FCC EMT CH 40 Questions and Answers

Upon your arrival on at a residential address for a patient with a previous traumatic brain injury, you are taken to the patient, who is ventilator dependent. The patient presents as unresponsive, cyanotic, and listless, ...

Upon your arrival on at a residential address for a patient with a previous traumatic brain injury, you are taken to the patient, who is ventilator dependent. The patient presents as unresponsive, cyanotic, and listless, and has a weak carotid pulse. Ventilator alarms are sounding. What is your immediate action? - ANSWER Disconnect the ventilator and start positive pressure ventilation A patient with quadriplegia most likely experienced an injury to his: - ANSWER Cervical spine You are positioning an obese patient who weighs 360 pounds on a stretcher for transport to the hospital. No other life threats exist and the vital signs are stable. Given that the patient is complaining of a headache, which transport position would be most appropriate? - ANSWER Allow the patient to assume a position of comfort Which description best fits an oxygen concentrator that may be part of a patient's home medical equipment? - ANSWER Oxygen device that extracts oxygen from the air A confused patient with a tracheostomy tube is breathing shallowly at 8 times per minute. The family states they accidentally overdosed him on some of his medications when two different family members were caring for him at two different times today. The patient is nonverbal because of the tracheostomy and has an SpO2 of 81% on room air. What would your immediate action be? - ANSWER Attach a bag-valve device to the tracheostomy tube and initiate ventilations You are assessing a patient with COPD who uses an oxygen concentrator. In this case, you recognize: - ANSWER The patient requires less than 6 lpm of oxygen You are called to a residence for a 27-year-old woman who fell and hurt her arm. As you begin your assessment, you begin to realize that there may be abuse involved. Suddenly the husband decides that he will transport the woman and you are no longer needed. You are unable to change the husband's mind and he is becoming more agitated. What should you do next? - ANSWER Retreat to the ambulance and notify law enforcement A patient who is completely reliant on his gastric tube for feeding has accidentally pulled it from his body. Which statement is most accurate about this patient? - ANSWER He is unable to receive his oral medications The EMT would recognize the patient has a sensory impairment when he encounters: - ANSWER A 49-year-old male who is hearing impaired in one ear Poor positioning of an obese patient on the stretcher would most likely result in which immediate danger? - ANSWER Respiratory distress A skilled nursing facility has called you for a patient who has a problem with his intraventricular shunt. The patient is a 21-year-old man who was born with hydrocephalus and had the shunt placed shortly after birth. When assessing the patient, which sign would raise your suspicion that the shunt is occluded? - ANSWER Blood pressure of 260/126 mmHg The fundamental reason a patient uses BiPAP when sleeping is to: - ANSWER Keep the small airways open You have been called to an extended care facility for a 39-year-old male with shortness of breath. On scene, you discover that the patient attempted suicide several years ago by shooting himself in the head. The patient is now belligerent and swears at you as you assess him. Which question should be asked of the nursing staff first? - ANSWER "Is this his normal mental status?" You have been called to a residence for a patient who is sick and not feeling well. The patient has multiple medical problems and is confined to bed, with care provided by family members. The patient has a gastric tube and an indwelling urinary catheter. Which assessment finding should raise your suspicion that the patient has a urinary tract infection? - ANSWER Cloudy urine in the bag of the urinary catheter What is a vagus nerve stimulator used for? - ANSWER To prevent seizure activity A 49-year-old male has summoned EMS because of a problem with his tracheostomy tube. At the patient's side, you note the tracheostomy tube to be protruding abnormally from the stoma in his neck. Your first action in caring for this patient would be to: - ANSWER Evaluate the adequacy of the patient's airway and breathing How important is it to make accommodations such as advocating for the impoverished when providing medical care? - ANSWER Very important, because many Americans will live below the poverty level for at least a year The family of a patient in hospice care for the final stage of lung cancer has summoned 911 because their father is short of breath. The patient is responsive to verbal stimuli and has an open airway with adequate respiration of 18 to 20 breaths per minute. His skin is cool and diaphoretic with diminished breath sounds bilaterally. Your partner reports a heart rate of 112 beats/min, blood pressure of 96/44 mmHg, and SpO2 of 82% on room air. The patient has a valid DNR order, but family is scared and wants him transported to the ED for evaluation. Your next action would be to: - ANSWER Provide supplemental oxygen, monitor vital signs, and transport the patient to the ED When assessing a patient undergoing dialysis, including his AV graft, which finding would be of greatest concern to the EMT? - ANSWER Red and hot skin at the graft site You are responding to a patient with a tracheostomy tube who is weak and has a fever. In this situation, you can assume: - ANSWER The tracheostomy tube is below the larynx You are by the side of a 2-month-old baby who was born prematurely and is on an apnea monitor. While the patient is in your care, the apnea alarm emits a loud alarm. Quick assessment of the baby reveals no respiratory activity. What would your immediate action be? - ANSWER Start positive pressure ventilation On scene, you are presented with a nonverbal 21-year-old female with multiple disfigurements from birth defects. According to her home health nurse, the patient has a fever, which requires transport to the emergency department. Your partner is familiar with the patient because he transported her last week for the same condition. When obtaining the patient's past medical history, which source should be tried first? - ANSWER Nurse Assessment of a patient who complains of the sudden onset of chest discomfort reveals a central intravenous catheter to his right upper chest. While assessing this piece of medical equipment, which finding related to the catheter should be of greatest concern to the EMT? - ANSWER The line is unclamped and without a cap At a long-term care facility, a nurse informs you that the patient whom you will be transporting has a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in place. To find this catheter, you should look at the patient's: - ANSWER Antecubital fossa The EMT should recognize a Texas catheter when he observes a: - ANSWER Condom-like device over the patient's penis A patient has terminal lung cancer and a valid Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order. His wife has called 911 because her husband's pulse oximeter reading fell below 85% and an alarm sounded. The patient is currently receiving home oxygen through a nasal cannula. Assessment reveals him to be alert and oriented and slightly tachypneic with no abnormal lung sounds. At this time, your next action would be to: - ANSWER Check the SpO2 using your pulse oximeter