NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
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:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: 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. In either case,
the patient presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred
speech, weakness, altered mental status). Both conditions may lead to
permanent brain damage or death if not treated promptly.
,NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
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 You
selected C; This is correct!
Reason: 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
supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the
patient.
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.
,NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. - Correct Answer You
selected B; This is correct!
Reason: 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. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer
because patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind
panic and will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it
means forcing the rescuer underwater.
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
, NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise - Correct Answer The correct answer is B;
Reason: 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.
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
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
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:both oxygen and glucose are needed for brain function.
Reason: 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. In either case,
the patient presents with signs of impaired brain function (ie, slurred
speech, weakness, altered mental status). Both conditions may lead to
permanent brain damage or death if not treated promptly.
,NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
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 You
selected C; This is correct!
Reason: 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
supercede your own safety or interfere with safely transporting the
patient.
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.
,NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
• B:reaching for the victim with a long stick.
• C:throwing a rope to the victim.
• D:swimming to the victim to rescue him. - Correct Answer You
selected B; This is correct!
Reason: 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. The rescuer must be a strong swimmer
because patients who are in danger of drowning are in a state of blind
panic and will make every attempt to keep themselves afloat, even if it
means forcing the rescuer underwater.
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
, NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice Exam Questions and Answers
• B:Altered mental status
• C:Respiratory emergency
• D:Cardiac compromise - Correct Answer The correct answer is B;
Reason: 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.
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
