1. What is the minimum personal protective equipment (PPE) an EMT should don before providing care to a patient with active respiratory symptoms and a productive cough?

2. An EMT responds to a homeless shelter where a patient is reporting night sweats, weight loss, and a persistent cough lasting three weeks. After donning gloves and an N95 respirator, the EMT begins assessing the patient. Which statement best explains why this PPE selection is appropriate?

3. You are first on scene at a motor vehicle collision. The driver is unconscious with an obvious deformed thigh and absent pulses in the leg. A passenger is ambulatory with a bleeding forehead laceration. A third person is trapped in the back seat with unknown injuries. What is your FIRST priority for resource requests?

4. You respond to a residence for a patient with a severe nosebleed. Upon arrival, you find the patient actively bleeding with bright red blood dripping from both nostrils. The patient is leaning forward, and blood is pooling on the floor. Which PPE combination is MOST appropriate for this call?

5. At 1423 hours, you respond to a two-vehicle collision on a rural highway. On arrival, you identify five patients: two in vehicle one (one unresponsive with shallow breathing, one ambulatory with facial lacerations), and three in vehicle two (all ambulatory, one complaining of chest pain, two refusing care). You are the only unit on scene with a 15-minute ETA for additional resources. Which of the following actions represents the BEST initial resource utilization decision?

6. You are called to a skilled nursing facility for a patient with vomiting and diarrhea. The facility reports a recent norovirus outbreak among residents. As you prepare to enter the patient’s room, which PPE elements are essential for this encounter?

7. Your unit arrives at the scene of a domestic disturbance. Police are on scene and have secured one individual in the back of a patrol car. Another person is lying on the front lawn with visible injuries. Officers wave you forward, stating the scene is secure. Before approaching the patient, what is the MOST appropriate action?

8. You are transporting a 68-year-old male with end-stage COPD who requires frequent suctioning of thick, blood-tinged secretions. During transport, the suction catheter becomes dislodged and secretions splash onto your forearm. You are wearing gloves but no gown. The patient’s family member, riding in the back of the ambulance, asks if you’re okay. Which sequence of actions is MOST appropriate?

9. You respond to an industrial warehouse for a reported chemical spill with multiple symptomatic workers. On approach, you observe a hazmat placard with the number “3” and workers coughing near the entrance. What is your FIRST priority action?

10. According to standard precautions, which of the following correctly describes the appropriate PPE for a routine blood pressure assessment on a patient with no reported symptoms?

11. What is the FIRST action an EMT should take upon arriving at a scene where a vehicle has struck a utility pole and downed power lines are visible across the roadway?

12. Which mechanism of injury (MOI) automatically indicates the need for full spinal immobilization and trauma center transport?

13. You are dispatched to a residential address for a “psychiatric emergency.” Dispatch reports the patient has a history of violence and police are en route but not yet on scene. What is the most appropriate initial action?

14. You respond to a construction site where a worker fell 20 feet from a scaffold onto concrete. The patient is conscious and complains of severe back pain. He insists on walking to the ambulance. What is your most appropriate response?

15. You arrive at a two-vehicle collision on a busy highway. One vehicle is smoking, and fluid is leaking onto the roadway. Traffic is still moving around the crash scene. What should be your FIRST action after parking your ambulance?

16. You are assessing a 45-year-old driver involved in a high-speed head-on collision. The steering column is bent, the windshield is starred, and the patient was not wearing a seatbelt. Based on this MOI, which transport decision is most appropriate?

17. You are dispatched to an industrial warehouse for a reported chemical spill with multiple patients experiencing respiratory distress. Upon arrival, you observe several workers coughing and holding their throats near a cloud of unknown vapor. What is your most appropriate initial action?

18. A 30-year-old male was struck by a baseball bat during an altercation. He is alert and oriented, has a 3-inch laceration on his forehead, and states he “feels fine” and wants to go home. He refuses spinal immobilization. Police are on scene investigating. What is your best analysis of this situation?

19. You respond to a single-family home for a reported “unconscious person.” As you approach the front door, you notice the door is open, the house appears disheveled with furniture overturned, and you hear what sounds like a struggle inside. There are no police on scene yet. What is your best analysis and appropriate action?

20. A 22-year-old female was an unrestrained passenger in a high-speed rollover motor vehicle crash. She was partially ejected and has multiple abrasions and a deformed left thigh. She is answering questions appropriately but complains of abdominal pain. Which finding from the MOI would necessitate trauma center transport rather than the local emergency department?

21. Which type of personal protective equipment is specifically required when caring for a patient with suspected active tuberculosis?

22. What is the FIRST priority for an EMT when arriving at the scene of an emergency?

23. You are called to care for a 45-year-old male with a productive cough, fever, and neck stiffness. The patient is alert but appears ill. Which combination of PPE is most appropriate for this encounter?

24. You arrive at a residence for a reported fall and find the front door open. You hear arguing inside and see broken glass on the porch. What is your most appropriate action?

25. After caring for a patient with suspected COVID-19, you are removing your PPE. Which of the following represents the correct sequence for doffing your equipment?

26. You respond to a call for an unresponsive person at a known drug house. As you enter the room, you notice used syringes on the floor and a small plastic baggie with white powder near the patient. What is your most appropriate action?

27. A 28-year-old female presents with intense itching between her fingers, on her wrists, and around her waist. Her skin shows small, raised, red tracks. She mentions several family members have similar symptoms. What level of PPE is most appropriate for this encounter?

28. You respond to a call for a “psychiatric emergency” at a private residence. Dispatch reports the patient is a 35-year-old male with a history of schizophrenia who has been off his medications for two weeks. Family reports he is “acting paranoid and has a knife.” As you approach the scene, you see the patient standing on the front lawn holding a large kitchen knife. He is shouting at passing cars. What is your most appropriate immediate action?

29. You respond to a motor vehicle collision involving three patients. Patient A is ambulatory with minor lacerations and is coughing. Patient B is trapped in the vehicle with an open leg fracture and is screaming in pain. Patient C was ejected and is unresponsive with visible head trauma and labored breathing. You have limited initial PPE supplies in your jump bag. Analyze the situation and determine which PPE prioritization strategy best balances scene safety and patient care needs.

30. You respond to a report of an “elderly fall victim” at a private residence. Upon arrival, an elderly woman meets you at the door and says her husband fell in the living room. As you enter, you notice: the home is extremely cluttered with narrow pathways between stacks of newspapers, multiple cats are roaming freely, the floors appear sticky, and you smell a strong odor of urine and mold. The patient is on the floor in the living room, moaning in pain. He states he fell about two hours ago and cannot get up. He appears to have a deformed left hip. Analyze the scene and determine the most appropriate approach to ensure scene safety while providing patient care.

31. What is the primary purpose of analyzing the mechanism of injury (MOI) during scene size-up?

32. Which of the following MOI findings would require immediate fire department notification for extrication?

33. You respond to a two-story residential home for a fall. Dispatch reports a 68-year-old male fell from a ladder while cleaning gutters. What resources should you consider requesting based on this MOI?

34. You arrive on scene of a motor vehicle collision on a rural highway. There are three vehicles involved with a total of seven patients complaining of various injuries. Two patients are ambulatory, four are still in vehicles, and one is unresponsive on the ground. What is your FIRST resource consideration?

35. Dispatch reports a 45-year-old male with sudden onset difficulty breathing after being stung by a bee. He is conscious but struggling to breathe, with facial swelling. Based on this NOI, what resources should be immediately requested?

36. A patient was the unrestrained driver in a head-on collision at 35 mph. The vehicle has moderate front-end damage, the windshield is starred, and the steering wheel is bent. Which aspect of this MOI is most concerning for internal injuries?

37. You are dispatched to a construction site where a worker fell 15 feet onto concrete. He is conscious, complaining of back and abdominal pain. During your scene size-up, you note no obvious hazards. What MOI considerations should guide your assessment and resource decisions?

38. You respond to a single-vehicle collision on an isolated country road at 0300 hours. The vehicle struck a utility pole at moderate speed. One patient is trapped with obvious leg deformity, conscious but in severe pain. Power lines are down on the vehicle. You are the first unit on scene with a 25-minute ETA for additional resources. Analyze this scenario and determine the appropriate initial action.

39. What is the key difference between Mechanism of Injury (MOI) and Nature of Illness (NOI) in scene size-up?

40. You are dispatched to a residential address for a “person not feeling well.” En route, dispatch updates: 72-year-old female, sudden onset right-sided weakness and facial droop, last seen normal 90 minutes ago. Your ALS unit is 10 minutes out; the nearest stroke center is 35 minutes by ground; air transport is available with 15-minute ETA to scene. Analyze the resource and transport decisions for this scenario.

41. What is the minimum safe distance an EMT should maintain from a downed power line?

42. When assessing the mechanism of injury (MOI), which of the following pieces of information should the EMT consider?

43. You respond to a motor vehicle collision on a busy highway. Upon arrival, you notice fluid leaking from one of the vehicles and a strong odor of gasoline. What should be your FIRST priority action?

44. You are called to a residence for a 72-year-old male who fell down a flight of 15 stairs. The patient is conscious and complaining of neck and back pain. Based on the MOI, what additional resources should you anticipate needing at this scene?

45. Your unit arrives at the scene of a reported assault. You see police vehicles but no officers are visible outside. A man is lying motionless on the ground near an open doorway. What is your most appropriate action?

46. You respond to a single-vehicle collision where the car struck a utility pole at an estimated 45 mph. The driver, an unrestrained 25-year-old male, has a laceration to his forehead and is complaining of abdominal pain. Based on the MOI, which injury pattern should you have a high index of suspicion for?

47. You arrive on scene of a two-vehicle collision at night on a rural road. There are no streetlights, and traffic is passing by at highway speeds. One patient is sitting on the curb. What is your FIRST action regarding scene safety?

48. A family calls 911 because their 68-year-old grandmother is “acting strange.” Upon arrival, the family says she has been confused and lethargic all day. They mention she is diabetic. What aspect of the nature of illness (NOI) should guide your assessment?

49. You respond to an industrial park for a report of an unconscious person. As you approach, you notice a large tanker truck with a placard displaying “3077” in an orange panel. A worker flags you down, saying his colleague collapsed while unloading the truck. There is a slight breeze blowing from the truck toward your position. Analyze this scene and determine the most appropriate initial response.

50. Dispatch sends you to a 55-year-old male with chest pain at a construction site. Upon arrival, workers direct you to a man lying at the bottom of a 12-foot excavation trench. He is clutching his chest and appears diaphoretic. One worker mentions the patient was complaining of chest pain before climbing down to check a pipe. Analyze the situation and determine the most appropriate response.