WEST COAST EMT BLOCK EXAM
A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped
before you arrived at the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your
questions appropriately, and refuses EMS transport. Which of the following would be
the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of transport?
Select one:
A. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is 15
B. His wife states that this was his "usual" seizure
C. He has experienced seizures since he was 20
D. He is currently not prescribed any medications - ANSWER D. He is currently
not prescribed any medications
A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for thrombolytic
(fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:
Select one:
A. has had a prior heart attack.
B. has bleeding within the brain.
C. has a GCS score that is less than 8.
D. is older than 60 years of age. - ANSWER B. has bleeding within the brain.
A patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:
Select one:
A. paraplegia.
B. dysphagia.
C. dysarthria.
D. aphasia. - ANSWER C. dysarthria.
A patient with an altered mental status is:
Select one:
A. typically alert but is confused as to preceding events.
B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
C. usually able to be aroused with a painful stimulus.
D. completely unresponsive to all forms of stimuli. - ANSWER B. not thinking
clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female, you should:
Select one:
A. insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assist ventilations.
B. ask family members if the patient has a history of stroke.
C. immediately determine the patient's blood glucose level.
D. ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed. - ANSWER D.
ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed.
Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
,A. an embolism.
B. cerebral vasodilation.
C. a thrombus.
D. an acute arterial rupture. - ANSWER B. cerebral vasodilation.
The left cerebral hemisphere controls:
Select one:
A. heart rate and pupil reaction.
B. the right side of the face.
C. breathing and blood pressure.
D. the right side of the body. - ANSWER D. the right side of the body.
The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:
Select one:
A. diabetes mellitus.
B. hypertension.
C. heavy exertion.
D. severe stress. - ANSWER B. hypertension.
The three major parts of the brain are the:
Select one:
A. midbrain, cerebellum, and spinal cord.
B. brain stem, midbrain, and spinal cord.
C. cerebellum, medulla, and occiput.
D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. - ANSWER D. cerebrum, cerebellum,
and brain stem.
When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:
Select one:
A. ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
B. expect to see one arm slowly drift down to the patient's side.
C. observe movement of the arms for approximately 2 minutes.
D. ask the patient to hold his or her arms up with the palms down. - ANSWER A.
ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
When caring for a patient with documented hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert
for:
Select one:
A. a seizure.
B. respiratory distress.
C. an acute stroke.
D. a febrile convulsion. - ANSWER A. a seizure.
When you are obtaining medical history from the family of a suspected stroke
patient, it is MOST important to determine:
Select one:
A. if the patient has been hospitalized before.
B. if there is a family history of a stroke.
C. when the patient last appeared normal.
,D. the patient's overall medication compliance. - ANSWER C. when the patient
last appeared normal.
Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and
symptoms of a stroke?
Select one:
A. Intracranial bleeding
B. A postictal state
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Hypovolemia - ANSWER D. Hypovolemia
Which of the following conditions would MOST likely affect the entire brain?
Select one:
A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
B. Ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe
C. Blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe
D. Reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere - ANSWER A. Respiratory failure
or cardiopulmonary arrest
Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure?
Select one:
A. A generalized seizure without incontinence
B. A seizure that causes the patient to stare blankly
C. A seizure that begins in one extremity
D. A seizure that is not preceded by an aura - ANSWER C. A seizure that begins
in one extremity
Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience
during the postictal state that follows a seizure?
Select one:
A. A gradually decreasing level of consciousness
B. A rapidly improving level of consciousness
C. Hyperventilation and hypersalivation
D. Confusion and fatigue - ANSWER D. Confusion and fatigue
Which of the following symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's
headache is caused by sinus congestion?
Select one:
A. The headache began suddenly
B. There is associated neck stiffness
C. There is numbness in the extremities
D. The pain is worse when bending over - ANSWER D. The pain is worse when
bending over
You are caring for a 68-year-old man with sudden onset of left-sided paralysis and
slurred speech. His airway is patent, his respirations are 14 breaths/min with
adequate depth, and his oxygen saturation is 98%. Treatment for this patient should
include:
Select one:
A. recovery position and transport.
, B. oral glucose gel and transport.
C. high-flow oxygen and transport.
D. ventilatory assistance and transport. - ANSWER A. recovery position and
transport.
You respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the
scene, you enter the residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old
male. The child is conscious and crying. According to the mother, the child had been
running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that lasted approximately 3
minutes. You should:
Select one:
A. call medical control and request permission to give the child aspirin.
B. transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.
C. advise the mother to take her child to the doctor the following day.
D. cover the child with wet towels and give oxygen via nasal cannula. - ANSWER
B. transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.
Your patient opens his eyes, moans, and pulls away from you when you pinch his
trapezius muscle. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:
Select one:
A. 7.
B. 9.
C. 8.
D. 6. - ANSWER C. 8.
A 29-year-old pregnant woman has had severe vomiting for the last 2 days. Today,
she is vomiting large amounts of blood. Her skin is cool and pale and she is
tachycardic. The EMT should suspect:
Select one:
A. Mallory-Weiss tear.
B. esophagitis.
C. esophageal varices.
D. acute pancreatitis. - ANSWER A. Mallory-Weiss tear.
A 30-year-old woman with a history of alcoholism presents with severe upper
abdominal pain and is vomiting large amounts of bright red blood. Her skin is cool,
pale, and clammy; her heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak; and her blood pressure
is 70/50 mm Hg. Your MOST immediate action should be to:
Select one:
A. rapidly transport her to the hospital.
B. give her high-flow supplemental oxygen.
C. protect her airway from aspiration.
D. keep her supine and keep her warm. - ANSWER C. protect her airway from
aspiration.
A 47-year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain of 3 hours' duration. His
abdomen is distended and guarded. Your MOST important consideration for this
patient should be to:
Select one:
A. be alert for signs and symptoms of shock.
A 30-year-old male experienced a generalized (tonic-clonic) seizure, which stopped
before you arrived at the scene. The patient is conscious, is answering your
questions appropriately, and refuses EMS transport. Which of the following would be
the MOST compelling reason to disagree with his refusal of transport?
Select one:
A. His Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score is 15
B. His wife states that this was his "usual" seizure
C. He has experienced seizures since he was 20
D. He is currently not prescribed any medications - ANSWER D. He is currently
not prescribed any medications
A patient who is possibly experiencing a stroke is NOT eligible for thrombolytic
(fibrinolytic) therapy if he or she:
Select one:
A. has had a prior heart attack.
B. has bleeding within the brain.
C. has a GCS score that is less than 8.
D. is older than 60 years of age. - ANSWER B. has bleeding within the brain.
A patient whose speech is slurred and difficult to understand is experiencing:
Select one:
A. paraplegia.
B. dysphagia.
C. dysarthria.
D. aphasia. - ANSWER C. dysarthria.
A patient with an altered mental status is:
Select one:
A. typically alert but is confused as to preceding events.
B. not thinking clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
C. usually able to be aroused with a painful stimulus.
D. completely unresponsive to all forms of stimuli. - ANSWER B. not thinking
clearly or is incapable of being aroused.
During the primary assessment of a semiconscious 70-year-old female, you should:
Select one:
A. insert a nasopharyngeal airway and assist ventilations.
B. ask family members if the patient has a history of stroke.
C. immediately determine the patient's blood glucose level.
D. ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed. - ANSWER D.
ensure a patent airway and support ventilation as needed.
Interruption of cerebral blood flow may result from all of the following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
,A. an embolism.
B. cerebral vasodilation.
C. a thrombus.
D. an acute arterial rupture. - ANSWER B. cerebral vasodilation.
The left cerebral hemisphere controls:
Select one:
A. heart rate and pupil reaction.
B. the right side of the face.
C. breathing and blood pressure.
D. the right side of the body. - ANSWER D. the right side of the body.
The MOST significant risk factor for a hemorrhagic stroke is:
Select one:
A. diabetes mellitus.
B. hypertension.
C. heavy exertion.
D. severe stress. - ANSWER B. hypertension.
The three major parts of the brain are the:
Select one:
A. midbrain, cerebellum, and spinal cord.
B. brain stem, midbrain, and spinal cord.
C. cerebellum, medulla, and occiput.
D. cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. - ANSWER D. cerebrum, cerebellum,
and brain stem.
When assessing for arm drift of a patient with a suspected stroke, you should:
Select one:
A. ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
B. expect to see one arm slowly drift down to the patient's side.
C. observe movement of the arms for approximately 2 minutes.
D. ask the patient to hold his or her arms up with the palms down. - ANSWER A.
ask the patient to close his or her eyes during the assessment.
When caring for a patient with documented hypoglycemia, you should be MOST alert
for:
Select one:
A. a seizure.
B. respiratory distress.
C. an acute stroke.
D. a febrile convulsion. - ANSWER A. a seizure.
When you are obtaining medical history from the family of a suspected stroke
patient, it is MOST important to determine:
Select one:
A. if the patient has been hospitalized before.
B. if there is a family history of a stroke.
C. when the patient last appeared normal.
,D. the patient's overall medication compliance. - ANSWER C. when the patient
last appeared normal.
Which of the following conditions would be the LEAST likely to mimic the signs and
symptoms of a stroke?
Select one:
A. Intracranial bleeding
B. A postictal state
C. Hypoglycemia
D. Hypovolemia - ANSWER D. Hypovolemia
Which of the following conditions would MOST likely affect the entire brain?
Select one:
A. Respiratory failure or cardiopulmonary arrest
B. Ruptured cerebral artery in the occipital lobe
C. Blocked cerebral artery in the frontal lobe
D. Reduced blood supply to the left hemisphere - ANSWER A. Respiratory failure
or cardiopulmonary arrest
Which of the following MOST accurately describes a simple partial seizure?
Select one:
A. A generalized seizure without incontinence
B. A seizure that causes the patient to stare blankly
C. A seizure that begins in one extremity
D. A seizure that is not preceded by an aura - ANSWER C. A seizure that begins
in one extremity
Which of the following MOST accurately describes what the patient will experience
during the postictal state that follows a seizure?
Select one:
A. A gradually decreasing level of consciousness
B. A rapidly improving level of consciousness
C. Hyperventilation and hypersalivation
D. Confusion and fatigue - ANSWER D. Confusion and fatigue
Which of the following symptoms would lead the EMT to believe that a patient's
headache is caused by sinus congestion?
Select one:
A. The headache began suddenly
B. There is associated neck stiffness
C. There is numbness in the extremities
D. The pain is worse when bending over - ANSWER D. The pain is worse when
bending over
You are caring for a 68-year-old man with sudden onset of left-sided paralysis and
slurred speech. His airway is patent, his respirations are 14 breaths/min with
adequate depth, and his oxygen saturation is 98%. Treatment for this patient should
include:
Select one:
A. recovery position and transport.
, B. oral glucose gel and transport.
C. high-flow oxygen and transport.
D. ventilatory assistance and transport. - ANSWER A. recovery position and
transport.
You respond to a residence for a child who is having a seizure. Upon arrival at the
scene, you enter the residence and find the mother holding her child, a 2-year-old
male. The child is conscious and crying. According to the mother, the child had been
running a high fever and then experienced a seizure that lasted approximately 3
minutes. You should:
Select one:
A. call medical control and request permission to give the child aspirin.
B. transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.
C. advise the mother to take her child to the doctor the following day.
D. cover the child with wet towels and give oxygen via nasal cannula. - ANSWER
B. transport the child to the hospital and reassure the mother en route.
Your patient opens his eyes, moans, and pulls away from you when you pinch his
trapezius muscle. You should assign a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of:
Select one:
A. 7.
B. 9.
C. 8.
D. 6. - ANSWER C. 8.
A 29-year-old pregnant woman has had severe vomiting for the last 2 days. Today,
she is vomiting large amounts of blood. Her skin is cool and pale and she is
tachycardic. The EMT should suspect:
Select one:
A. Mallory-Weiss tear.
B. esophagitis.
C. esophageal varices.
D. acute pancreatitis. - ANSWER A. Mallory-Weiss tear.
A 30-year-old woman with a history of alcoholism presents with severe upper
abdominal pain and is vomiting large amounts of bright red blood. Her skin is cool,
pale, and clammy; her heart rate is 120 beats/min and weak; and her blood pressure
is 70/50 mm Hg. Your MOST immediate action should be to:
Select one:
A. rapidly transport her to the hospital.
B. give her high-flow supplemental oxygen.
C. protect her airway from aspiration.
D. keep her supine and keep her warm. - ANSWER C. protect her airway from
aspiration.
A 47-year-old male presents with severe abdominal pain of 3 hours' duration. His
abdomen is distended and guarded. Your MOST important consideration for this
patient should be to:
Select one:
A. be alert for signs and symptoms of shock.
