NREMT questions Flashcards
When is nitroglycerin contraindicted and how many doses can a payient have?
Contradicted in patients with a systolic blood pressure below 100 mmHg, patients with head injury, patients who had taken erectile dysfunction medications and patients who taken the max dosage of 3
What 2 types of radiation are rays
Gamma radiation
X ray radiation
Hypothermia early signs and treatment
Early signs: confusion, shivering, tachypnea
Treatment: placing patient in dry environment and covering them in dry blankets. Warm fluids can also be given
Best way to lift patient lying on stretcher
- Bend at the knees
- Keep back in locked position
- Keep patient’s weight as close to the body as possible
- lifting with palms upwards
- Keep legs shoulder width apart
What antidote kits are used for nerve agents
Mark 1
Duodote
What antidote kits are used for nerve agents
Mark 1
Duodote
What antidote kits are used after exposure to cyanide
Pasadena and Cyanokit
What is Narcan used for?
Over the counter opiod overdose treatment
Signs and symptoms of shoulder dislocation
- Severe pain
- Flattened shoulder
- Guarding of affected limb by holding it towards the torso
- Numbness of the hand due to nerve damage
- Impaired range of motion
What is COPD characterized by? What is the signs and symptoms? What is the most common cause
- Characterized by degree of irreversible airway obstruction (emphysema), presence of significant inflammation (chronic bronchitis)
- Dyspnea, poor exercise tolerance, chronic coughing with and without sputum production, wheezing and respiratory failure
- Smoking is the most common cause of COPD
Special reporting situation
Definition: Special situation reports are used to document events that should be reported to local authorities or to amplify and supplement a primary report.
Examples: Mass casualty incidents, gunshot wounds, animal bites, specific infectious diseases, suspected physical and sexual abuse
How to treat a chest pain patient
- Place in position of comfort (Fowler or Semi-fowler position)
- Administer oxygen to keep SpO2 at 95-99%
- High priority patients require immediate transport
Standard of care
Acceptable practice of care for a given situation if someone of equal training was to face the same situation
Scope of practice
Defines what is legally permitted for some or all licensed individuals at that level
Duty to act
Responsibility to provide patient care
What is compensated shock and its signs and symptoms
Earlier stage of shock
Signs and symptoms: restlessness, anxiety, altered mental status, shortness of breath; cool,clammy, skin; narrowing pulse pressure; pallor/cyanosis; nausea and vomiting; rapid breathing
What are snoring respirations an indicator of?
A partially obstructed airway
What should be placed in red biohazard containers
Any medical waste, including contaminated disposable equipment or clothing, should be placed in a red biohazard bag and disposed of at the hospital.
How much blood can a patient lose from a
- Individual rib fracture
- Tibial fracture
- Femur fracture
- Pelvic fracture
- 100-200 mL
- 300-500 mL of blood
- 800 - 1000 mL
- 2000 mL
If the fractures are open, the figures are doubled
What is the proper way to do CPR
- The heel of one hand placed on the lower half of the sternum, with the other hand placed on the top
- Chest compressions should be done in cycles of 30
- Compressions should be at a depth of 2 to 2.4 inches
- rate of 100 to 120 per min
If an AMI is left untreated, what timeframe do 90% of myocardial cells die
Within 4 to 6 hours
What is the flow rate and maximum oxygen concentration that can be delivered via nasal cannula and nonrebreather
- The flow rate range of the nasal cannula is 1-6 liters per minute and delivers oxygen concentration between 24% and 44%
- The flow rate of the non-rebreather mask can supplement oxygen at 15 liters per minute and deliver oxygen up to 95%
Febrile seizure
Common in children between six months and six years of age
Characterized by generalized tonic-clonic seizure, do not last more than 15 minutes and have a short or absent postictal state, occur in children who experience a sudden spike in body temperature
Interventions: Assessment of ABCs, cooling measures, and rapid transport
What is Epilepsy? And what are its signs and symptoms
brain condition that causes recurring seizures.
Diagnosed if you’ve had at least two unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart
Symptoms
Temporary confusion.
A staring spell.
Stiff muscles.
Uncontrollable jerking movements of extremities
Loss of consciousness.
Psychological symptoms such as fear, anxiety, or deja vu.
Risk factors that increase likelihood of heat-related illnesses
fatigue, dehydration, viral infection, obesity, lack of sleep, poor physical fitness, use of drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines, athletes in good condition
Locations of 10 electrodes placed on the patient
V1 4th intercostal space to the right of the sternum
V2 4th intercostal space to the left of the sternum
V3 Midway between V2 and V4
V4 5th intercostal space at the midclavicular line
V5 Anterior axillary line at the same level as V4
V6 Midaxillary line at the same level as V4 and V5
RL Anywhere above the right ankle and below the torso
RA Anywhere between the right shoulder and the wrist
LL Anywhere above the left ankle and below the torso
LA Anywhere between the left shoulder and the wrist
What specific aspects of advanced life support do AEMTs have training in?
Intravenous therapy, and administrations of certain emergency medications
What is cardiogenic shock? Early signs? Signs and symptoms?
When heart lacks enough power to force the appropriate volume of blood throughout the body
Early signs: restlessness, anxiety, hypoperfusion
SIgns and symptoms: Dyspnea; cool,clammy skin; weak, thread pulse; tachycardia; rapid, shallow breathing; nausea/vomiting; hypertension
Emphysema
Type of COPD where the alveoli sacs are weakened and rupture due to smoking and limit the amount of oxygen that enters the blood stream causing mainly shortness of breath
- Adventitious breath sounds may be heard of lung auscultation
- Dyspnea, chronic coughing, chronic sputum, and long expiration phases are possible in patients with COPD
Definition of ischemia
Absence of oxygen delivery to body tissue, that is a result of partial or complete blockage of blood flow
What should be suspected in patients with significant mechanisms of injury such as motor vehicle crashes, falls of greater than 20 ft for adults, 10 ft for children, blunt trauma, diving accidents, et cetera
Head and spinal injuries
Head and spinal injuries signs and symptoms
altered level of consciousness, seizures, nausea, vomiting, decreased movement and numbness of extremities, unequal pupils, blood ore cerebrospinal fluid leaking from ears
Paraparesis
a partial paralysis or weakness in both lower extremities that can affect motor or sensory function.
Superficial (first-degree) burn
Involves only epidermis
Patient presents with erythema and pain at site without blistering
Superficial partial-thickness and deep partial thickness burns (second degree burns)
Two types of second degree burns
Superficial partial thickness: Involves epidermis and dermis resulting in thin-walled, fluid filled burns that appear pink, moist, soft and tender
Deep partial-thickness burns: Extend into reticular dermis, skin color is mixture of red and blanched white, capillary refill is slow
Full thickness burns
Burns are dry, dark brown, charred, and feel hard to the touch
If nerve endings are destroyed, sensation may be lacking
Pathologic conditions commonly found in asthma
Combination of bronchospasm, bronchial edema, and excessive mucus production.
How does abdominal distention happen
Can occur during assisted ventilation if airway is inappropriately positioned or if the patient is hyperventilate
Can be fixed by repositioning the head and watching for rise or fall of chest wall
How long should CPR be conducted between automated external defibrillator (AED) assessments of a patient’s cardiac rhythm?
2 minutes since the AED assesses patient rhythm every two minutes (five cycles) of CPR
What is the cause of angina pectoris
Lack of adequate oxygenation to the heart
What is an appropriate method to alleviate gastric distention in a patient when repositioning the head or ALS is not there to perform nasogastric decompression?
Roll patient to one side and apply pressure to the upper abdomen
What gases are released as a result of chemical suicide (mixing common household substances in an enclosed space)
Hydrogen sulfide and Hydrogen cyanide
Rule of 9s for children
18% for the head
18% for the chest
18% for the back
9% for each arm
13.5% for each leg
1% for genitalia
Characteristics of severe pediatric burn injuries
- partial-thickness burn > 10%
= any full-thickness burn - circumferential burns
- electrical, chemical, or inhalation injury
- burns of critical areas such as face, hands ,feet or joints
Compression to ventilation ratio for one person CPR on a pediatric patient
Compression to ventilation ratio for two-person CPR for infant patients
- 30:2
- 15:2
What position should patients in shock be put in? Pregnant? Chest pain or respiratory distress
- Supine
- Transported on their left side
- Fowler or semi-fowler
What is the Rule of Nines for adults
For an adult, the entire head is equal to 9% of the body’s surface area.
The front and back of each arm and hand equal 9% of the body’s surface area.
The anterior torso is equal to 18% (chest equals 9% and the abdomen equals 9%) of the body’s surface area.
The posterior torso is equal to 18% of the body surface area.
The front and back of each leg equal 18% of the body’s surface area.
The genitalia equal 1% of the body’s surface area.
What are the results of hypoventilation
Hypoxia, minute volume reduction, and hypercarbia (high carbon dioxide)
What is the narrowest portion of a child’s upper airway
In children younger than eight years old, the narrowest part of the airway is the cricoid ring.
What are the target SpO2 levels of ACS, a stroke and post-cardiac-arrest care
ACS: 90%
stroke: 95% to 98%
post–cardiac-arrest care: 92% to 98%
Give descriptions of Type I, Type II, and Type III ambulances
A Type I ambulance is a conventional truck-cab chassis separated from the patient compartment.
A Type II ambulance is a standard van chassis that is all one piece.
A Type III ambulance is a van chassis separated from the patient compartment.
How often should vital signs be assessed for a patient who requires airway management?
Every 5 min
What are common causes of seizures in adults
Epilepsy, tumors, infections, a head injury or scar tissue from a previous head injury, stroke, hypoxia, hypoglycemia, poisoning, drug overdose or withdrawal, or fever.
What happens after the baby’s head is delivered and what should be done
After the baby’s head is delivered, it will rotate to one side on its own. At the next contraction, the upper shoulder should be visible. Guide the head down slightly by applying gentle downward traction to help the upper shoulder deliver. Support the head and upper body as the shoulders deliver. Upward guidance of the head may be required to help deliver the lower shoulder.
What should you do to slow the bleeding after the placenta has been delivered
Massage the uterus
What is the most appropriate treatment for a patient with respiratory failure?
Assisted ventilation
What is obstructive shock and what could be the main reasons for it?
Obstructive shock is the mechanical obstruction of the cardiac muscle, causing a decrease in output.
Three common reasons for obstructive shock are tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, and pulmonary embolism.
What is neurogenic shock and its causes
Neurogenic shock occurs when the nervous system that controls cardiac contraction/relaxation is damaged.
Commonly due to damage to the upper cervical levels of the spine
What happens in a tension pneumothorax
Air buildup in the pleural space applies pressure to organs in the mediastinum (i.e., heart and great vessels).
What happens in cardiac tamponade?
The pericardium fills with blood and prevents ventricles from filling
Signs and symptoms: Beck’s Triad (JVD, narrow pulse pressures, muffled heart tones)
What are altitude sicknesses
AMS
HACE
HAPE
Why are pelvic fractures life-threatening and how would you manage it.
Life-threatening due to a significant amount of blood loss
It can be managed by
- Stabilizing the pelvis with a pelvic binder (if protocols allow) or
- Tying a sheet around the pelvis
- Securing a long device such as a scoop stretcher or long spine board to prevent further injury during transport
- treating for shock,
- rapidly transporting to a trauma center
What do the two subcategories of hallucinogens, classic hallucinogens and dissociative drugs do?
What drugs are part of those subcategories?
Classic hallucinogens typically produce visual and auditory hallucinations and may result in an altered sense of time and heightened sensory experiences.
Classic hallucinogens: include LSD, psilocybin (mushrooms), peyote, and DMT.
Dissociative drugs produce feelings of detachment, such as derealization (the feeling that one is detached from reality or that things are not real) and depersonalization (the feeling of being detached from one’s physical body).
Dissociative drugs: PCP and ketamine
What patients do not require spinal motion restriction
- a normal level of consciousness (Glasgow Coma Score 15)
- no spine tenderness or anatomic abnormality
- no neurologic findings or complaints
- no distracting injury
- no intoxication
What are the three components of Cushing’s Trial
Changes in respiration
Bradycardia
Widening pulse pressure
What is Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and what are its signs and symptoms
Can occur in the upper GI tract (from the esophagus to the upper small intestine) or the lower GI tract (from the upper small intestine to the anus).
Signs and symptoms: Vomiting bright red blood or coffee-ground material, and Melena (dark tarry stool)
What is appendicitis and its signs and symptoms?
Inflammation of the appendix
Signs and symptoms: Right lower quadrant pain and rebound tenderness are common. Nausea and vomiting are likely
What position should patients who are hypotensive or have shock be placed in?
Supine position
What are sympathomimetic drugs and what are some examples?
Sympathomimetics are central nervous system stimulants that mimic the effects of the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system.
Examples include cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), methamphetamine, and caffeine.
Parasympathetic nervous system
is part of the autonomic nervous system and generally slows the body down (“rest and digest”).
If stimulated, the parasympathetic nervous system will cause bradycardia and a decreased force of heart contraction.
What is a thromboembolism
a portion of a blood clot that breaks from its original position and occludes a smaller vein or artery.
What is pancreatitis? Causes? Signs and symptoms?
Definition: the swelling (inflammation) of the pancreas.
Causes: An obstructing gallstone, alcohol abuse, and other diseases
Signs and symptoms:
1. abdominal pain that worsens after eating
2. severe pain in the upper right or left abdominal quadrant that radiates to the back
3. nausea and vomiting
4. abdominal tenderness
What treatments should be indicated for adults with pulmonary edema
Nitroglycerin and CPAP
Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and highly poisonous gas
- Leading cause of accidental poisoning death in the US
- Happens during cold months where heaters may be on
- Presents with flu like signs and symptoms: restlessness, irritability, anxiety that can progress to altered mental status; a weak, thready pulse; cyanosis; dyspnea in conscious patients; and an inability to speak in complete sentences.
What does amniotic fluid with a greenish color indicate?
Presence of meconium (fetal stool) may happen after water is broken
What are common causes of seizures?
epilepsy, tumors, infections, a head injury or scar tissue from a previous head injury, stroke, hypoxia, hypoglycemia, poisoning, drug overdose or withdrawal, or fever.
What is aspirin? What is it used for? What are the contraindications?
- Aspirin acts as an antipyretic (fever reducer), analgesic (pain reducer), anti-inflammatory agent (inflammation reducer), and platelet-aggregation inhibitor (prevents clots from forming or growing in size).
- Used after AMI to prevent future AMIs
- Contraindications to aspirin include allergy to aspirin (absolute), preexisting liver damage (absolute), bleeding disorders (relative), and asthma (relative).
What are the components of APGAR score
appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, and respiration
In what situation can the AED cannot properly analyze a patient’s cardiac rhythm?
It cannot while a vehicle is in motion
What is diabetic ketoacidosis and its signs and symptoms?
Definition: a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when the body doesn’t have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into cells for energy
Signs and symptoms:
- blood glucose levels above 400 mg/dL
- rapid, deep respirations (Kussmaul respirations)
- fruity breath odor
- intense thirst
- warm, dry skin
- abdominal pain
What treatment is indicated for nontraumatic vaginal bleeding
Place a sanitary pad to absorb the blood
What does an opioid overdose present with?
sedation/unconsciousness, bradypnea, cyanosis, and pinpoint pupils.
Spina bifida
birth condition caused by the incomplete closure of the spinal column during fetal development, exposing part of the spinal cord.
Often, patients with spina bifida have partial or full paralysis, incontinence, and an extreme allergy to latex products.
Range of respiration for
Infant (0 to 12 months)
Toddler (1 to 3 years)
Preschooler (3 to 5 years)
School-aged (6 to 11 years)
Adolescent (12 to 15 years)
Ages >15 years
Infant (0 to 12 months): 30 to 60 breaths per minute
Toddler (1 to 3 years): 22 to 37 breaths per minute
Preschooler (3 to 5 years): 20 to 28 breaths per minute
School-aged (6 to 11 years): 18 to 25 breaths per minute
Adolescent (12 to 15 years): 12 to 20 breaths per minute
Ages >15 years: 12 to 20 breaths per minute
What is croup?
An infection of the upper airway, which becomes narrow, making it harder to breathe
Signs and symptoms: presents with loud, barking cough, and stridor.
It is seen in children ages 2-6 and follows an upper respiratory tract infection
Crush syndrome
Can develop when an area of the body is trapped for longer than four hours and arterial blood flow is compromised
Primary blast injuries
Occur due to the pressure wave caused by the explosion. Common injuries are ruptured tympanic membrane, lung injury, and injury to hollow organs.
Secondary blast injuries
result from being struck by the flying debris scattered from the explosion as projectiles.
Tertiary blast injuries
result from the patient’s body being displaced against stationary objects, such as trees, buildings, or the ground
Quaternary blast injuries
are any other injury that occurs secondary to a blast injury.
What are three serious consequences of an AMI
Sudden death
Cardiogenic shock
Congestive heart failure
How are penetrating injuries treated?
By applying an occlusive dressing to ensure air does not enter