AEMCA Patient Assessment and Triage 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which vital sign finding in an adult trauma patient should most immediately concern the AEMCA regarding hemodynamic instability?
- Heart rate of 120 bpm with systolic BP of 90 mmHg (Correct answer)
- Respiratory rate of 18 with SpO2 of 98%
- Temperature of 98.6°F with heart rate of 80 bpm
- GCS of 15 with blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg
Correct answer: Heart rate of 120 bpm with systolic BP of 90 mmHg
Tachycardia combined with hypotension (systolic <90 mmHg) is a classic sign of decompensated shock requiring immediate intervention.
Question 2: A patient with suspected spinal injury who is found prone should be moved to a supine position using:
- A log-roll technique with manual spinal stabilization (Correct answer)
- A direct lift without rotation
- A scoop stretcher without manual stabilization
- A rapid extraction regardless of technique
Correct answer: A log-roll technique with manual spinal stabilization
The log-roll technique with manual in-line spinal stabilization minimizes movement of the vertebral column when repositioning a patient with suspected spinal injury.
Question 3: The primary purpose of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS) during patient assessment is to:
- Rapidly identify signs of stroke using facial droop, arm drift, and speech (Correct answer)
- Measure intracranial pressure in the field
- Assess seizure severity and duration
- Evaluate traumatic brain injury severity
Correct answer: Rapidly identify signs of stroke using facial droop, arm drift, and speech
The CPSS uses three findings — facial droop, arm drift, and abnormal speech — to rapidly identify stroke in the prehospital setting.
Question 4: In pediatric patients, which of the following is the MOST reliable early indicator of shock?
- Tachycardia (Correct answer)
- Hypotension
- Bradycardia
- Decreased respiratory rate
Correct answer: Tachycardia
Children compensate well and maintain blood pressure until late in shock; tachycardia is the earliest and most reliable indicator of hypovolemia in pediatric patients.
Question 5: When assessing a patient's pupils during the neurological examination, anisocoria refers to:
- Unequal pupil sizes (Correct answer)
- Both pupils constricted to pinpoints
- Both pupils fixed and dilated
- Pupils that are reactive but sluggish
Correct answer: Unequal pupil sizes
Anisocoria is the term for unequal pupil sizes, which may indicate a unilateral intracranial lesion or herniation in a trauma patient.
Question 6: During triage of a mass casualty incident, a patient who has extensive burns over 80% of body surface area with no respirations is classified as:
- Expectant (Black) (Correct answer)
- Immediate (Red)
- Delayed (Yellow)
- Minor (Green)
Correct answer: Expectant (Black)
In an MCI, a patient with unsurvivable injuries and no respirations is classified Expectant (Black), reserving resources for salvageable patients.
Question 7: The reassessment interval for an unstable critical patient during transport should be performed every:
- 5 minutes (Correct answer)
- 10 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
Correct answer: 5 minutes
Unstable or critical patients should be reassessed every 5 minutes to detect changes in condition during transport.
AEMCA Patient Assessment and Triage 4
Which vital sign finding in an adult trauma patient should most immediately concern the AEMCA regarding hemodynamic instability?