EMT Practice: Systems, Safety and Care Part 2
Quick-reference flashcards summarizing foundational EMT knowledge—from HIPAA and NREMT to patient advocacy and field safety. Great for students, new EMTs, or certification review.
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a middle-aged female in cardiac arrest. Because of the remote geographic location, you are unable to contact medical control. What should you do?
-ask the husband if he wants to continue resuscitation
-make continuous attempts to contact medical control
-follow locally established protocols or standing orders
-perform CPR only and initiate immediate transport
follow locally established protocols or standing orders
Key Terms
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a middle-aged female in cardiac arrest. Because of the remote geographic location, you are unable to contact medical control. What should you do?
-ask the husband if he wants to continue resuscitation
-make continuous attempts to contact medical control
-follow locally established protocols or standing orders
-perform CPR only and initiate immediate transport
follow locally established protocols or standing orders
During your assessment of a 20-year-old man with a severe headache and nausea, you ask him when his headache began, but he does not answer your question immediately. You should:
-ask him if he frequently experiences severe headaches and nausea
-allow him time to think about the question and respond to it
-tell him that you cannot help him unless he answers your questions
-repeat your question because he probably did not hear you
allow him time to think about the question and respond to it
Which of the following incidents does NOT require a report to be filed with local authorities?
-gunshot wounds
-animal bites
-cardiac arrest
-spousal abuse
cardiac arrest
After receiving online orders from medical control to perform a patient care interventiom, you should:
-perform the intervention as ordered
-confirm the order in your own words
-repeat the order to medical control word for word
-ask the physician to repeat the order
repeat the order to medical control word for word
Which of the following statements regarding a "dedicated line" is correct?
-it is a frequency that is used exclusively by EMTs to communicate with one another in the field
-it is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users
-it is a designed frequency on a portable radio that provides direct access to medical control
-it is a constantly open line of communication that is under exclusive control of a single user
it is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users
A 4-year-old boy had an apparent seizure. He is conscious and calm and is sitting on his mother's lap. His father is sitting in a nearby chair. The child's mother suddenly begins crying uncontrollably, which causes the child to start crying. You should:
-reassure the child's mother that seizures in children are very common and that there is nothing to worry about
-give the child a favorite toy or blanket to hold onto and perform your assessment to the best of your ability
-attempt to calm the child's mother, but avoid separating her from the child because this will increase her anxiety
-ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother
ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
You and your partner arrive at the scene of a middle-aged female in cardiac arrest. Because of the remote geographic location, you are unable to contact medical control. What should you do? | follow locally established protocols or standing orders |
During your assessment of a 20-year-old man with a severe headache and nausea, you ask him when his headache began, but he does not answer your question immediately. You should: | allow him time to think about the question and respond to it |
Which of the following incidents does NOT require a report to be filed with local authorities? | cardiac arrest |
After receiving online orders from medical control to perform a patient care interventiom, you should: | repeat the order to medical control word for word |
Which of the following statements regarding a "dedicated line" is correct? | it is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users |
A 4-year-old boy had an apparent seizure. He is conscious and calm and is sitting on his mother's lap. His father is sitting in a nearby chair. The child's mother suddenly begins crying uncontrollably, which causes the child to start crying. You should: | ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother |
You are transporting a 54-year-old male in respiratory arrest. An EMR is driving the ambulance as you and your partner are caring for the patient. Which of the following is the MOST logical way of notifying the hospital? | have the driver contact dispatch and relay the patient information to the hospital |
You could be sued for ___________ if your radio report to the hospital describes the patient in a manner that injures his or her reputation. | slander |
You are dispatched to the residence of an Asian family for a child with a high fever. When you assess the child, you note that he has numerous red marks on his back. The child's parents explain that these marks represent coining—a traditional Asain healing practice in which hot coins are rubbed on the back. You should: | document this finding on your patient care report and advise the emergency department staff of what the child's parents told you |
Which of the following has the weakest transmission signal and, as a result, is LEAST likely to be heard by the party being called? | hand-held portable radio |
As you radio the hospital to give a report on your patient, which of the following should you do? | remain objective and impartial |
After you submit the electronic PCR for a call, you realize that you accidentally documented the wrong vital signs. What should you do? | follow your agency's directions for making an amendment |
What is therapeutic communication? | verbal and nonverbal communication techniques that encourage patients to express their feelings and to achieve a positive relationship |
Radio hardware containing a transmitter and receiver that is located in a fixed location is known as what? | base station |
When a person considers his or her own cultural values as more important when interacting with people of a different culture, what is this referred to? | ethnicentrism |
Encouraging this patient to provide more information about his injury is an example of which therapeutic communication technique? | facilitation |
Which of the following is included in the narrative section in a PCR? | refusal of care |
If you discover an error as you are writing your PCR, what should you do? | draw a single horizontal line through the error, initial it, and write the correct information next to it |
What type of mode does an interoperable communications system use? | voice-over-Internet-protocol |
What should you do if a patient refuses treatment or transport? | contact medical control |
Which of the following suffixes mean "two"? | "dipl-" and "bi-" |
The topographic term used to describe the location of body parts that are closer toward the midline of the body is: | medial |
The term "pericardiocentesis" means: | the removal of fluid from around the heart |
You are transporting a 67-year-old female patient to the hospital for investigation of abdominal pain. The patient care record indicates that the patient has a history of AAA. Based on this information, the patient care record includes an abbreviation for: | abdominal aortic aneurysm |
After applying a tourniquet, the injury from a patient's leg stops bleeding. This is called: | hemostasis |
Which of the following suffixes mean "pertaining to"? | "-al" and "-ic" |
"Gastro" in the word "gastroenteritis" means: | stomach |
An intoxicated 40-year-old male is found lying face down. How would you document his body's position? | prone |
A patient has fractured both femurs. Anatomically, these injuries would be described as being: | bilateral |
The meaning "around" can have which of the following prefixes? | "peri-" and "circum-" |
You are dispatched to a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Upon your arrival, you find a 17-year-old male patient lying face down on the ground. What is the term for the position in which you found the patient? | prone |
What is the root word for pain? | alges |
What term describes when only one lung is expanding with inhalation? | unilateral chest expansion |
Your partner makes the following symbol in a PCR: | change |
How would you identify a patient who does not have any apparent allergies? | NKA |
What is the medical term for coughing up blood? | hemoptysis |
What should you do when trying to define the term dysuria? | begin with the suffix, move the the prefix, then to the root word |
In general, which of the following does a prefix describe? | location and intensity |
What is adduction? | motion of a limb toward the midline |
motion of a limb toward the midline | weakness |
Capillary sphincter closure during internal or external bleeding is detrimental because: | waste products are not removed and nutrients are not delivered to the cells |
What is the function of platelets? | Initial formation of a blood clot |
Which part of the central nervous system is responsible for coordinating bodily movements such as writing or sewing? | cerebellum |
Which of the following is NOT a function of the skin? | metabolic coordination |
Urine is transported from the kidneys to the urinary bladder via the: | ureters |
Bile is produced by the liver and concentrated and stored in the: | gallbladder |
A patient has a blood pressure of 130/70 mm Hg. The "130" in this measurement represents: | ventricular contraction |
What happens when blood volume is lost from the body? | The arteries contract to increase the blood pressure. |
Trauma to the __________ lobe of the brain would likely result in visual disturbances. | occipital |
A by-product of involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation is: | heat |
A patient has a large accumulation of blood in the sac surrounding the heart. Which type of shock would this condition cause? | obstructive |
If a patient's chest barely moves during inhalation, even if the patient's respiratory rate is normal, you should suspect that: | minute volume is decreased |
The waste products of aerobic metabolism include: | carbon dioxide and water |
The most superior section of the sternum is called the: | manubrium |
Large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are generated when: | the cells function with adequate oxygen. |
At rest, the normal adult heart rate should not exceed: | 100 beats/min |
Stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system would result in: | a slower heart rate |
The vocal cords are located in the: | larynx |
Pathophysiology is the study of the functional changes that occur when the body reacts to a particular: | disease |
The brain connects to the spinal cord through a large opening at the base of the skull called the: | foramen magnum |
The distal aspect of the tibia forms the: | medial malleolus |
What is the function of the fallopian tubes? | To transport a mature egg to the uterus |
Which of the following systems is responsible for releasing hormones that regulate body activities? | endocrine |
The ____________ is a muscular dome that forms the inferior boundary of the thorax, separating the thorax from the abdomen. | diaphragm |
Which organ lies in the lateral and posterior portion of the left upper quadrant of the abdomen? | spleen |
Which of the following structures does NOT contain smooth muscle? | skeletal system |
The bones that constitute the fingers and toes are called: | phalanges |
The ___________ is made up of the maxilla and zygoma, as well as the frontal bone of the cranium. | orbit |
Which of the following is NOT true of the lymphatic system? | Its vessels closely parallel the major arteries in the body. |
The central nervous system is composed of the: | brain and spinal cord |
You arrive at the scene of an accident and observe the patient lying face-up on the ground. As you look at the front side of his body, which plane of the body are you observing? | coronal |
You arrive at the scene of an accident and observe the patient lying face-up on the ground. As you look at the front side of his body, which plane of the body are you observing? | carotid |
Which of the following substances is the main element that the bone cells use to create a hard and resilient structure? | calcium |
What is the proper name for the cheekbone? | zygoma |
The elbow is an example of what type of joint? | hinge |
What structure of the brain is responsible for the level of consciousness and maintenance of vital signs? | brain stem |
Your patient's initial pulse rate was 89 beats/min and now it is 116 beats/min. What part of the nervous system is responsible for this increase? | sympathetic |
What type of muscle is involved when you hear your stomach growling? | smooth muscle |
What do you call the amount of air that is moved into or out of the lungs during a single breath? | tidal volume |
You are treating a patient who has lost a significant amount of blood. Which type of shock is this patient most likely to experience? | hypovolemic |
At what age does separation anxiety typically peak in infants and small children? | 10 to 18 months |
The decline in cardiac function that commonly occurs in late adulthood is MOST often related to: | atherosclerosis |
Physical changes that typically occur in early adults include an: | increase in fatty tissue, which leads to weight gain. |
Which of the following statements regarding an infant's vital signs is correct? | An infant's normal body temperature is typically higher than a preschooler's. |
Factors that contribute to a decline in the vital capacity of an elderly patient include all of the following, EXCEPT: | increased surface area available for air exchange. |
An infant or small child's airway can be occluded if it is overextended or overflexed because: | the occiput is proportionately large and the trachea is flexible. |
The areas of the infant's skull that have not yet fused together are called ________. | fontanelles |
Children of which age group are considered toddlers? | 1-3 years |
The respiratory rate of 30 breaths per minute in an infant is ________. | normal |
Which of the following describes the Moro reflex? | The neonate opens his or her arms wide, spreads his or her fingers, and seems to grasp at something after being startled. |
You are assessing a 13-month-old female who is running a fever and has been vomiting. While you are performing your physical examination on this child, you will MOST likely find that she: | responds to her name but is fearful of your presence. |
Age-related changes in the renal system result in: | a decreased ability to clear wastes from the body and a decreased ability to conserve fluids when needed. |
Atherosclerosis is defined as ________. | the blockage of a coronary artery |
Which of the following is NOT a common factor that would affect a 75-year-old patient's vital signs? | Increased weight |
Why does the incidence of diabetes mellitus increase with age? | Decreased physical activity, increased weight gain, and decreased insulin production |
A 16-year-old female complains of vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping that began several hours ago. During your assessment interview, you should: | inquire about the possibility of pregnancy in private, if possible. |
According to the terminal drop hypothesis: | mental function is presumed to decline in the 5 years preceding death. |
A normal systolic blood pressure for a 30-year-old is between: | 90 and 140 mm Hg. |
The risk of bleeding in the skull, which increases with age, is MOST directly related to: | shrinkage of the brain. |
Which of the following are noticeable characteristics of a 9-month-old infant? | Places objects in the mouth, pulls himself or herself up |