AEMT Patient Assessment 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During scene size-up, what is the FIRST action an AEMT should take upon arriving at an emergency scene?
- Ensure scene safety (Correct answer)
- Determine the number of patients
- Establish the mechanism of injury
- Request additional resources
Correct answer: Ensure scene safety
Scene safety is always the first priority so the AEMT and crew are not harmed before patient care begins.
Question 2: The primary assessment is designed primarily to identify:
- The patient's complete medical history
- Immediately life-threatening conditions (Correct answer)
- The detailed mechanism of injury
- The need for advanced diagnostic testing
Correct answer: Immediately life-threatening conditions
The primary assessment rapidly identifies and addresses life threats affecting airway, breathing, circulation, and disability.
Question 3: When forming a general impression upon approaching a patient, the AEMT evaluates all of the following EXCEPT:
- Level of consciousness
- Chief complaint
- Blood glucose level (Correct answer)
- Appearance and body position
Correct answer: Blood glucose level
Blood glucose is measured during the secondary assessment; the general impression relies on immediate visual and verbal observations.
Question 4: The mnemonic AVPU is used to rapidly assess which patient parameter?
- Airway patency
- Level of consciousness (Correct answer)
- Pupillary response
- Peripheral circulation
Correct answer: Level of consciousness
AVPU (Alert, Verbal, Painful, Unresponsive) is a quick tool to classify the patient's level of consciousness.
Question 5: During the primary assessment of circulation, the AEMT should check for all of the following EXCEPT:
- Presence of a radial or carotid pulse
- Presence of major external bleeding
- Skin color, temperature, and moisture
- Blood pressure via sphygmomanometer (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Blood pressure via sphygmomanometer
Blood pressure measurement is part of the secondary assessment; the primary assessment uses rapid, equipment-minimal checks for pulse, major bleeding, and skin signs.
Question 6: A patient is found unresponsive with absent breathing and no detectable pulse. After recognizing cardiac arrest, the AEMT's FIRST action should be:
- Apply and analyze the AED immediately
- Begin high-quality CPR (Correct answer)
- Establish IV access for medication administration
- Obtain a 12-lead ECG
Correct answer: Begin high-quality CPR
High-quality CPR must be initiated immediately upon recognition of cardiac arrest to maintain circulation until defibrillation can be performed.
Question 7: The transport decision made during the primary assessment is used to determine:
- The definitive diagnosis of the patient's condition
- Whether to activate the ALS intercept protocol
- The priority and mode of patient transport (Correct answer)
- Which hospital-specific treatment protocols to follow
Correct answer: The priority and mode of patient transport
The transport decision establishes whether the patient requires emergent priority transport or can be transported non-urgently to the appropriate facility.
AEMT Patient Assessment 1
During scene size-up, what is the FIRST action an AEMT should take upon arriving at an emergency scene?