Free EMT EMS Operations Practice Test – Part 4

1. A patient with decision-making capacity refuses oxygen administration despite an SpO2 of 89%. What should you do?

2. During a mass casualty incident, you have tagged 15 patients as Immediate, 25 as Delayed, and 30 as Minimal. What should happen to the Minimal (Green) patients first?

3. As the Incident Commander, you need to establish divisions for a large incident. What geographic basis is MOST commonly used for dividing the incident?

4. You are caring for a patient who claims to have no pain but is grimacing and guarding their abdomen. How should you document this?

5. At a HazMat incident, where should decontamination of patients occur?

6. When should you notify the receiving hospital about a patient being transported?

7. Which of the following scenarios requires the use of an N95 respirator?

8. You are returning from a non-emergency call when your ambulance is struck by another vehicle that ran a red light. Your partner is injured. What should you do FIRST?

9. You are caring for a patient who asks you to pray with them. What is the MOST appropriate response?

10. What is the purpose of an after-action review (AAR) following a major incident?

11. A patient who is alert and oriented tells you that he wants to go to Hospital A, which is farther than Hospital B but still within reasonable transport time. What should you do?

12. During a mass casualty incident, you encounter a patient with an open chest wound who is breathing rapidly but is unable to follow simple commands. Using START triage, what tag should be applied?

13. In the Incident Command System, who is responsible for ensuring responder safety and identifying hazardous conditions?

14. You administered oxygen to a hypoxic patient. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate way to document this intervention?

15. You arrive at a scene where there is a strong ammonia smell and multiple workers are experiencing eye and throat irritation. What should you do?

16. When communicating with the receiving hospital, you should provide all of the following information EXCEPT:

17. After treating a patient, you discover that your gloves have a small tear. You had contact with the patient’s blood. What should you do?

18. When is it appropriate to use lights and sirens during patient transport?

19. You are off-duty at a restaurant when another customer collapses. What is your ethical obligation?

20. Your agency has implemented a new protocol for cardiac arrest management. After several months, you notice the survival rate has improved. What QI activity does this represent?

21. A patient with an obvious emergency condition tells you she cannot afford to go to the hospital. What is the MOST appropriate response?

22. During an MCI, you have a Limited number of backboards available. Which patient should receive a backboard FIRST?

23. What is the process called when command is transferred from one Incident Commander to another?

24. You are caring for a patient who becomes combative and requires law enforcement restraint. Who should document the use of restraints?

25. A patient has been exposed to an unknown chemical and is contaminated. After HazMat decontamination, what should you do before providing patient care?

26. During a cardiac arrest, who should communicate with the receiving hospital?

27. After treating a patient with suspected MRSA, what should you do with your stethoscope?

28. You are driving in emergency mode and approach a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop sign extended. What should you do?

29. A patient tells you that she is the victim of domestic violence and asks you not to tell anyone. What should you do?

30. What is a “near-miss” event in EMS?

31. A patient who appears intoxicated refuses transport after a minor motor vehicle collision. He cannot stand without falling. What should you do?

32. You are the first arriving unit at a building collapse with approximately 50 victims. What is the correct sequence of actions?

33. In ICS, what is the term for the location where the Incident Commander manages the incident?

34. You made a medication error during a call. What is the MOST appropriate action?

35. What is the role of EMS personnel at a HazMat incident before decontamination is complete?

36. You are transporting a critical patient and your radio is not working. What should you do?

37. You are called to care for a patient with suspected active tuberculosis. The patient is coughing. What PPE should you don?

38. What is the PRIMARY purpose of staging at a location near the incident but not at the scene?

39. You respond to a motor vehicle collision. The driver who caused the accident is seriously injured. The other driver is angry and wants you to ignore the at-fault driver. What should you do?

40. Your agency is implementing a new documentation system. Several EMTs are struggling with the new technology. What type of QI activity would address this?

41. You respond to a residence for a reported domestic disturbance with injuries. As your ambulance approaches, you observe multiple police vehicles with lights activated. An officer waves you forward and states, “Scene is secure now, patient is inside.” You notice broken glass on the front walkway and hear loud arguing from inside the residence. What is your MOST appropriate action?

42. You are assessing a 67-year-old male with a history of COPD who called 911 for increased shortness of breath. Upon arrival, you find the patient sitting in a recliner, using accessory muscles, with pursed-lip breathing. He is alert but cannot speak in full sentences due to breathlessness. His SpO2 is 88% on room air. What is your MOST appropriate initial action?

43. You are obtaining a SAMPLE history from a 45-year-old female with abdominal pain. Which component of SAMPLE directly guides your decision about whether to administer nitroglycerin for suspected cardiac chest pain?

44. You respond to a cardiac arrest and find a 58-year-old male unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless. Your partner begins chest compressions while you prepare the AED. The AED analyzes and advises a shock. After delivering one shock, you immediately resume compressions. After 2 minutes of CPR, the AED analyzes again and advises “no shock advised.” You feel a weak carotid pulse. The patient remains apneic but has a pulse of 40 beats per minute. Which statement BEST explains the pathophysiology and appropriate next action?

45. You respond to a motor vehicle collision involving a 17-year-old female driver. She has a visible laceration on her forehead and complains of neck pain. She is alert and oriented but states she does not want to be transported and wants to go home with her parents who just arrived on scene. Her parents agree and want to take her home. What is your MOST appropriate action?

46. You respond to a motorcycle collision on a highway. Witnesses report the rider was traveling at highway speed when he lost control and was thrown from the motorcycle, sliding approximately 100 feet on the pavement. He was wearing a helmet but it shows significant damage. The patient is alert but confused, has road rash on his right side, and complains of severe right hip pain. His right leg appears shortened and externally rotated. Based on this mechanism and presentation, which injury pattern BEST explains the multiple findings?

47. You are dispatched to a 34-year-old female with an allergic reaction. Upon entering the residence, you immediately observe diffuse hives covering her arms and face, significant swelling of her lips and tongue, and audible stridor when she breathes. She is clutching her throat and appears frightened. What does your general impression indicate about this patient?

48. You respond to a 62-year-old male with a sudden, severe headache. Upon arrival, the patient is alert but describes the headache as “the worst of my life” with sudden onset 30 minutes ago. He also reports neck stiffness and photophobia. His blood pressure is 190/110 mmHg, heart rate 62 bpm, respirations 16 breaths/min. He has no history of migraine headaches. Which statement BEST explains the pathophysiology and appropriate prehospital management?

49. Which element of a patient care report (PCR) serves as the primary legal protection for an EMT when a patient later claims inadequate care was provided?

50. You respond to a 22-year-old male found unresponsive at a college party. Bystanders state he was drinking heavily and possibly using “something he smoked.” Assessment reveals: unresponsive to verbal stimuli, withdraws from painful stimuli (localizes to sternal rub), respirations 10 breaths/min and shallow, pupils 2mm and reactive, skin pale and cool. Blood glucose is 95 mg/dL. Cardiac monitor shows sinus bradycardia at 52 bpm. Which interpretation BEST explains the pathophysiology connecting these findings?