,NREMT EMT Basic Practice Exam / Study Guide-
Comprehensive EMT Basic (NREMT) Review
Questions with Correct Answers and Explanations
Question 1
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
A) both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
B) the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
C) the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
D) they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different
conditions, their signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain
requires both oxygen and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is
caused by a lack of oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery,
whereas hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose.
Question 2
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST concerned
with:
A) gathering all of the patient's medications.
B) safely transporting to the hospital.
C) whether the patient could harm you.
D) obtaining a complete medical history.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis,
your primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital
is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history and
should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this
should not supersede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the patient.
,Question 3
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake. Your
initial attempt to rescue him should include:
A) rowing a small raft to the victim.
B) reaching out to him with a large stick.
C) swimming out to him immediately.
D) throwing him a rope.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the
water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to
reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is
unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are not
available, row to the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to
retrieve the victim is a last resort.
Question 4
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low blood
glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
A) Behavioral emergency
B) Altered mental status
C) Respiratory emergency
D) Cardiac compromise
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of
injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient with
any fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to
complete unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or
hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and shock,
among others.
Question 5
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug. Her
respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which of the
following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
A) Seconal
B) Heroin
C) Cocaine
D) Valium
, Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the
patient's condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would
expect her to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent.
Heroin, Valium, and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition.
Question 6
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
A) conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
B) emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
C) agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
D) awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for patients who have ingested an acid or alkali
(i.e., drain cleaner) or a petroleum product (i.e., gasoline), who have a decreased level
of consciousness and cannot protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
Question 7
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is to:
A) move away from a cold object.
B) increase metabolism by shivering.
C) wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
D) move to a warmer environment.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. The quickest and most
obvious way to decrease heat loss from radiation and convection is to move out of the
cold environment and seek shelter from wind. Shivering increases the body's
metabolism and is a mechanism for generating heat, not reducing heat loss.
Comprehensive EMT Basic (NREMT) Review
Questions with Correct Answers and Explanations
Question 1
Hypoglycemia and acute ischemic stroke can present similarly because:
A) both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
B) the majority of stroke patients have a history of diabetes.
C) the most common cause of a stroke is hypoglycemia.
D) they are both caused by low levels of glucose in the blood.
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Although stroke and hypoglycemia are two distinctly different
conditions, their signs and symptoms are often similar. This is because the brain
requires both oxygen and glucose to function normally. An acute ischemic stroke is
caused by a lack of oxygen to a part of the brain due to a blocked cerebral artery,
whereas hypoglycemia (low blood glucose level) deprives the entire brain of glucose.
Question 2
When dealing with an emotionally disturbed patient, you should be MOST concerned
with:
A) gathering all of the patient's medications.
B) safely transporting to the hospital.
C) whether the patient could harm you.
D) obtaining a complete medical history.
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: When managing any patient with an emotional or psychiatric crisis,
your primary concern is your own safety. Safely transporting the patient to the hospital
is your ultimate goal. If possible, you should attempt to obtain a medical history and
should take any of the patient's prescribed medications to the hospital. However, this
should not supersede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the patient.
,Question 3
You are at the scene where a man panicked while swimming in a small lake. Your
initial attempt to rescue him should include:
A) rowing a small raft to the victim.
B) reaching out to him with a large stick.
C) swimming out to him immediately.
D) throwing him a rope.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: General rules to follow when attempting to rescue a patient from the
water include "reach, throw, row, and then go." In this case, you should attempt to
reach the victim by having him grab hold of a large stick or similar object. If this is
unsuccessful, throw the victim a rope or flotation device (if available). If these are not
available, row to the patient in a small raft (if available). Going into the water to
retrieve the victim is a last resort.
Question 4
How should you classify a patient's nature of illness if he or she has a low blood
glucose level, bizarre behavior, and shallow breathing?
A) Behavioral emergency
B) Altered mental status
C) Respiratory emergency
D) Cardiac compromise
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The nature of illness (NOI) is the medical equivalent to mechanism of
injury (MOI). Altered mental status should be the suspected NOI in any patient with
any fluctuation in level of consciousness, which can range from bizarre behavior to
complete unresponsiveness. Causes of an altered mental status include hypo- or
hyperglycemia, head trauma, stroke, behavioral crises, drug overdose, and shock,
among others.
Question 5
A young female is unresponsive after overdosing on an unknown type of drug. Her
respirations are slow and shallow and her pulse is slow and weak. Which of the
following drugs is the LEAST likely cause of her condition?
A) Seconal
B) Heroin
C) Cocaine
D) Valium
, Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Of the drugs listed, cocaine would be the least likely cause of the
patient's condition. Cocaine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant; you would
expect her to be hypertensive, tachycardic, tachypneic, and perhaps even violent.
Heroin, Valium, and Seconal are all CNS depressants and could explain her condition.
Question 6
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for a patient who is:
A) conscious and alert and has ingested a large amount of Motrin.
B) emotionally upset and has ingested two bottles of aspirin.
C) agitated and claims to have ingested a bottle of Tylenol.
D) awake and alert and has swallowed a commercial drain cleaner.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Activated charcoal adsorbs (sticks to) many ingested substances,
preventing them from being absorbed into the body by the stomach or intestines.
Activated charcoal is contraindicated for patients who have ingested an acid or alkali
(i.e., drain cleaner) or a petroleum product (i.e., gasoline), who have a decreased level
of consciousness and cannot protect their own airway, or who are unable to swallow.
Question 7
The MOST obvious way to reduce heat loss from radiation and convection is to:
A) move away from a cold object.
B) increase metabolism by shivering.
C) wear a thick wind-proof jacket.
D) move to a warmer environment.
Correct Answer: D
Explanation: In a cold environment, the body has two ways of staying warm:
generating heat (thermogenesis) and reducing heat loss. The quickest and most
obvious way to decrease heat loss from radiation and convection is to move out of the
cold environment and seek shelter from wind. Shivering increases the body's
metabolism and is a mechanism for generating heat, not reducing heat loss.
