least 6 inches from your mouth.
D. Use codes to speed communication.

Answer 16

B. Wait 1 second after pressing the transmit button before speaking.

Question 17

You are caring for a 56-year-old male patient complaining of abdominal pain. Your service has recently switched to an electronic PCR system (ePCR). When completing the ePCR, it is important to be aware that:

Select one:

A. the ePCR is relatively unsecured and should not contain patient-specific information.

B. a written patient care record will need to be completed on arrival at the hospital.

C. the ePCR does not contain the same level of information as the written version and your verbal report should be expanded.

D. the ePCR allows patient information to be transmitted directly to the receiving hospital’s computers.

Answer 17

D. the ePCR allows patient information to be transmitted directly to the receiving hospital’s computers.

Question 18

You are providing care to a 61-year-old female complaining of chest pain that is cardiac in origin. Your service utilizes a multiplex communication system. You wish to transmit the patient’s electrocardiogram to the hospital. In order to accomplish this, you must:

Select one:

A. send the electrocardiogram from the back of the ambulance.

B. wait until you reach the hospital to transmit the information.

C. be aware that only audio or data transmissions can be sent at any one time.

D. use the multiplex system to transmit the information.

Answer 18

D. use the multiplex system to transmit the information.

Question 19

You are transporting a 54-year-old male in respiratory arrest. An EMR is driving the ambulance as you and your partner are caring for the patient. Which of the following is the MOST logical way of notifying the hospital?

Select one:

A. Request that a police officer responds to the hospital to apprise the staff of your arrival.

B. Have the driver contact dispatch and relay the patient information to the hospital.

C. Wait until you arrive at the hospital and then quickly apprise the staff of the situation.

D. Call the receiving hospital with your cell phone while providing patient care.

Answer 19

B. Have the driver contact dispatch and relay the patient information to the hospital.

Question 20

You could be sued for ___________ if your radio report to the hospital describes the patient in a manner that injures his or her reputation.

Select one:

A. negligence
B. libel
C. slander
D. assault

Answer 20

C. slander

Question 21

Which of the following statements regarding communication with a child is correct?
Select one:
A. Most children are intrigued by strangers wearing uniforms.
B. Standing over a child often increases his or her level of anxiety.
C. Unlike adults, children cannot see through lies or deceptions.
D. The EMT should give the child minimal information to avoid scaring him or her.

Answer 21

B. Standing over a child often increases his or her level of anxiety.

Question 22

You are assessing a 75-year-old woman with mild shortness of breath. As you are asking her questions about her chief complaint and medical history, you progressively move closer and closer to her. In doing this, it is important to remember that:
Select one:
A. it is necessary to enter an older person’s intimate space because the elderly are typically hearing impaired.
B. placing yourself in the patient’s personal space is relaying to her that you can be trusted.
C. as you physically get closer to the patient, a greater and greater sense of trust must be established.
D. a patient’s personal space should not be violated, regardless of any barriers that might hamper communication.

Answer 22

C. as you physically get closer to the patient, a greater and greater sense of trust must be established.