The Well-Being of the EMT

Question 1

While transporting a patient to the hospital who has a history of terminal brain cancer, the patient says, “I know I’m going to die, but first I want to see my grandson graduate from high school.” What stage of death and dying describes this patient’s current condition?

Answer 1

Bargaining

Question 2

You are on the scene of an “unknown medical” call. The patient is a 26 year old, 250 pound male patient who suddenly becomes violently angry. Everything you say to the patient only makes him angrier. Offended by your questions, he screams that he is going to “cut your tongue out” and hurries into the kitchen. What should you do?

Answer 2

Leave immediately to a safe area and then call for police assistence

Question 3

When the potential exists for exposure to exhaled air of a person with suspected TB, a ___ mask should be worn by the EMT

Answer 3

N-95

Question 4

What is a simple step EMTs can perform to help prevent the spread of flu in the prehospital environment?

Answer 4

Place a surgical mask on suspected flu patients

Question 5

You are first on the scene of a vehicle collision where a vehicle has gone off a bridge and is partially submerged. You are told that a person is still trapped in the vehicle. Your partner starts to take off his shoes and prepares to go in the save the victim. You stop your partner and tell him it is too dangerous. He tells you he is prepared to die to save a life. What is the best response to him?

Answer 5

He is not only putting his life at risk, but also placing the lives of the professional rescuers unnecessarily at risk

Question 6

Which of the following pathogens can live in dried blood for days and should be a major concern for EMS providers even while cleaning contaminated equipment?

Answer 6

Hepatitis B

Question 7

For the last few days, your regular EMT partner has been having trouble sleeping, has been on edge, and has trouble concentrating on his job during EMS calls. Luckily, your call volume has been low with no serious calls since the infant cardiac arrest you both worked last month. You ask him if if anything is bothering him and he states he is fine in every way. He states that he has been going to the bars lately to relax and invites you to come along for some drinks after work. Choose the best answer for this situation.

Answer 7

Your partner is suffering from a delayed stress reaction and you should recommend that he seek professional counseling

Question 8

Which of the following pathogens is transmitted through contact with open wounds or sores?

Answer 8

Staphylococcus

Question 9

The term burnout is also known as a ___ stress reaction

Answer 9

Cumulative

Question 10

An EMT should consider wearing protective eyewear when caring for which of these patients?

Answer 10

A patient who is actively coughing

Question 11

During which of these situations would the EMT be least likely to experience a body substance exposure?

Answer 11

splinting a sprained ankle

Question 12

Which of the following behaviors would be considered a common sign of stress rather than an acute psychological problem?

Answer 12

Irritability with friends, family, coworkers, or patients

Question 13

When responding to the scene of a patient who was discovered to be unresponsive, not breathing, and without a pulse, family members state that the patient has been suffering from cancer for several years. One of his sons is cursing at you and your partner, saying that you are not moving fast enough. Which stage of grief is the patient’s son experiencing in response to his father’s death?

Answer 13

Anger

Question 14

Which three “Rs” are essential for the EMT to practice when reacting the danger?

Answer 14

Retreat, Radio, Reevaluate

Question 15

Healthcare employers are required by law to provide a hepatitis B ___ available to employees free of charge

Answer 15

vaccine

Question 16

All of the following are ways that an EMT can increase both physical and mental well-being, except:

Answer 16

Drinking moderate amounts of caffeine and alcohol

Question 17

According to Dr. Hans Selye, the third stage of the “Stress triad” is known as the ___ stage

Answer 17

Exhaustion

Question 18

Which of the following is an accurate statement regarding tuberculosis?

Answer 18

A tuberculin skin test can detect TB exposure

Question 19

You are called to an assault on a homeless male. Dried blood from the trauma is visible around the patient’s mouth and nose. During assessment, you note the patient has a productive cough. The patient says, “Don’t worry, I’m not contagious. I’ve had this cough for a year.” Describe the best approach regarding respiratory isolation

Answer 19

Mask yourself and your patient

Question 20

An EMT involved in an especially difficult call, such as one in which a coworker was killed, should be urged to:

Answer 20

seek help from a trained mental health professional

Question 21

Since EMS personnel are often exposed to both acute and chronic stressors, ___ management may be helpful to cope with on-the-job experiences

Answer 21

Critical incident stress

Question 22

What is the name of the federal act that mandates a procedure by which emergency healthcare providers can find out if they have been exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases while on the job?

Answer 22

Ryan White CARE Act

Question 23

Due to the high risk of an unstable work environment, EMTs responding to a motor vehicle crash may consider using ___ in addition to standard PPE

Answer 23

Heavy-duty gloves

Question 24

Which of the following parts of the nervous system is responsible for the “fight or flight” response experienced in response to a stressor?

Answer 24

Sympathetic nervous system

Question 25

Which of the following is the form of stress than can cause immediate and long-term problems with an EMT’s health and well-being?

Answer 25

Eustress

Question 26

Which of the following terms is best defined as “a state of physical and/or psychological arousal to a stimulus”?

Answer 26

Stress

Question 27

When covering a patient’s mouth and nose with a mask of any kind, which of the following is the primary risk?

Answer 27

Obstructing the ability to visualize and protect the airway

Question 28

Post-traumatic stress disorder may be described as a

Answer 28

delayed stress reaction

Question 29

Which hormone helps the body control stress, regulate metabolism, and influence an immune response?

Answer 29

Cortisol

Question 30

What is a common term used to describe the items needed for standard precautions or body substance isolation precautions?

Answer 30

personal protective equipment

Question 31

What would be the primary reason for an EMT to change gloves between contact with different patients?

Answer 31

To prevent spreading infection to the next patient

Question 32

Which of the following descriptions BEST defines the term pathogen?

Answer 32

An organism that causes infection and disease

Question 33

The CDC recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer in all except which of the following situations?

Answer 33

The provider’s hands come into contact with fecal matter

Question 34

Which of the following terms refers to a positive form of stress that helps people work when under pressure and respond effectively?

Answer 34

Eustress

Question 35

One’s “cognitive ability” refers to his or her ability to do which of the following?

Answer 35

Think and solve problems

Question 36

Critical incident stress debriefings (CISDs):

Answer 36

are now less common than they once were

Question 37

Which one of these groups is at greatest risk of contracting and transmitting tuberculosis?

Answer 37

Healthcare practitioners

Question 38

You have just worked a cardiac arrest call on a 48 year old father of three. Despite your best efforts, the patient died in the emergency department. As you are getting your ambulance in service, the patient’s wife rushes out of the emergency department. She finds you and begins screaming at you that her husband’s death is your fault. She blames you for not getting on the scene fast enough, taking too long at the house, and not shocking her husband back to life like she has seen on television. What response should you have to her anger?

Answer 38

Listen empathetically to all of her complaints and let her know she can contact you for any additional assistance

Question 39

What is a positive, healthy way to help deal with stress?

Answer 39

Regular physical exercise

Question 40

Which of the following provides the greatest personal safety for an EMT working at a motor vehicle collision?

Answer 40

Reflective outer clothing

Question 41

What are the minimum standard precautions an EMT should take when transporting a patient infected with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)?

Answer 41

gloves, N-95 mask, goggles, and gown

Question 42

Which of the following behaviors would demonstrate that an EMT understands reactions to death and dying?

Answer 42

Being tolerant of angry reactions by patients and family members

Question 43

You observe a coworker telling a terminal cancer patient and her family, “Everything will be okay.” Making false reassurances is considered:

Answer 43

Naive and uncompassionate

Question 44

A family member who keeps pleading with a deceased loved one to “wake up” is experiencing which reaction to death and dying?

Answer 44

Denial

Question 45

What are some signs and symptoms that a coworker may be experiencing delayed stress reaction (PTSD)?

Answer 45

Flashbacks, nightmares, and feelings of detachment

Question 46

What action does an organ undergo to best describe the term hypertrophy?

Answer 46

Enlargment

Question 47

You are treating a patient who has a productive cough and who reports weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, night sweats, and fever. Which of the following diseases is most likely the cause of these signs and symptoms?

Answer 47

Tuberculosis

Question 48

Which of the following statements about HIV/AIDS is true?

Answer 48

HIV positive needlesticks have less than a 0.05 percent infection rate

Question 49

You respond to a laceration call. When you arrive on-scene, you walk into the house and find a person suffering from a severe wrist laceration from a broken window. Without thinking, you immediately grab the wrist and apply direct pressure to the wound. You then realize that, in your hurry to save a life, you forgot to put on your gloves. You look down to see your hand is covered in blood. When practical, your next action should be:

Answer 49

Wash your hands and report exposure

Question 50

You are dispatched to a “man down” with no further information. As your unit arrives on-scene, you see a crowd of bystanders looking at a man lying in an alleyway. The bystanders begin screaming to you, “Help him, he’s been shot! He’s bleeding real bad!” What would be the best course of action?

Answer 50

Dispatch law enforcement and wait until the scene is secure

Question 51

You are approaching the scene of a motor vehicle crash. Which of the following would be the first way to safeguard your well-being as an EMT?

Answer 51

Ensure scene safety

Question 52

The tuberculin skin test (TST), formerly known as the purified protein derivative (PPD) test, is used to:

Answer 52

Detect a person’s exposure to tuberculosis

Question 53

Which of the following is a physiologic effect of the “Stress Triad” as described by the physician Hans Selye?

Answer 53

bleeding gastric ulcers

Question 54

Which of the following is true regarding proper hand cleaning?

Answer 54

If the EMT’s hands are visibly dirty, an alcohol-based cleanser is not sufficient

Question 55

A ___ is a situation that may lead to an acute stress reaction

Answer 55

injury of a coworker

Question 56

What reference provides important information regarding hazardous materials, emergency care, and procedures in case of accidental fire or release; supplies definitions of placard colors and identification numbers; and should be standard issue on-board all ambulances and rescue units?

Answer 56

Emergency response guidebook

Question 57

An EMT is confronted by an armed gunman who is threatening to kill the EMT and his partner. An elevation in the EMT’s heart rate and blood pressure occurs in which stage of the body’s response to stress?

Answer 57

Alarm reaction stage

Question 58

The “Stress Triad,” or the body’s response to a stressful stimulation, is known as general ___ syndrome

Answer 58

adaptation

Question 59

What mode of transmission most accurately describes the route of spreading heaptitis A?

Answer 59

Fecal-oral

Question 60

You are dispatched to the staging area of a terrorist-related chemical exposure. The incident commander asks you to stand by while hazmat personnel bring patients to the cold zone. As an EMT on-board an ambulance, what statement BEST describes your role?

Answer 60

transport decontaminated patients

Question 61

What is the EMT’s highest priority at the scene of a hazardous materials incident?

Answer 61

Personal safety

Question 62

You are dispatched to a female with altered mental status. Once inside the home, you find a female who appears to have been beaten unconscious. A man, who smells of alcohol, says that she is his wife and that he does not know what happened: “I just found her this way!” The husband is behaving suspiciously, appears paranoid, and is pacing erratically around the room. What would be the safest course of action?

Answer 62

Leave the house and call for law enforcement