EMT BASIC PRACTICE EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EMTs should wear high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirators when they are in contact with
contact with patients who have which of the following?
A. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
B. Tuberculosis (TB)
C. Open Wounds
D. Hepatitis B - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Tuberculosis
HEPA respirators are worn when in contact with patients airborne infections such as TB. HIV/AIDS and
Hepatitis B are both blood-borne pathogens. Contaminants from open wounds would also be blood-
borne.
You are called to assist a 60-year-old female who complains of a severe headache. Upon entering the
home, you smell a strong odor of natural gas. What is your first reaction?
A. Check the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation.
B. Insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assess vital signs.
C. Remove the patient from the house to your ambulance.
D. Open all windows and determine the source of the gas leak. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Remove the
patient from the house to your ambulance.
Your first action should be to remove your crew and the patient from the possible noxious gas and to
notify the gas company of the leak. You may also be required to alert hazardous material response
team. Treatment for the patient will begin with an ABC assessment and management of any problems
you might encounter.
The most common electrical rhythm disturbance that results in sudden cardiac arrest.
A. Pulseless Electrical Activity
B. Ventricular Fibrillation
C. Ventricular Tachycardia
D. Asystole - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Ventricular Fibrillation
,Because ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest., it is critical to apply
an AED on an unconscious apneic and pulseless patient as quickly as possible. The other rhythms can
also cause a patient to be in cardiac arrest, but they do not occur as frequently as "V-fib".
Which of the following is the highest priority patient?
A. 57-year-old male with chest pain and systolic blood pressure of 80.
B. 40-year-old female with moderate pain from a leg injury.
C. 75-year-old male who appears confused but responds to commands.
D. 25-year-old female in labor with contractions six minutes apart. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A. 57-year-
old male with chest pain and systolic blood pressure of 80.
The patient with chest pain and systolic blood pressure less than 100 is the highest priority patient of
the four. A leg injury may be life-threatening if the femoral artery is injured, but most often, a single
extremity injury is not a threat to life. The elderly gentleman may be exhibiting his normal mental status,
or he may be having problems due to an ongoing health problem. You need more information before
you can make that determination, but he is not in any imminent danger right now. Labor with
contractions 6 minutes apart is not considered imminent delivery. If you have any questions, however,
you should continue assessing this patient as well by asking pertinent questions and checking for
crowning.
Of the following, which body fluid has the most potential to transmit blood-borne diseases?
A. Nasal Discharge
B. Vomitus
C. Amniotic Fluid
D. Feces - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Amniotic Fluid
Fluids containing blood have the highest potential for disease transmission.
Your patient is an 11-month-old female. How can you determine if she has a decreased mental status
and is responsive to verbal stimuli?
A. She will be upset when you take her from her mother's arms.
B. She will be unable to tell you how old she is if you ask her.
,C. She will attempt to locate her parents' voices when they speak.
D. She will try to pull away from a painful stimulus on her toe. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. She will
attempt to locate her parents' voices when they speak.
An infant who is alert to verbal stimuli will still try to locate the parents' voices; choice A describes an
alert infant; choice D describes an infant who is responsive to painful stimuli; choice B is incorrect
because infants of this age are not developed enough to tell you their age regardless of their mental
status.
What is the best method to assess circulation in an infant?
A. Palpate the carotid pulse.
B. Palpate the brachial pulse.
C. Palpate the radial pulse.
D. Observe capillary refill time. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Palpate the brachial pulse.
Assess circulation in an infant by palpating the brachial pulse in the upper arm. The carotid and radial
pulses are difficult to locate in infants. Capillary refill time shows that the patient has impaired
circulation, but it is not the first tool to use in assessing circulation because it is affected by external
factors (like the environment) as well as internal factors like poor perfusion.
A 45-year-old male is experiencing chest discomfort. After placing him in his position of comfort, your
next action should be?
A. Ventilate the patient with a nonrebreather mask at 15 L/min.
B. Ventilate the patient with the bag-valve mask at 15 L/min.
C. Administer oxygen by rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
D. Administer oxygen by the nasal cannula at 6 L/min. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Administer oxygen by
rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
There is no information to indicate that the patient requires ventilatory support. Any patient
experiencing chest discomfort should receive the highest possible concentration of oxygen.
Which patient should receive a rapid trauma survey to determine hidden injuries?
, A. Alert 2-year-old child in a car seat who was in a medium speed crash.
B.Alert 20-year-old male who fell 10 feet off of a ladder.
C. Alert 65-year-old female who fell in the bathtub and is complaining of wrist pain.
D. Alert 11-year-old female who tripped while roller skating and fell down three steps. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅A. Alert 2-year-old child in a car seat who was in a medium speed crash.
The rapid trauma survey is used when you are unsure of the presence of hidden injuries or f the
mechanism of injury (MOI) is unclear or severe enough to suggest the need for a rapid assessment. A 2-
year-old child could be severely injured by a medium speed collision, even if he or she appears alert and
was properly restrained. The other choices do not represent MOIs considered to be high risk for hidden
injury.
Which of the following is a sign of increased pressure in the circulatory system?
A. Flat neck veins
B. Palpable carotid pulse
C. Distended jugular veins
D. Decreased radial pulse - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Distended jugular veins
A supine patient may or may not have jugular veins that are prominent enough to palpate. However,
even if the neck veins are normally present when an individual is supine, they will not be engorged with
blood and overly firm to the touch. This is what is meant by the phrase distended neck veins. Distended
neck veins (in any position) are a sign of increased circulatory pressure. The carotid pulse should always
be palpable. A decreased radial pulse may indicate hypovolemic shock or an injured extremity.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) will shock which if the following rhythms?
A. Sinus Rhythm
B. Asystole
C. Ventricular Fibrillation
D. Pulseless Electrical Activity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Ventricular Fibrillation
EMTs should wear high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) respirators when they are in contact with
contact with patients who have which of the following?
A. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
B. Tuberculosis (TB)
C. Open Wounds
D. Hepatitis B - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Tuberculosis
HEPA respirators are worn when in contact with patients airborne infections such as TB. HIV/AIDS and
Hepatitis B are both blood-borne pathogens. Contaminants from open wounds would also be blood-
borne.
You are called to assist a 60-year-old female who complains of a severe headache. Upon entering the
home, you smell a strong odor of natural gas. What is your first reaction?
A. Check the patient's airway, breathing, and circulation.
B. Insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assess vital signs.
C. Remove the patient from the house to your ambulance.
D. Open all windows and determine the source of the gas leak. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Remove the
patient from the house to your ambulance.
Your first action should be to remove your crew and the patient from the possible noxious gas and to
notify the gas company of the leak. You may also be required to alert hazardous material response
team. Treatment for the patient will begin with an ABC assessment and management of any problems
you might encounter.
The most common electrical rhythm disturbance that results in sudden cardiac arrest.
A. Pulseless Electrical Activity
B. Ventricular Fibrillation
C. Ventricular Tachycardia
D. Asystole - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Ventricular Fibrillation
,Because ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest., it is critical to apply
an AED on an unconscious apneic and pulseless patient as quickly as possible. The other rhythms can
also cause a patient to be in cardiac arrest, but they do not occur as frequently as "V-fib".
Which of the following is the highest priority patient?
A. 57-year-old male with chest pain and systolic blood pressure of 80.
B. 40-year-old female with moderate pain from a leg injury.
C. 75-year-old male who appears confused but responds to commands.
D. 25-year-old female in labor with contractions six minutes apart. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅A. 57-year-
old male with chest pain and systolic blood pressure of 80.
The patient with chest pain and systolic blood pressure less than 100 is the highest priority patient of
the four. A leg injury may be life-threatening if the femoral artery is injured, but most often, a single
extremity injury is not a threat to life. The elderly gentleman may be exhibiting his normal mental status,
or he may be having problems due to an ongoing health problem. You need more information before
you can make that determination, but he is not in any imminent danger right now. Labor with
contractions 6 minutes apart is not considered imminent delivery. If you have any questions, however,
you should continue assessing this patient as well by asking pertinent questions and checking for
crowning.
Of the following, which body fluid has the most potential to transmit blood-borne diseases?
A. Nasal Discharge
B. Vomitus
C. Amniotic Fluid
D. Feces - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Amniotic Fluid
Fluids containing blood have the highest potential for disease transmission.
Your patient is an 11-month-old female. How can you determine if she has a decreased mental status
and is responsive to verbal stimuli?
A. She will be upset when you take her from her mother's arms.
B. She will be unable to tell you how old she is if you ask her.
,C. She will attempt to locate her parents' voices when they speak.
D. She will try to pull away from a painful stimulus on her toe. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. She will
attempt to locate her parents' voices when they speak.
An infant who is alert to verbal stimuli will still try to locate the parents' voices; choice A describes an
alert infant; choice D describes an infant who is responsive to painful stimuli; choice B is incorrect
because infants of this age are not developed enough to tell you their age regardless of their mental
status.
What is the best method to assess circulation in an infant?
A. Palpate the carotid pulse.
B. Palpate the brachial pulse.
C. Palpate the radial pulse.
D. Observe capillary refill time. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅B. Palpate the brachial pulse.
Assess circulation in an infant by palpating the brachial pulse in the upper arm. The carotid and radial
pulses are difficult to locate in infants. Capillary refill time shows that the patient has impaired
circulation, but it is not the first tool to use in assessing circulation because it is affected by external
factors (like the environment) as well as internal factors like poor perfusion.
A 45-year-old male is experiencing chest discomfort. After placing him in his position of comfort, your
next action should be?
A. Ventilate the patient with a nonrebreather mask at 15 L/min.
B. Ventilate the patient with the bag-valve mask at 15 L/min.
C. Administer oxygen by rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
D. Administer oxygen by the nasal cannula at 6 L/min. - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Administer oxygen by
rebreather mask at 15 L/min.
There is no information to indicate that the patient requires ventilatory support. Any patient
experiencing chest discomfort should receive the highest possible concentration of oxygen.
Which patient should receive a rapid trauma survey to determine hidden injuries?
, A. Alert 2-year-old child in a car seat who was in a medium speed crash.
B.Alert 20-year-old male who fell 10 feet off of a ladder.
C. Alert 65-year-old female who fell in the bathtub and is complaining of wrist pain.
D. Alert 11-year-old female who tripped while roller skating and fell down three steps. - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅A. Alert 2-year-old child in a car seat who was in a medium speed crash.
The rapid trauma survey is used when you are unsure of the presence of hidden injuries or f the
mechanism of injury (MOI) is unclear or severe enough to suggest the need for a rapid assessment. A 2-
year-old child could be severely injured by a medium speed collision, even if he or she appears alert and
was properly restrained. The other choices do not represent MOIs considered to be high risk for hidden
injury.
Which of the following is a sign of increased pressure in the circulatory system?
A. Flat neck veins
B. Palpable carotid pulse
C. Distended jugular veins
D. Decreased radial pulse - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Distended jugular veins
A supine patient may or may not have jugular veins that are prominent enough to palpate. However,
even if the neck veins are normally present when an individual is supine, they will not be engorged with
blood and overly firm to the touch. This is what is meant by the phrase distended neck veins. Distended
neck veins (in any position) are a sign of increased circulatory pressure. The carotid pulse should always
be palpable. A decreased radial pulse may indicate hypovolemic shock or an injured extremity.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) will shock which if the following rhythms?
A. Sinus Rhythm
B. Asystole
C. Ventricular Fibrillation
D. Pulseless Electrical Activity - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅C. Ventricular Fibrillation
