Chapter 2 (Questions)

A. careless handling of sharps.

The spread of HIV and hepatitis in the health care setting can usually be traced to:

A. careless handling of sharps.

B. lack of proper immunizations.

C. excessive blood splashing or splattering.

D. noncompliance with standard precautions.

Which of the following scenarios MOST accurately depicts a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) reaction?

A. An EMT becomes distracted at the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving the same type of car in which a child was previously killed.

B. An EMT with many years of field experience becomes irritable with her coworkers and experiences headaches and insomnia.

C. An EMT is emotionally exhausted and depressed after a school bus crash involving critical injuries and the death of several children.

D. A newly certified EMT becomes extremely nauseated and diaphoretic at the scene of an incident involving grotesque injuries.

A. An EMT becomes distracted at the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving the same type of car in which a child was previously killed.

You are transporting a veteran whose legs were amputated in the war. When calling your radio report to the emergency department, which of the following words would be the MOST appropriate to use when describing the patient?

A. Deformed

B. Disabled

C. Crippled

D. Handicapped

B. Disabled

As an EMT, it is important to remember that the signs and symptoms of cumulative stress:

A. cannot be identified and can cause health problems.

B. are most effectively treated with medications.

C. may not be obvious or present all the time.

D. usually manifest suddenly and without warning.

C. may not be obvious or present all the time.

When caring for the parents of a child who has died of leukemia, the EMT should:

A. refrain from using words such as "died" or "dead."

B. tell them that their feelings are understood.

C. acknowledge the death of their child in private.

D. immediately refer them to a counselor.

C. acknowledge the death of their child in private.

If you are exposed to a patient's blood or other bodily fluid, your first action should be to:

A. vigorously clean the area with soap and water.

B. report the incident to the infection control officer.

C. transfer care of the patient to another EMS provider.

D. abandon patient care and seek medical attention.

C. transfer care of the patient to another EMS provider.

The hepatitis B vaccine program, a component of the infection control plan, addresses all of the following issues, EXCEPT:

A. record keeping and tracking.

B. postvaccine antibody titers.

C. family history of hepatitis.

D. vaccine safety and efficacy.

C. family history of hepatitis.

Which of the following is the MOST significant factor in determining whether a person will become ill from certain germs?

A. Gender

B. Immunity

C. Race

D. Age

B. Immunity

At the scene of an automobile crash, a utility pole has been broken, and power lines are lying across the car. The patients inside the car are conscious. You should:

A. mark off a danger zone around the downed lines.

B. remove the lines with a nonconductive object.

C. advise the patients to carefully get out of the car.

D. proceed with normal extrication procedures.

A. mark off a danger zone around the downed lines.

A critical incident stress debriefing should be conducted no longer than ________ hours following the incident.

A. 12

B. 24

C. 6

D. 72

D. 72

Gloves, a mask, eye protection, and a face shield should be used:

A. while handling needles or other sharps.

B. whenever you touch non-intact skin.

C. when performing endotracheal intubation.

D. during routine cleaning of the ambulance.

C. when performing endotracheal intubation.

You are dispatched to the scene of a crash involving a large tanker truck. While you are en route, dispatch advises you that there are multiple patients and that the fire department is en route as well. As you approach the scene, you should:

A. don personal protective equipment and quickly triage all patients.

B. immediately begin evacuating residents who live near the crash site.

C. maintain a safe distance and try to read the placard with binoculars.

D. cordon off the area and quickly remove all of the injured patients.

C. maintain a safe distance and try to read the placard with binoculars.

You are caring for a 40-year-old female who was involved in a motor vehicle crash. Her husband, who was driving the vehicle, was killed. When the patient asks you if her husband is all right, you should:

A. let clergy or hospital staff relay the bad news if possible.

B. avoid answering her questions and focus on her injuries.

C. immediately tell her of his death so that she may grieve.

D. tell her that he is being resuscitated by other EMTs.

A. let clergy or hospital staff relay the bad news if possible.

Determination of exposure is an important component of an infection control plan because it:

A. defines who is most likely to transmit communicable diseases in the workplace.

B. determines which type of communicable disease might be present in the workplace.

C. determines the time of day when most exposures are likely to occur.

D. defines who is at risk for contact with blood and body fluids and which tasks pose a risk of exposure.

D. defines who is at risk for contact with blood and body fluids and which tasks pose a risk of exposure.

It is especially important for EMS personnel to develop nonadversarial relationships with their coworkers because they:

A. are highly prone to stress and burnout.

B. depend on one another for their safety.

C. must work together every third day.

D. may have to bunk in the same room.

B. depend on one another for their safety.

You and your partner are EMTs who have been dispatched to stand by at the scene of a residential fire. While standing next to the ambulance observing the firefighters, you see a woman frantically moving around in her burning house. You should:

A. stay where you are until firefighters remove her from the house.

B. request permission from the fire chief to enter the structure.

C. don a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and rescue the woman.

D. immediately notify the incident commander or safety officer.

D. immediately notify the incident commander or safety officer.

Which of the following is an effective stress management strategy?

A. Developing a social network outside of EMS

B. Modestly increasing caffeine consumption

C. Frequently reflecting on troublesome calls

D. Requesting overtime to occupy your mind

A. Developing a social network outside of EMS

Common questions asked by patients with a serious illness or injury include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A. "What are you doing to me?"

B. "Which hospital am I going to?"

C. "Am I going to die?"

D. "Will I be permanently disabled?"

B. "Which hospital am I going to?"

Which of the following statements regarding the hepatitis B vaccine is correct?

A. Vaccination against hepatitis B provides partial immunity for life.

B. Vaccination with the hepatitis B vaccine confers immunity against hepatitis A.

C. OSHA requires that your employer offer you the vaccine free of charge.

D. The hepatitis B vaccine provides protection against the disease for 2 years.

C. OSHA requires that your employer offer you the vaccine free of charge.

Vector-borne transmission of an infectious organism occurs via:

A. inanimate objects.

B. animals or insects.

C. smoke or dust.

D. direct contact.

B. animals or insects.