EMS Chapter 22

pearson ems chapter test

A​ 44-year-old male patient was using an industrial drain cleaning solvent to clean the drains in his house. The solvent corroded through the pipes on the second​ floor, spilling into the walls and filling the house with fumes. The patient was in the house for several minutes prior to getting himself out. The primary assessment reveals him to be alert and oriented with a patent airway. He is complaining of dizziness and has rapid respirations. His radial pulse is fast and​ strong, and his skin is warm and pink. Which action should the EMT take​ first?

Administer supplemental oxygen

A​ 14-year-old female patient has taken an excessive amount of Tylenol with codeine. Family members were asleep when they heard a crash and found her at the bottom of the stairs. When they asked the adolescent if she was​ okay, she replied that her boyfriend broke up with her and she saw no point in going on with her​ life, so she overdosed. When you arrive by the​ patient's side, you note that she is responsive to verbal stimuli with eye opening and is​ breathing, has an intact​ airway, and is breathing somewhat shallow but still adequately. Your first action would be​ to:

Take manual spine motion restriction precautions

Which of these statements regarding antidotes is​ correct?

An antidote will neutralize or counteract the effects of a poison or toxic substance.

An​ 11-year-old boy with a history of mild developmental delays has possibly ingested parts of a household​ plant; his mother states that she found him eating the​ plant, then immediately called 911. You note that the plant has been overturned and is missing a considerable number of leaves. Assessment reveals the boy to be lethargic and​ confused; he complains of abdominal​ pain, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. His airway is​ patent, and his respirations are adequate. Which of these assessment findings would be most suggestive that the poison from the plant leaves has been absorbed into the​ patient's body?

Confusion and lethargy

A​ 44-year-old male patient who works at a​ petroleum-refining plant inhaled a significant amount of hydrocarbon fumes and now complains of a headache with associated dizziness and​ nausea, as well as mild shortness of breath. He is alert and​ oriented, and there are no life threats to his​ airway, breathing, or circulation. Which of these steps should be included in his assessment and​ care?

Continuous​ high-concentration oxygen

Which of these correctly identifies the routes by which a poison can enter the human​ body?

​Ingestion, inhalation,​ injection, absorption

A worker at a chemical plant was working on a​ high-pressure tank containing chlorine gas when the valve​ broke, filling the room with chlorine gas and throwing the patient forcefully against the wall. He was unresponsive and trapped in the room for 10​ minutes, until being pulled out by firefighters. When the patient is brought to your​ location, he appears unresponsive. Your first action in caring for this patient would be​ to:

Take manual spine motion restriction of the head and neck and perform the​ jaw-thrust maneuver

A​ 32-year-old female patient calls 911 to say that she injected herself with some heroin 15 minutes​ ago, which she just bought from​ "some guy" on the street. She has never tried heroin and is now scared about what she has done. Assessment reveals her to be conscious and well oriented. Her airway is​ open, and she is breathing 14 times a minute. Her pulse is moderate in strength and her skin is warm and dry. What would be the appropriate care for this​ patient?

Monitor her and initiate transport

Which of these is the​ EMT's highest priority when presented with a patient who has been exposed to a poisonous​ substance?

Perform a primary assessment

You are called to a scene where there is a reported suicide attempt by suicide bag. You are first on scene and wait for the FD to show up to clear the room. After​ arrival, FD personnel have removed a female patient from her​ bedroom, where she was found lying on her bed with a suicide bag over her head. The bag is​ removed, and you note the woman to be​ unresponsive, pulseless, and apneic. Given the use of a suicide bag and the presentation of the​ patient, which of these statements indicates proper initial​ care?

​"Let's open the airway manually​ first."

You have been called for a patient with alcoholism who is experiencing a medical emergency. On​ scene, a home health nurse informs you that the patient is experiencing delirium tremens. As an​ EMT, you recognize​ that:

This is a​ life-threatening condition requiring rapid transport

You have been called for an unresponsive patient. When you arrive at the​ scene, hysterical family members direct you to an unresponsive​ 32-year-old woman who is lying on the bedroom floor. Her husband says that she left a note saying that she wanted to kill herself and took an unspecified poison. Assessment reveals a​ green-colored liquid in her mouth and respirations that are​ rapid, shallow, and gurgling. The​ patient's pulse is​ weak, and her skin is cool and dry with cyanosis to her fingertips. Your immediate action would be​ to:

Manually open the​ patient's airway and perform suction

Which of these actions should you and your partner take when you arrive on the scene at a large factory where an unresponsive patient was subjected to a powdered chemical that contacted large portions of his unprotected​ skin?

Ensure that you are properly protected with gloves and protective gear to prevent the powder from contacting your skin

On arrival at a tailgate party in a parking lot near a​ college, you observe a crowd around a young man who is seizing. As you get equipment from the ambulance and make your way to the​ patient, his friends tell you that the patient has been up all night​ "partying" by drinking alcohol and smoking crack cocaine. At the​ patient's side, you note that he is no longer​ seizing, but is unresponsive and has snoring respirations. His respirations are labored at 16​ breaths/min and his radial pulse is strong. His skin is cool and diaphoretic. Friends also inform you that he has​ diabetes; about an hour​ ago, they heard him say that he thought his blood sugar was becoming low. Which of these interventions would most likely be included in your​ care?

Open the​ airway, provide​ oxygen, and rapidly transport the patient to the hospital

Following a large wedding that occurred the previous​ night, health authorities announce that some of the food was contaminated with Salmonella.​ Consequently, your EMS service receives notice that it may receive a significant number of calls involving food poisoning. A new EMT asks you how to treat patients with food poisoning. What is your best​ response?

​"You should treat the patient based on his signs and​ symptoms, just like a patient who ingested any other​ poison."

You have been called to an alcoholism rehabilitation center. On​ scene, one of the counselors tells you that the patient is a​ 44-year-old woman who just came to the center this morning. She has not had any alcohol for 24 hours and is now sweating profusely and has an elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Based on this​ information, the EMT would recognize that the patient​ is:

Physically dependent on alcohol

A confused and lethargic patient reports that she took a large number of antianxiety pills because she was angry with her husband. Her airway is patent and her breathing adequate. Her pulse is​ normal, and her skin is warm and dry. During the​ reassessment, the patient reports that she is now dizzy and feels extremely nauseated. The EMT would​ immediately:

Place the patient in a lateral recumbent position

You are caring for a patient who intentionally drank a compound containing a high percentage of methanol. He is confused and​ lethargic, but has no obvious deficits to his​ airway, breathing, or circulation. En route to the​ hospital, the patient states that he is very nauseated and thinks that he is going to vomit. Your immediate action would be​ to:

Turn the patient on his side

A​ 42-year-old female patient is lying in bed with anxiety after smoking some bath salts 30 minutes earlier. As you enter the​ bedroom, which finding poses the greatest danger to​ rescuers, given the nature of this​ medication?

Patient aggression or violence

When assessing a patient who has been exposed to a poisonous​ substance, it is essential to​ understand:

The signs and symptoms of toxic exposure will vary depending on the specific poison

This is the third day that a patient is in withdrawal from alcohol. If called to care for this​ patient, the EMT would recognize the need​ for:

Seizure precautions

A female patient in her forties has overdosed and is lying at the bottom of some stairs. Her husband reluctantly informs you that she is addicted to pain medications and was chewing a fentanyl​ (narcotic pain​ reliever) patch this evening. She was having difficulty standing up and fell down the stairs. The husband is so frustrated with her that he immediately leaves the scene. The patient has snoring respiration and is incontinent of urine. You first step in caring for this patient would be​ to:

Take manual spine motion restriction precautions

You have been called for a​ 28-year-old male patient with a history of behavioral problems. He responds to painful stimuli with garbled speech. His airway is​ patent, but breathing is inadequate. His radial pulse is rapid and his skin cool and moist. He has crackles at the bases of both lungs and these​ vitals: pulse,​ 108; respirations, 6​ breaths/min and​ shallow; blood​ pressure, 98/64​ mmHg; and

SpO₂ 92%. A friend informs you that the patient may have drunk a considerable amount of​ antifreeze, possibly up to 12 hours​ ago, in a suicide attempt. The first thing you should do​ is:

Start positive pressure ventilation

Which of these statements indicates that the EMT understands the condition of​ withdrawal?

​"Withdrawal from drugs or alcohol can be just as serious a medical emergency as an​ overdose."

Which of these descriptions is most characteristic of carbon​ monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can kill a person by causing severe hypoxia.

You are assessing a young male patient who was found in an alley by sanitation workers. Assessment reveals the patient responds to painful stimuli by opening his​ eyes, but then closes them once you stop pinching the muscles on his neck. His airway is​ open, and his breathing is shallow. His skin is cool and​ diaphoretic, and his pupils are constricted and do not react to light. Based on these assessment​ findings, the EMT would be suspicious​ of:

Narcotic overdose

When treating a patient for an​ overdose, the highest priority of care is placed​ on:

Managing the airway and breathing

For which of these patients is a​ "talk down" technique​ indicated?

A​ 26-year-old who took LSD and is panicked because spiders are after him

Family members have called EMS after finding their brother in a highly agitated state. When assessing this​ patient, which of these findings would raise your suspicion that the patient took a​ stimulant?

Blood pressure of​ 196/104 mmHg

Generally​ speaking, which technique should the EMT use first when confronted with a patient in a drug or alcohol abuse situation who is experiencing a​ "bad trip" and expressing some potentially violent​ tendencies?

The​ "talk down" technique