West Coast EMT Block 3 Exam

Brain stem is responsible for controlling what

Controls the most basic functions of the body including breathing, blood pressure, swallowing, pupil constriction, balance, heart rate, and consciousness

At what point is it appropriate to suction from a patients mouth

It is appropriate to suction from a patients mouth before ventilating and or inserting an oral airway

In regards to generalized seizures the nature of their consciousness should look like

It should appear as an altered mental status that should improve in a few minutes

Status Epilepticus can be defined as

A seizure that consists of an altered level of consciousness lasting more than 5 to 30 minutes without the return of consciousness

Dysarthria

slurred speech

dysphasia

impairment in production of speech, loss of language

Dysphagia

difficulty swallowing or eating

In regards to febrile seizures

they are considered benign but should still be evaluated

A female patient tells you she suffers from excessive thirst and also tells you she has diabetes. She then tells you she is also on the anti seizure medication Depacol. How would your treat the patient?

Assess the patients glucose level and give her oxygen and monitor her airway as well as her BGL; no recovery position, no water or glucose

In regards to the Cincinnati stroke scale after instructing the patient to lift his hands up with his eyes closed they fall, what should you do next?

repeat the process, ask him to close their eyes and lift up their arms yourself

How do you transport a stroke patient with a paralyzed extremity?

Transport them paralyzed side down

Does the spleen digest?

No; the stomach and pancreas create enzymes to digest

How do the kidneys regulate BP by using sodium?

If the BP is too high, then the kidneys release sodium; if the BP is too low then the kidneys keep the sodium

What wraps around the organs of the abdomen

Visceral peritoneum; known as the inner layer

What does the parietal peritoneum line?

Surrounds the abdomen and pelvis; known as the outer layer

Pain in visceral is describes as

Broad and not easily pinpointed; not local

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) signs and symptoms

consist of burping, pain in the upper abdomen (can be found below the sternum) and subsides after you eat

Renal failure is caused by

Hypertension and hyperglycemia

what types of hernias are there

reducible, incarcerated and strangulated

Reducible hernia

can be pushed back into the abdomen

incarcerated hernia

cannot be pushed back into the abdomen

Strangulated hernia

when it is incarcerated with a compromised/ cut off blood supply

A patient who reports a tearing pain on their lower back is showing signs of most likely a(n)

AAA abdominal aortic aneurysm

When palpitating a patients abdomen

do it clockwise and begin with the quadrant on the right of the pain

Kussmaul respirations occur

From hyperglycemia; DKA being the main cause

(fast, deep breaths that occur in response to metabolic acidosis; when the body tries to remove carbon dioxide, an acid, from the body by quickly breathing it out)

(acidosis respiratory buffer system when high blood glucose using ketones for energy metabolic acidosis)

The skin presents as looking ________ when a patient is suffering from hyperglycemia, whereas a patient suffering from hypoglycemia will have skin that appears ___________

Pink/hot and pale clammy

Hyperglycemia breath odor

Acetone breath odor

What are symptoms of diabetes

polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight loss and fatigue

Diabetes has an increased risk of

infections, makes the patient dehydrated causing glucose to raise, narrowing of blood vessels, heart disease, and stroke

Diabetes can get worse with

Illness, stress, and infection; ask patient about any of these during assessment

You find a known diabetes patients who is unresponsive. What physical findings should you focus on to determine if the patient is hypo or hyper?

Skin signs and respirations (Kussmaul for hyper)

A women has sudden onset difficulty breathing and suffers from type 2 diabetes and blood clots (DVT) what is she at risk for?

pulmonary embolism

Called to a patient that is holding a baseball bat; what should you do?

Call the cops

An allergen is defined as

a foreign substance

What is the slowest and fastest allergen reaction?

Ingestion is the slowest allergen reaction; injection is the fastest allergen reaction

An antibody is defined as

an immune response

signs and symptoms of a sting consists of

pain, localized heat and wheal

A bee stinger in the skin can inject venom for how long?

20 minutes

Epinephrine does what

increases heart rate and restricts blood vessels and dilates the bronchioles

When do we give epinephrine for allergies?

Anaphylaxis, we see wheezing, stridor, shock, and hypotension

When administering an epipen

administer it for 3 seconds and rub it for 10

what are the side effects of epinephrine

dizziness tachycardia headache anxiety

After injecting the epi-pen, what should you do?

Dispose of the syringe

How many times can you give epinephrine?

Only after you call medical control can you give the second dose of epinephrine

When administering activated charcoal

make sure to consider the status of the airway because it can cause someone to vomit

Percocet and heroin look like

pin point pupils, hypotension, and hyperventilation

A percocet is considered to be an

opioid

Delirium tremens involves

severe withdrawal, agitation, seizures, hallucinations and altered mental status

Behavior crisis is

any reaction to events that interferes with activities of daily living or is unacceptable to the patient or others

psychological emergencies

the patient may show agitation or violence or become a threat to self or others

risks of suicide include

chronic illness, depression, advanced age along with drugs and alcohol

The most serious and prompt cause of suicide is

Depression

What is hydromorphone?

it is a medication that is an opiate

When does menstruation occur?

age 11- 16

Pelvic Inflammatory disease effects the ______, _______, and _________ but not the _____

uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes/ the urinary system

Clincial presentation of Pelvic Inflammatory disease includes

inability to walk due to pain, fever, lower abdominal pain and a foul odor

In bacterial Vaginosis

Bad bacteria takes over the good bacteria and outgrows it and replaces it

Gonnorrhea causes

painful urination in both men and women

When treating a female sexual assault victim you should

Get a female emt to examine and treat the patient

A female presents with vaginal bleeding and syncope are at risk for

increased perfusion leading to shock

You have a 26 year old female patient with heavy vaginal bleeding, is restless but consciousness, with a high pulse that is weak and blood pressure that is low . She reports that she inserted a tampon 2 hours ago. How do you treat the patient

Administer oxygen, place a vaginal sterile pad and keep warm

(keep power in mind)

What is the purpose of the amniotic sac

to insulate and protect

what consists of an OB emergency

placenta doesn't deliver for 30 minutes

You have a newborn patient that has been just delivered, their heart rate is less than 60, what is the next step of treatment

Provide ventilations for 30 seconds

Placenta previa involves

blood that is bright red but painless

You delivered a newborn baby who is premature, they are breathing adequately, their heart rate is 90 what is the proper next step of care

ventilate using a bvm with room oxygen, and keep the baby warm

What is the only indication to place your fingers in the vagina when treating a patient who is delivering is

when prolapse of the umbilical cord occurs and breach presentation

What is the procedure when prolapse of the umbilical cord occurs

push the head back away form the umbilical cord

spina bifida occurs when

part of the spinal cord is exposed

You are presented with a infant that is pulseless, apneic and with profuse blistering, this would most likely show signs of

fetal demise

In contrast to an adults vital signs infants present

a faster hr, faster respiration rate and lower blood pressure

An infant or small child can have a sudden close of the airway because

the trachea is flexible and the occiput is large

when does the anterior fontanelle fuse

at 9 to 18 months

when assessing a toddler

start from feet to the top

seperation anxiety increases at

10 to 18 months

Age related change in regard to cardiovasc system is decline in function

caused by arteriosclerosis

If an NPA is left in for too long

it can stimulate vagus nerve

You have a 2 year old and is cyanotic and can't speak, his airway is obstructed

Check airway do abdominal thrusts

An infant with respiratory distress will attempt to keep the alveoli open by

grunting / anvil ventiliation

Upper airway signs

stridor, weak cough, croup

Croup involves

seal like breathing and Big cherry swollen epiglottis and drooling

Older patients are at risk of lower bp upon standing because

they are less able to adapt

shock in infants can be caused by dehydration which is caused by

vomiting and diarrhea

A Viral infection may cause upper airway obstruction

- croup

Patients who have experienced minor head injury should be expected to have major injury

when they take blood thinners

DVT can cause an increase risk in

pulmonary embolism

elderly patient understate or minimize symptoms out of

fear of hospitalization

Beta blockers

Manage Heart rate and blood pressure

Beta 1 is for

the heart, it increases heart rate

beta 2 is for

bronchiole dilation

Beta blockers inhibits

hormones from attaching to the sight causing tachycardia

A patient is presented as hypotensive and has a regular but weak pulse. He is reported to take beta blockers, what should you assume

Suspect pt is in shock and cant compensate bc of beta blocker meds

Who is at risk for pulmonary embolism

people who have had recent surgery, pregnant, travel, smokers, and birth control

Tracheostomy general care includes

ensuring adequate oxygen and vent with bvm suctioning positioning patient

With a patient that has cerebral palsy what conditions would you encounter

seizures, and weak limbs

organic brain sydrome

temporary or permanent dysfunction of the brain caused by a disturbance in the physical or physiologic functioning of the brain tissue

Functional disorder

a physiological disorder that impairs bodily functions when the body seems to be structurally normal

psychosis

state of delusion in which the person is out of touch with reality. affected by people who live in their own reality of ideas and feelings

Delerium

condition of impairment in cognitive function that can present with disorientation.

reflective listening

listening technique that involves repeating, in question form, what the patient said encouraging the patient to expand on his or her. own thoughts