Prehospital Emergent Care 11th, Chapter 11
Actual Exam (2025) comprehensive questions and
verified answers ( detailed & elaborated) 2025-2026
TEST
1) Emergency Medical Responders inform you that a 27-year-old male patient
with altered mental status has an open airway and is breathing 9 times every
30 seconds. His pulse rate is 40 beats/min, and he has bruises to his chest.
Based on this vital sign and presentation information, the EMT should
recognize the:
A) Respiratory rate as normal
B) Heart as beating adequately
C) Blood pressure as normal
D) Heart rate as irregular
A) Respiratory rate as normal
2) Which of these findings related to breathing would be most concerning to
the EMT in an adult patient?
A) Respiratory rate of 18, complaint of weakness
B) Respiratory rate of 22, normal chest wall expansion
C) Respiratory rate of 10, chest expansion of about 1 inch
D) Respiratory rate of 20, use of accessory muscles
D) Respiratory rate of 20, use of accessory muscles
3) Which of these statements made by your EMT partner indicates that he
understands assessment of a patient's breathing?
A) "As long as the patient is breathing more than 20 times per minute, he is
getting enough oxygen in his body."
B) "If the respiratory rate is normal, the patient is breathing adequately and
,getting enough oxygen."
C) "A rate less than 8 times per minute may allow adequate breathing, but
requires further evaluation and assessment."
D) "To determine if a patient is adequately breathing, the EMT must get a full
set of vital signs."
C) "A rate less than 8 times per minute may allow adequate breathing, but requires
further evaluation and assessment."
4) A family has called 911 for a 41-year-old male family member whom they
cannot wake up. They state he has been threatening to kill himself and believe
that he may have intentionally overdosed on his pain medications. As you
enter the patient's bedroom, you observe him supine on the floor with his eyes
closed. As he breathes, you hear snoring respirations. As a knowledgeable
EMT, you recognize that this condition is likely caused by:
A) The nasopharynx being blocked by mucus or heavy secretions
B) The airway swelling shut
C) The tongue partially blocking the airway
D) The respiratory rate being less than 10 breaths/min
C) The tongue partially blocking the airway
5) Which of these patient descriptions contains only vital signs?
A) Chief complaint of dizziness; skin, cool and clammy; respiratory rate, 16
breaths/min
B) Chief complaint of dizziness; BP, 110/76 mmHg; breath sounds, clear and
equal
C) Skin, warm and dry; heart rate, 74 beats/min; pupils equal and reactive
D) Heart rate, 88 beats/min; respiratory rate, 14 breaths/min; blood glucose
level, 98 mg/dL
C) Skin, warm and dry; heart rate, 74 beats/min; pupils equal and reactive
6) You are transporting a depressed patient who states that she is thinking of
killing herself by taking a "whole bunch of pills." After providing this
information, the patient has refused to speak and has remained silent. Your
physical assessment of the patient reveals she is stable. How often should
vital signs be reassessed?
A) Once at the scene and once en route to the ED
B) Only baseline vital signs are required
,C) Every 5 minutes
D) Every 15 minutes
D) Every 15 minutes
7) The EMT is correctly calculating a patient's respiratory rate when he or she:
A) Counts the number of breaths in 1 minute and divides by 4
B) Obtains a pulse oximetry reading and divides it by 3
C) Assesses the patient for any sign of respiratory difficulty
D) Counts the number of breaths for 30 seconds and multiplies by 2
D) Counts the number of breaths for 30 seconds and multiplies by 2
8) A young female patient has been stung by a bee and complains that her
"throat is closing up." She states that she is allergic to bee stings; the last
time this happened, she had to have a "tube put into my windpipe." She is
struggling to breathe and can speak only a few words at a time. Knowing that
allergic reactions can cause swelling in the pharynx and the larynx, what
airway sound would indicate that the patient indeed has swelling in this area?
A) Gurgling
B) Stridor
C) Snoring
D) Wheezing
B) Stridor
9) An EMT is correctly assessing a patient's radial pulse when he:
A) Uses the palm of his hand to feel the pulse on the upper arm
B) Simultaneously checks for a heart rate on both sides of the neck
C) Uses his thumb to feel for the pulse on the patient's lower arm, near the
base of the thumb
D) Uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse on the anterior and lateral aspects of
the patient's wrist
D) Uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse on the anterior and lateral aspects of the
patient's wrist
10) When assessing a patient's pulse, you note that it is irregular. To get an
accurate heart rate, you would:
A) Listen to the pulse with a stethoscope
B) Count the number of beats that occur in 1 minute
, C) Double the number of beats counted in 30 seconds
D) Feel the carotid pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by 2
B) Count the number of beats that occur in 1 minute
11) What is the name of the pulse that is palpated in the groin area?
A) Carotid
B) Inguinal
C) Pedal
D) Femoral
D) Femoral
12) You have been called to assess a conscious and alert 5-year-old child
whose chief complaint is nausea and vomiting over the last 2 hours. When
assessing his pulse, you should first check which pulse?
A) Brachial
B) Carotid
C) Pedal
D) Radial
D) Radial
13) You are assessing a 61-year-old male patient who is confused. During the
primary assessment, you cannot locate a radial pulse. Your immediate action
should be to:
A) Apply the AED
B) Call for ALS assistance
C) Check for a carotid pulse
D) Start CPR
C) Check for a carotid pulse
14) During the primary assessment of a geriatric patient complaining of
shortness of breath and fever, you quickly locate the radial pulse. What should
you do next?
A) Assess the patient's breathing
B) Obtain a blood pressure
C) Determine the rate and quality of the pulse
D) Establish the patient's level of consciousness
C) Determine the rate and quality of the pulse
Actual Exam (2025) comprehensive questions and
verified answers ( detailed & elaborated) 2025-2026
TEST
1) Emergency Medical Responders inform you that a 27-year-old male patient
with altered mental status has an open airway and is breathing 9 times every
30 seconds. His pulse rate is 40 beats/min, and he has bruises to his chest.
Based on this vital sign and presentation information, the EMT should
recognize the:
A) Respiratory rate as normal
B) Heart as beating adequately
C) Blood pressure as normal
D) Heart rate as irregular
A) Respiratory rate as normal
2) Which of these findings related to breathing would be most concerning to
the EMT in an adult patient?
A) Respiratory rate of 18, complaint of weakness
B) Respiratory rate of 22, normal chest wall expansion
C) Respiratory rate of 10, chest expansion of about 1 inch
D) Respiratory rate of 20, use of accessory muscles
D) Respiratory rate of 20, use of accessory muscles
3) Which of these statements made by your EMT partner indicates that he
understands assessment of a patient's breathing?
A) "As long as the patient is breathing more than 20 times per minute, he is
getting enough oxygen in his body."
B) "If the respiratory rate is normal, the patient is breathing adequately and
,getting enough oxygen."
C) "A rate less than 8 times per minute may allow adequate breathing, but
requires further evaluation and assessment."
D) "To determine if a patient is adequately breathing, the EMT must get a full
set of vital signs."
C) "A rate less than 8 times per minute may allow adequate breathing, but requires
further evaluation and assessment."
4) A family has called 911 for a 41-year-old male family member whom they
cannot wake up. They state he has been threatening to kill himself and believe
that he may have intentionally overdosed on his pain medications. As you
enter the patient's bedroom, you observe him supine on the floor with his eyes
closed. As he breathes, you hear snoring respirations. As a knowledgeable
EMT, you recognize that this condition is likely caused by:
A) The nasopharynx being blocked by mucus or heavy secretions
B) The airway swelling shut
C) The tongue partially blocking the airway
D) The respiratory rate being less than 10 breaths/min
C) The tongue partially blocking the airway
5) Which of these patient descriptions contains only vital signs?
A) Chief complaint of dizziness; skin, cool and clammy; respiratory rate, 16
breaths/min
B) Chief complaint of dizziness; BP, 110/76 mmHg; breath sounds, clear and
equal
C) Skin, warm and dry; heart rate, 74 beats/min; pupils equal and reactive
D) Heart rate, 88 beats/min; respiratory rate, 14 breaths/min; blood glucose
level, 98 mg/dL
C) Skin, warm and dry; heart rate, 74 beats/min; pupils equal and reactive
6) You are transporting a depressed patient who states that she is thinking of
killing herself by taking a "whole bunch of pills." After providing this
information, the patient has refused to speak and has remained silent. Your
physical assessment of the patient reveals she is stable. How often should
vital signs be reassessed?
A) Once at the scene and once en route to the ED
B) Only baseline vital signs are required
,C) Every 5 minutes
D) Every 15 minutes
D) Every 15 minutes
7) The EMT is correctly calculating a patient's respiratory rate when he or she:
A) Counts the number of breaths in 1 minute and divides by 4
B) Obtains a pulse oximetry reading and divides it by 3
C) Assesses the patient for any sign of respiratory difficulty
D) Counts the number of breaths for 30 seconds and multiplies by 2
D) Counts the number of breaths for 30 seconds and multiplies by 2
8) A young female patient has been stung by a bee and complains that her
"throat is closing up." She states that she is allergic to bee stings; the last
time this happened, she had to have a "tube put into my windpipe." She is
struggling to breathe and can speak only a few words at a time. Knowing that
allergic reactions can cause swelling in the pharynx and the larynx, what
airway sound would indicate that the patient indeed has swelling in this area?
A) Gurgling
B) Stridor
C) Snoring
D) Wheezing
B) Stridor
9) An EMT is correctly assessing a patient's radial pulse when he:
A) Uses the palm of his hand to feel the pulse on the upper arm
B) Simultaneously checks for a heart rate on both sides of the neck
C) Uses his thumb to feel for the pulse on the patient's lower arm, near the
base of the thumb
D) Uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse on the anterior and lateral aspects of
the patient's wrist
D) Uses his fingertips to feel for a pulse on the anterior and lateral aspects of the
patient's wrist
10) When assessing a patient's pulse, you note that it is irregular. To get an
accurate heart rate, you would:
A) Listen to the pulse with a stethoscope
B) Count the number of beats that occur in 1 minute
, C) Double the number of beats counted in 30 seconds
D) Feel the carotid pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by 2
B) Count the number of beats that occur in 1 minute
11) What is the name of the pulse that is palpated in the groin area?
A) Carotid
B) Inguinal
C) Pedal
D) Femoral
D) Femoral
12) You have been called to assess a conscious and alert 5-year-old child
whose chief complaint is nausea and vomiting over the last 2 hours. When
assessing his pulse, you should first check which pulse?
A) Brachial
B) Carotid
C) Pedal
D) Radial
D) Radial
13) You are assessing a 61-year-old male patient who is confused. During the
primary assessment, you cannot locate a radial pulse. Your immediate action
should be to:
A) Apply the AED
B) Call for ALS assistance
C) Check for a carotid pulse
D) Start CPR
C) Check for a carotid pulse
14) During the primary assessment of a geriatric patient complaining of
shortness of breath and fever, you quickly locate the radial pulse. What should
you do next?
A) Assess the patient's breathing
B) Obtain a blood pressure
C) Determine the rate and quality of the pulse
D) Establish the patient's level of consciousness
C) Determine the rate and quality of the pulse
