Scene Siz-up and Safety
When arriving at an emergency scene, what is the first thing the EMT should do before exiting the ambulance?
What is ensure the scene is safe?
You arrive on scene to find a 45-year-old male who fell off a ladder. He is conscious but confused, breathing rapidly, and clutching his chest. What should you do immediately after determining the scene is safe and applying BSI precautions?
What is assess the patient’s level of consciousness using the AVPU scale and check for life threats to the airway, breathing, and circulation?
You arrive on scene to find a 23-year-old male with a deep laceration to his forearm. Blood is spurting from the wound. You have applied direct pressure, but bleeding continues. What should you do next?
What is apply a tourniquet proximal to the wound until bleeding stops?
You are transporting a 54-year-old male with chest pain who suddenly becomes unresponsive in the back of the ambulance. What is your immediate action?
What is stop the ambulance if moving, assess responsiveness, pulse, and breathing, and begin CPR if pulseless?
You arrive at a scene involving a tractor-trailer leaking an unknown substance. There are placards on the truck, and several people are coughing nearby. What should you do first?
What is stage uphill and upwind, avoid entering the scene, and request a hazardous materials team?
This term describes the total number of patients and the type of injuries found during the initial survey of the scene.
What is the nature of the incident?
A 32-year-old female is found unresponsive on the floor of her home. You confirm the scene is safe and have called for additional help. What is your next step in the primary assessment?
What is assess the patient’s responsiveness and check for a pulse and breathing simultaneously?
A 67-year-old female is experiencing chest pain radiating to her left arm and jaw. She is pale, diaphoretic, and anxious. Vital signs: BP 88/50, pulse 118, respirations 22. What should be your immediate treatment and transport decision?
What is administer high-flow oxygen, place the patient in a position of comfort, perform a rapid transport, and notify the hospital of a possible cardiac emergency?
During transport of a 22-year-old trauma patient, you notice his blood pressure has dropped from 110/70 to 88/50 and his skin is becoming cool and clammy. What should you suspect and do next?
What is suspect internal bleeding and treat for shock by maintaining airway, administering oxygen, controlling external bleeding if present, and notifying the hospital of the patient’s deteriorating condition?
While en route to the hospital with a critical trauma patient, your ambulance is involved in a minor collision. No one appears hurt. What is your best course of action?
What is stop immediately, ensure scene safety, check for injuries, notify dispatch, and request another ambulance to continue transport if necessary?
You are approaching a crash scene and notice downed power lines. What should you do?
What is stay at a safe distance and request the power company?
You are assessing a trauma patient involved in a motor vehicle collision. The patient is responsive but struggling to breathe and has a visible chest wound. What is the priority action during your primary assessment?
What is manage the airway and breathing by sealing the open chest wound with an occlusive dressing to prevent a tension pneumothorax?
You respond to a rollover vehicle crash. The patient is complaining of neck and back pain and has tingling in both legs. What is your priority treatment before transport?
What is manually stabilize the cervical spine and secure the patient to a long spine board (or vacuum mattress) for immobilization?
You are assessing a 30-year-old female who was involved in a car crash. She is alert, complaining of abdominal pain, and has a seatbelt mark across her lower abdomen. Her vital signs are stable. What is your treatment and transport decision?
What is perform a rapid secondary assessment, treat for possible internal bleeding, and transport promptly for further evaluation at a trauma center?
During a mass casualty incident (MCI), you are assigned to triage. You encounter a patient who is not breathing. After opening their airway, they begin to breathe. How should you tag this patient?
What is tag the patient as “Immediate” (Red tag)?
During scene size-up, this step involves determining if the situation requires additional resources such as fire, police, or hazardous materials teams.
What is determining the need for additional resources?
You arrive at a local park where a bystander is performing CPR on an elderly man. The AED has not yet been applied. What should you do first upon taking over patient care?
What is verify scene safety, take over compressions, and have your partner apply the AED immediately?
A 3-year-old child has a high fever, stridor, and is sitting upright, drooling, and anxious. The mother says it started suddenly. What is the best approach to treatment and transport?
What is avoid upsetting the child, allow them to stay in a position of comfort, provide blow-by oxygen if tolerated, and transport rapidly to the hospital while minimizing agitation (possible epiglottitis)?
During transport, your patient with respiratory distress suddenly begins to have decreased breath sounds on the left side and worsening shortness of breath. What should you do immediately?
What is reassess airway and breathing, provide high-flow oxygen, and prepare for possible needle decompression if tension pneumothorax is suspected (if within EMT scope or assist ALS)?
You are dispatched to a rural area for a farm equipment accident. The patient is trapped under heavy machinery. Fire and rescue are en route but delayed. What is your role on scene?
What is assess from a safe distance, provide any care possible without endangering yourself, and coordinate with rescue personnel when they arrive?
When entering a residence with a possible violent patient, what is the safest position for the EMT to stand in relation to the patient and the exit?
What is between the patient and the door?
You respond to a restaurant where a 6-year-old child is choking and unable to speak or cough. The child is turning blue, and the parent is panicking. What is your immediate action in the primary assessment?
What is begin abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) to relieve the airway obstruction?
You are treating a 35-year-old diabetic patient found confused and diaphoretic with a blood glucose level of 45 mg/dL. The patient can swallow. What is the best treatment and transport plan?
What is administer oral glucose, reassess mental status, and transport to the hospital for further evaluation?
You are treating a 70-year-old patient with signs of stroke. The patient’s last known well time is 45 minutes ago. What is your most important transport consideration?
What is transport rapidly to the nearest stroke-capable hospital while providing ongoing assessment and notifying the receiving facility of a possible stroke with onset time?
You are responding to a multi-vehicle collision on the interstate. Traffic is heavy and vehicles are moving around the crash scene. What is your first priority upon arrival?
What is position the ambulance to protect the scene and ensure responder safety before beginning patient care?