TEST BANK For Prehospital Emergency Care 11th Edition By
Joseph J. Mistovich, Keith J. Karren
1) Immediately following the onset of cardiac arrest, brain cells begin to die after:
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes
D) 15 minutes - ANSWER:B) 5 minutes
2) Resuscitation, when started during which phase of cardiac arrest, provides the
patient with the best chance of survival?
A) Circulatory
B) Metabolic
C) Electrical
D) Bradycardic - ANSWER:C) Electrical
3) A patient arrests at 1313 hours. E-911 is activated and dispatches an ambulance at
1315 hours. The ambulance arrives on scene at 1319 hours, and the EMTs reach the
patient's side and start care at 1321 hours. After transporting the patient, the patient
is transferred to the ED staff at 1346 hours. Based on that information, which of
these statements would be considered correct?
A) Down time is 8 minutes
B) Total down time is 31 minutes
C) Down time is 25 minutes
D) Total down time is 6 minutes - ANSWER:A) Down time is 8 minutes
4) You have been asked to describe the American Heart Association's Chain of
Survival to a group of Emergency Medical Responder students. Which of these is the
best description of this concept?
A) A sequence of care that provides instructions on how to use an AED
B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of
surviving cardiac arrest
C) A treatment plan that helps to prevent and treat cardiac arrest in the general
population
D) A treatment plan, that if followed, almost guarantees the survival of a patient
with cardiac arrest - ANSWER:B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives
the patient the best chance of surviving cardiac arrest
5) When presenting information on cardiac arrest and automated external
defibrillation to a community group, a man asks why people should perform CPR
prior to the arrival of EMS if the EMS responders will provide a shock after they
arrive. Your response would be:
A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which the heart can be successfully
shocked into a perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
,B) "In many cases, CPR can reverse the cardiac arrest, making a shock by the AED
unnecessary since the shock may further damage the heart."
C) "In the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival, CPR is the most important
link in surviving cardiac arrest that occurs outside the hospital."
D) "CPR is needed to keep blood flowing through the body so the EMTs can give the
patient IV medications when they arrive." - ANSWER:A) "Immediate CPR can prolong
the period in which the heart can be successfully shocked into a perfusing rhythm
following cardiac arrest."
6) Which cardiac arrest rhythm is the AED designed to shock?
A) Asystole
B) Pulseless electrical activity
C) Ventricular fibrillation
D) Bradycardia - ANSWER:C) Ventricular fibrillation
7) The EMT should request advanced life support (ALS) backup for a patient in
cardiac arrest because:
A) Paramedics must be present for the EMT to use the AED
B) Patients with cardiac arrest must be transported by ALS personnel
C) ALS care is superior to basic life support care, even when the AED is available
D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac
arrest once successful defibrillation has occurred - ANSWER:D) ALS treatment
decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac arrest once successful
defibrillation has occurred
8) The AED should never be applied to a patient who is not in cardiac arrest because
some patients in:
A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
B) Ventricular fibrillation may still be conscious and alert
C) Ventricular fibrillation may still have a pulse
D) Asystole may still have a pulse - ANSWER:A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have
a pulse
9) Which of these is considered a benefit of the automated external defibrillator?
A) The ease and speed with which it can be used
B) Elimination of the need for a primary assessment
C) Its ability to identify and confirm cardiac arrest
D) The need for little-to-no CPR training to use the device - ANSWER:A) The ease and
speed with which it can be used
10) Which link of the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival must occur first,
if a patient is to survive cardiac arrest?
A) Early CPR
B) Early defibrillation
C) Early activation
D) Early advanced life support - ANSWER:C) Early activation
, 11) A patient goes into cardiac arrest at 11:40 a.m. Which of these treatments gives
the patient the best chance for recovery?
A) CPR at 11:42 a.m. and advanced cardiac drugs at 11:48 a.m.
B) Defibrillation at 11:46 a.m., followed by ALS (ACLS) at 11:51 a.m.
C) CPR at 11:41 a.m. and defibrillation at 11:43 a.m.
D) Defibrillation at 11:44 a.m., followed by CPR at 11:49 a.m. - ANSWER:C) CPR at
11:41 a.m. and defibrillation at 11:43
12) Why is defibrillation in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest so critical?
A) If cardiac arrest is not treated within the first few minutes, ventricular fibrillation
will convert to asystole, a nonshockable heart rhythm
B) Research has shown that a heart in cardiac arrest will continue to pump blood for
a few minutes before cardiac output drops to zero
C) In the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, the blood pressure is still normal, but will
drop quickly, making successful defibrillation less likely
D) In the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, the heart is still warm, but it begins to
cool rapidly, which makes it less receptive to a defibrillatory shock - ANSWER:A) If
cardiac arrest is not treated within the first few minutes, ventricular fibrillation will
convert to asystole, a nonshockable heart rhythm
13) Which of these statements about the heart rhythm of ventricular fibrillation is
true?
A) Ventricular fibrillation occurs when the heart rate is so slow and weak that a pulse
cannot be felt
B) When a patient's heart is in ventricular fibrillation, it is unable to pump blood
throughout the body
C) The most effective treatment for converting ventricular fibrillation to a normal
heart rhythm is CPR
D) The AED is designed to identify ventricular tachycardia and give a "no shock
advised" message when it is present - ANSWER:B) When a patient's heart is in
ventricular fibrillation, it is unable to pump blood throughout the body
14) A patient has just gone into cardiac arrest. His heart is most likely in which
rhythm?
A) Ventricular fibrillation
B) Ventricular asystole
C) Ventricular tachycardia
D) Ventricular PEA - ANSWER:A) Ventricular fibrillation
15) Within 2 minutes of going into cardiac arrest, an AED is applied, the patient is
shocked, and a pulse is restored. The EMT should recognize that the patient's heart
was in:
A) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in cardiac arrest
B) Asystole and now is in an organized rhythm
C) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in an organized rhythm
D) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in asystole - ANSWER:C) Ventricular fibrillation
and now is in an organized rhythm
Joseph J. Mistovich, Keith J. Karren
1) Immediately following the onset of cardiac arrest, brain cells begin to die after:
A) 1 minute
B) 5 minutes
C) 10 minutes
D) 15 minutes - ANSWER:B) 5 minutes
2) Resuscitation, when started during which phase of cardiac arrest, provides the
patient with the best chance of survival?
A) Circulatory
B) Metabolic
C) Electrical
D) Bradycardic - ANSWER:C) Electrical
3) A patient arrests at 1313 hours. E-911 is activated and dispatches an ambulance at
1315 hours. The ambulance arrives on scene at 1319 hours, and the EMTs reach the
patient's side and start care at 1321 hours. After transporting the patient, the patient
is transferred to the ED staff at 1346 hours. Based on that information, which of
these statements would be considered correct?
A) Down time is 8 minutes
B) Total down time is 31 minutes
C) Down time is 25 minutes
D) Total down time is 6 minutes - ANSWER:A) Down time is 8 minutes
4) You have been asked to describe the American Heart Association's Chain of
Survival to a group of Emergency Medical Responder students. Which of these is the
best description of this concept?
A) A sequence of care that provides instructions on how to use an AED
B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives the patient the best chance of
surviving cardiac arrest
C) A treatment plan that helps to prevent and treat cardiac arrest in the general
population
D) A treatment plan, that if followed, almost guarantees the survival of a patient
with cardiac arrest - ANSWER:B) A sequence of events that, if enacted quickly, gives
the patient the best chance of surviving cardiac arrest
5) When presenting information on cardiac arrest and automated external
defibrillation to a community group, a man asks why people should perform CPR
prior to the arrival of EMS if the EMS responders will provide a shock after they
arrive. Your response would be:
A) "Immediate CPR can prolong the period in which the heart can be successfully
shocked into a perfusing rhythm following cardiac arrest."
,B) "In many cases, CPR can reverse the cardiac arrest, making a shock by the AED
unnecessary since the shock may further damage the heart."
C) "In the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival, CPR is the most important
link in surviving cardiac arrest that occurs outside the hospital."
D) "CPR is needed to keep blood flowing through the body so the EMTs can give the
patient IV medications when they arrive." - ANSWER:A) "Immediate CPR can prolong
the period in which the heart can be successfully shocked into a perfusing rhythm
following cardiac arrest."
6) Which cardiac arrest rhythm is the AED designed to shock?
A) Asystole
B) Pulseless electrical activity
C) Ventricular fibrillation
D) Bradycardia - ANSWER:C) Ventricular fibrillation
7) The EMT should request advanced life support (ALS) backup for a patient in
cardiac arrest because:
A) Paramedics must be present for the EMT to use the AED
B) Patients with cardiac arrest must be transported by ALS personnel
C) ALS care is superior to basic life support care, even when the AED is available
D) ALS treatment decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac
arrest once successful defibrillation has occurred - ANSWER:D) ALS treatment
decreases the possibility of the patient going back into cardiac arrest once successful
defibrillation has occurred
8) The AED should never be applied to a patient who is not in cardiac arrest because
some patients in:
A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have a pulse
B) Ventricular fibrillation may still be conscious and alert
C) Ventricular fibrillation may still have a pulse
D) Asystole may still have a pulse - ANSWER:A) Ventricular tachycardia may still have
a pulse
9) Which of these is considered a benefit of the automated external defibrillator?
A) The ease and speed with which it can be used
B) Elimination of the need for a primary assessment
C) Its ability to identify and confirm cardiac arrest
D) The need for little-to-no CPR training to use the device - ANSWER:A) The ease and
speed with which it can be used
10) Which link of the American Heart Association's Chain of Survival must occur first,
if a patient is to survive cardiac arrest?
A) Early CPR
B) Early defibrillation
C) Early activation
D) Early advanced life support - ANSWER:C) Early activation
, 11) A patient goes into cardiac arrest at 11:40 a.m. Which of these treatments gives
the patient the best chance for recovery?
A) CPR at 11:42 a.m. and advanced cardiac drugs at 11:48 a.m.
B) Defibrillation at 11:46 a.m., followed by ALS (ACLS) at 11:51 a.m.
C) CPR at 11:41 a.m. and defibrillation at 11:43 a.m.
D) Defibrillation at 11:44 a.m., followed by CPR at 11:49 a.m. - ANSWER:C) CPR at
11:41 a.m. and defibrillation at 11:43
12) Why is defibrillation in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest so critical?
A) If cardiac arrest is not treated within the first few minutes, ventricular fibrillation
will convert to asystole, a nonshockable heart rhythm
B) Research has shown that a heart in cardiac arrest will continue to pump blood for
a few minutes before cardiac output drops to zero
C) In the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, the blood pressure is still normal, but will
drop quickly, making successful defibrillation less likely
D) In the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, the heart is still warm, but it begins to
cool rapidly, which makes it less receptive to a defibrillatory shock - ANSWER:A) If
cardiac arrest is not treated within the first few minutes, ventricular fibrillation will
convert to asystole, a nonshockable heart rhythm
13) Which of these statements about the heart rhythm of ventricular fibrillation is
true?
A) Ventricular fibrillation occurs when the heart rate is so slow and weak that a pulse
cannot be felt
B) When a patient's heart is in ventricular fibrillation, it is unable to pump blood
throughout the body
C) The most effective treatment for converting ventricular fibrillation to a normal
heart rhythm is CPR
D) The AED is designed to identify ventricular tachycardia and give a "no shock
advised" message when it is present - ANSWER:B) When a patient's heart is in
ventricular fibrillation, it is unable to pump blood throughout the body
14) A patient has just gone into cardiac arrest. His heart is most likely in which
rhythm?
A) Ventricular fibrillation
B) Ventricular asystole
C) Ventricular tachycardia
D) Ventricular PEA - ANSWER:A) Ventricular fibrillation
15) Within 2 minutes of going into cardiac arrest, an AED is applied, the patient is
shocked, and a pulse is restored. The EMT should recognize that the patient's heart
was in:
A) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in cardiac arrest
B) Asystole and now is in an organized rhythm
C) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in an organized rhythm
D) Ventricular fibrillation and now is in asystole - ANSWER:C) Ventricular fibrillation
and now is in an organized rhythm
