EMT Chapter 4 Communications and Documentation

Which of the following statements regarding communication with a child is correct?
A. Standing over a child often increases his or her level of anxiety.
B. Unlike adults, children cannot see through lies or deceptions.
C. Most children are intrigued by strangers wearing uniforms.
D. The EMT should give the child minimal information to avoid scaring him or her.

A. standing over a child often increases his or level of anxiety

A ___________ receives messages and signals on one frequency and then automatically retransmits them on a second frequency.
A. scanner
B. duplex
C. decoder
D. repeater

D. repeater

Two-way communication that requires the EMT to "push to talk" and "release to listen" describes which mode of communication?
A. Multiplex
B. Simplex
C. Complex
D. Duplex

B. simplex

The patient care report (PCR) ensures:
A. legal protection.
B. quality assurance.
C. availability of research data.
D. continuity of care.

D. continuity of care

You are caring for a 52-year-old man who complains of chest discomfort. The patient is a retired paramedic and is very anxious because he thinks he is having a heart attack. Which of the following statements would be appropriate?
A. "It is possible that you are experiencing a heart attack. I am going to give you four baby aspirin to chew and swallow."
B. "I notice that you are a retired paramedic, so I'm sure you will understand all of the things that we will be doing to you."
C. "We need to take you to the ED stat. We will give you ASA and NTG en route and then reassess your vitals. Do you have any questions?"
D. "This is nothing to worry about. Please try to stay calm. The physician at the hospital will probably not find any signs of a heart problem.

A. "it is possibel that you are experiencing a heart attack. I am going to give you four baby aspirin to chew and swallow."

Which of the following statements regarding standing orders is correct?
A. Standing orders only highlight the care that you may provide.
B. Standing orders require you to contact medical control first before providing an intervention.
C. Standing orders have less legal authority than orders given via radio.
D. Standing orders should be followed when physician contact is not possible.

D. standing orders should be followed when physician contact is not possible

In which of the following manners should you act and speak with a patient?
A. Authoritative
B. Passive
C. Calm and confident
D. Loud and official

C. calm and confident

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:
A. give the child a favorite toy or blanket to hold onto and perform your assessment to the best of your ability.
B. reassure the child's mother that seizures in children are very common and that there is nothing to worry about.
C. ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother.
D. attempt to calm the child's mother, but avoid separating her from her child because this will increase her anxiety.

C. ask the father to hold the child so you can assess him while your partner tries to calm the mother

Which of the following is not a function of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)?
A. Maintaining communications equipment on the ambulance
B. Licensing base stations and assigning appropriate radio call signs
C. Monitoring all radio traffic and conducting field spot checks
D. Allocating specific radio frequencies for use by EMS providers

A. Maintaining communications equipment on the ambulance

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 Asian healing practice in which hot coins are rubbed on the back. You should:
A. acknowledge and respect this practice as a cultural belief, but advise the child's parents that it has no healing power.
B. advise the child's parents that this is a harmful practice and is considered a form of child abuse in the United States.
C. document this finding on your patient care report and advise the emergency department staff of what the child's parents told you.
D. advise the emergency department physician that you believe the child was intentionally abused by his parents.

C. document this finding on your patient care report and advise the emergency department staff of what the child's parents told you

When you are communicating with an older patient, it is important to remember that:
A. hostility and confusion should be presumed to be due to the patient's age.
B. speaking loudly and distinctly will ensure that the patient can hear you.
C. your questions should focus exclusively on the patient's obvious problem.
D. most older people think clearly and are capable of answering questions.

D. most older people think clearly and are capable of answering questions

Communicating with hearing-impaired patients can be facilitated by doing all of the following, except:
A. providing pen and paper if the patient prefers to write his or her response.
B. elevating the tone of your voice and exaggerating word pronunciation.
C. placing yourself in a position to ensure that the patient can see your lips.
D. shining a light on your face when you are in a darkened environment.

B. elevating the tone of your voice and exaggerating word pronunciation

General guidelines for effective radio communications include all of the following, except:
A. acknowledging a transmission as soon as possible.
B. holding the microphone about 2 to 3 inches from your mouth.
C. using 10 codes to ensure radio traffic confidentiality.
D. speaking in a clear, calm, monotone voice.

C. using 10 codes to ensure radio traffic confidentiality

Information included in a radio report to the receiving hospital should include all of the following, except:
A. your perception of the severity of the problem.
B. a brief history of the patient's current problem.
C. a brief summary of the care you provided.
D. a preliminary diagnosis of the patient's problem.

D. a preliminary diagnosis of the patient's problem

During the alert and dispatch phase of EMS communications, the dispatcher's responsibilities include all of the following, except:
A. selecting and notifying the correct EMS response units and personnel.
B. coordinating responding EMS units with other public safety personnel.
C. screening and assigning a priority to each call based on local protocols.
D. discouraging the caller from providing care until the EMS unit arrives.

D. discouraging the caller from providing care until the EMS unit arrives

You are assessing a 75-year-old woman with mild shortness of breath. As you are asking her questions about her chief complaint and medical history, you progressively move closer and closer to her. In doing this, it is important to remember that:
A. a patient's personal space should not be violated, regardless of any barriers that might hamper communication.
B. as you physically get closer to the patient, a greater and greater sense of trust must be established.
C. placing yourself in the patient's personal space is relaying to her that you can be trusted.
D. it is necessary to enter an older person's intimate space because the elderly are typically hearing impaired.

B. as you physically get closer to the patient, a greater and greater sense of trust must be established

Any radio hardware containing a transmitter and a receiver that is located in a fixed location is called a:
A. repeater.
B. base station.
C. mobile radio.
D. multiplex.

B. base station

The official transfer of patient care does not occur until the EMT:
A. gives a radio report to the receiving medical facility.
B. informs dispatch of the patient's arrival at the emergency department.
C. gives an oral report to the emergency room physician or nurse.
D. notifies the admitting clerk of the patient's arrival at the hospital.

C. gives an oral report to the emergency room physician or nurse

Ethnocentrism is defined as:
A. subconsciously forcing your cultural values onto a patient because you believe that your own values are more acceptable.
B. considering your own cultural values as more important when interacting with people of a different culture.
C. understanding that people from different cultural backgrounds respond to pain and stress differently.
D. suspecting that a person has an ulterior motive based on the tone of his or her voice when answering a question.

B. considering your own culural values as more important when interacting with people of a different culture

At the scene of a motor vehicle crash, you determine that there are two critically injured patients and that another ambulance is needed. You attempt to contact the dispatcher with your portable radio but are unsuccessful. You should:
A. place both patients in the ambulance and transport them at once.
B. use the mobile radio in the ambulance to contact dispatch.
C. make another attempt to contact dispatch from an area of higher terrain.
D. ask a police officer to call dispatch with his portable radio.

B. use the mobile radio in the ambulance to contact dispatch

You and your partner are dispatched to a residence for an "ill person." When you arrive, you find that the patient, a 44-year-old man, does not speak English. There are no relatives or bystanders present who can act as an interpreter. You should:
A. speak to the patient with a moderately louder voice to facilitate his ability to understand what you are saying.
B. use short, simple questions and point to specific parts of your body to try to determine the source of the patient's complaint.
C. refrain from performing any assessment or treatment until you can contact someone who can function as an interpreter.
D. give the patient oxygen, assess his vital signs, and transport him to the hospital in a position of comfort.

B. use short, simple questions and point to specific parts of your body to try to determine the source of the patient's complaint.

When providing a patient report via radio, you should protect the patient's privacy by:
A. refraining from objective statements.
B. using coded medical language.
C. not disclosing his or her name.
D. withholding medical history data.

C. not disclosing his or her name.

When communicating with a visually impaired patient, you should:
A. determine the degree of the patient's impairment.
B. recall that most visually impaired patients are blind.
C. possess an in-depth knowledge of sign language.
D. expect the patient to have difficulty understanding.

A. determine the degree of the patient's impairment

Which of the following statements regarding a patient refusal is correct?
A. Advice given to a patient who refuses EMS treatment should not be documented.
B. A mentally competent adult has the legal right to refuse EMS care and transport.
C. Documentation of proposed care is unnecessary if the patient refuses treatment.
D. A patient who consumed a few beers will likely be able to refuse EMS treatment.

B. a mentally competent adult has the legal right to refuse EMS care and transport

Medical control gives you an order that seems inappropriate for the patient's condition. After confirming that you heard the physician correctly, you should:
A. carry out the order and then carefully document it on the run form.
B. advise the physician that the order is unclear and ask for clarification.
C. state that you will not carry out the order because it is inappropriate.
D. obtain consent from the patient and then carry out the order as usual.

B. advise the physician that the order is unclear and ask for clarification

Which of the following incidents does not require a report to be filed with local authorities?
A. Animal bites
B. Spousal abuse
C. Gunshot wounds
D. Cardiac arrest

D. cardiac arrest

Which of the following has the weakest transmission signal and, as a result, is least likely to be heard by the party being called?A. Handheld portable radio
B. Mobile repeater station
C. Land-base repeater station
D. Multiplex base station

A. Handheld portable radio

Which type of communications equipment functions as a radio receiver and searches across several frequencies?
A. Scanner
B. Duplex station
C. Mobile repeater
D. Simplex station

A. scanner

A patient's refusal of EMS treatment and/or transport must be:
A. authorized by a judge.
B. reported to the police.
C. an informed refusal.
D. witnessed by a notary.

C. an informed refusal

The official transfer of patient care does not occur until the EMT:
A. notifies the admitting clerk of the patient's arrival at the hospital.
B. informs dispatch of the patient's arrival at the emergency department.
C. gives an oral report to the emergency room physician or nurse.
D. gives a radio report to the receiving medical facility.

C. gives an oral report to the emergency room physician or nurse

After receiving online orders from medical control to perform a patient care intervention, you should:
A. confirm the order in your own words.
B. ask the physician to repeat the order.
C. perform the intervention as ordered.
D. repeat the order to medical control word for word.

D. repeat the order to medical control word for word

A 60-year-old man complains of chest pain. He is conscious, alert, and denies shortness of breath. Which of the following questions would be the most appropriate to ask him?
A. "Were you exerting yourself when the chest pain began?"
B. "Does the pain in your chest feel like a stabbing sensation?"
C. "Do you have any heart problems or take any medications?"
D. "Does the pain in your chest move to either of your arms?"

C. "do you have any heart problems or take any medications?"

As you are wheeling your patient through the emergency department doors, you receive another call for a major motor vehicle crash. You should:
A. inform the admissions clerk of the situation and then respond at once.
B. respond only after giving a verbal patient report to a nurse or physician.
C. leave a copy of the run form with a nurse and then respond to the call.
D. place the patient in a high-visibility area and then respond to the call.

B. respond only after giving a verbal patient report to a nurse or physician

Immediately after being dispatched to a residence for an elderly patient with diabetic complications, you should:
A. request that law enforcement secure the scene before you arrive.
B. ask the dispatcher to obtain a medical history from the caller.
C. ask the dispatcher if the patient is conscious or unconscious.
D. confirm with dispatch that you received the call information.

D. confirm with dispatch that you received the call information

You could be sued for ___________ if your radio report to the hospital describes the patient in a manner that injures his or her reputation.
A. assault
B. libel
C. slander
D. negligence

C. slander

Which of the following statements regarding a "dedicated line" is correct?
A. It is a constantly open line of communication that is under exclusive control of a single user.
B. It is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users.
C. It is a frequency that is used exclusively by EMTs to communicate with one another in the field.
D. It is a designated frequency on a portable radio that provides direct access to medical control.

B. it is a constantly open line of communication that cannot be accessed by outside users

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. What is the most logical way of notifying the hospital?
A. Wait until you arrive at the hospital and then quickly apprise the staff of the situation.
B. Have the driver contact dispatch and relay the patient information to the hospital.
C. Request that a police officer respond to the hospital to apprise the staff of your arrival.
D. Call the receiving hospital with your cell phone while providing patient care.

B. have the driver contact dispatch and relay the patient information to the hospital

After delivering your patient to the hospital, you sit down to complete the handwritten PCR. When documenting the patient's last blood pressure reading, you inadvertently write 120/60 instead of 130/70. To correct this mistake, you should:
A. draw a single horizontal line through the error, initial it, and write the correct data next to it.
B. cover the error with correction fluid and then write the patient's actual blood pressure over it.
C. erase the error, initial it, and then write the correct data on a separate addendum.
D. leave the error on the PCR, but inform the staff of the patient's actual blood pressure.

A. draw a single horizontal line through the error, initial it, and write the correct data next to it

After being dispatched on an emergency call, you should expect the dispatcher to provide you with all of the following information, except:
A. the number of patients involved in the incident.
B. the nature of the injury, illness, or incident.
C. other agencies that are responding to the scene.
D. the general geographic location of the incident.

D. the general geographic location of the incident

When communicating information over the radio, you should:
A. limit any single transmission to 60 seconds or less and use 10 codes.
B. respond professionally by saying "please" and "thank you."
C. use the patient's name only when communicating with the hospital.
D. use the words "affirmative" and "negative" instead of "yes" or "no."

D. use the words "affirmative" and "negative" instead of "yes" or "no"