EMS Operations
A four-month-old is bleeding from his head. EMS has been at his home several times before to treat injuries of this child. Injuries sustained match the child's age and ability, as the parents have stated. What is the most appropriate next step?
Notify the proper authorities
An 11-year-old female complains of an allergic reaction. Upon arrival, her mother presents an epinephrine auto-injector. What is the next step?
Begin the primary assessment
Rights and DICE
What are potential prehospital treatments for an active MI?
Nitro, Oxygen, and Aspirin
A trauma patient does not respond verbally or with eye-opening in response to painful stimuli and speech. He extends his arms and legs during the motor response test. What is the GCS score?
Four
An asthmatic patient is experiencing dyspnea. she says she feels better after having self-admin a nebulized albuterol inhaler prior to EMS arrival. What is the primary function of albuterol?
Dilating brochioles.
A two-car collision involving power lines has occurred. One vehicle has power lines across the top of the car. A crowd of people is standing nearby on the side of the road. What is the appropriate next step?
Mark a perimeter around the downed wire and do not enter the scene.
An adult patient is bleeding profusely from a large laceration on his left lower thigh, just above his knee. Direct pressure and a bandage are not enough. What is the next step? Consider location.
Apply tourniquet above the wound.
A 64-year-old male patient is in cardiac arrest. The AED does not advise defibrillation. What is the next step?
Resume CPR, beginning with chest compressions.
You arrive on scene to find a 24-year-old man who was stabbed in the abdomen by a six-inch-long kitchen knife. He is semiconscious and denies neck or back pain. There is minimal external blood loss noted, his skin is cool and clammy, and his heart is fast. What is the cause of his symptoms?
Internal bleeding.
An adult patient is found unresponsive with spontaneous respirations at a rate of 12 bpm with adventitious breath sounds auscultated in both lungs. He has an active gag reflex and a strong carotid pulse. What is the next step?
Insert an NPA and apply high-flow O2
An on-duty EMT refuses to initiate care for a patient who is rude but not verbally or physically abusive. The EMT stays on the scene until an alternate unit arrives. The patient dies as a result of delay of care. What has occurred?
Negligence.
A nearly full-term pregnant female called for assistance after discovering that her water broke; she noted green fluid in the discharge at that time. What is the cause?
Meconium.
A 56-year-old obese man reports left-sided chest pain, describing it as "pressure" for over an hour, that started when he was walking his dog. He is SOB and feels like he's sweating more than usual. It's happened before, and usually it gets better when he rests, but not today. He smoked 1.5 packs of cigs per day for 25 years, but quit two months ago. He denies drug or alcohol use. Physical exam shows pulse of 110 bpm, breathing at 18 bpm, and a blood pressure of 188/96.
Acute coronary syndrome.
A patient exhibits tachycardia, tachypnea, and a decreased LOC. His skin is cool and clammy. This patient is in what stage of shock?
Compensated shock.
An unconscious trauma patient has an adequate radial pulse and snoring respirations at a rate of 16 bpm. What should be performed to correct the snoring respirations?
Perform the jaw-thrust maneuver.
What law provides legal protection to someone who helps an injured person?
Good Samaritan Law.
A 28-year-old female states that she was awaken by lower left quadrant abdominal pain. She endorses spotty vaginal bleeding. Her last menstrual period was three months ago; she assumed she was pregnant, but has not taken a home test. Her vital signs are within normal limits. What could it be?
Ectopic pregnancy
An unresponsive 40-year-old male is slumped over the steering wheel in his car. He is in cardiac arrest. An emergency move is performed. What position should he be placed on the ground?
Supine
A patient is bleeding profusely from a mid-thigh laceration. Direct pressure and pressure dressings have failed to stop the bleeding. What is the next step in the management of this patient? Consider location.
Apply the tourniquet near the groin
A semiconscious adult patient requires suctioning due to copious amounts of mucus without likely foreign bodies in the oropharynx. What is the appropriate method of suctioning?
Suction during withdrawal for no more than 15 seconds (10 for peds)
A critical trauma patient is to be transported from the scene by an air ambulance. When operating within a landing zone, how should it be approached?
Approach from the side
Do not approach without permission
Keep head down while approaching
An unconscious 15-year-old girl is being held up by a bystander at a local pool. The patient has a palpable pulse and is breathing. What is the appropriate next step?
Apply a c-collar and immobilize the patient on a long backboard prior to removing her from the pool.
A 6-month-old infant is unresponsiveness. Where should a pulse be assessed to determine if CPR should be initiated?
Brachial
An adult patient experienced blunt force chest trauma while at work. He is now conscious and alert, but struggling to breathe. He has unequal breath sounds and subcutaneous emphysema. What is most likely the cause of his symptoms?
Tension Pneumothorax.
A responsive adult patient complaining of SOB could benefit from oxygen delivered via a nonrebreather mask, but he is unable to tolerate a mask on his face. What is the next step?
Use a nasal cannula with supplemental oxygen flowing at 6 lpm.