Pre-Hospital Care & Treatment Flashcards

A patient presents with suspected tension pneumothorax. Which intervention is the priority?

Answer: Immediate needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line

Tension pneumothorax is a life threat requiring immediate needle decompression to release trapped air.

Which burn requires immediate transport to a burn center?

Answer: Full-thickness burns covering 10% BSA on the chest

Full-thickness burns covering ≥10% BSA are a burn center criterion.

During a cardiac arrest, the recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single EMT without an advanced airway is:

Answer: 30:2

Current AHA guidelines recommend a 30:2 ratio for single-rescuer CPR without an advanced airway.

A pediatric patient is unresponsive with a heart rate of 40 bpm. What is the first intervention?

Answer: Open the airway and provide rescue breaths

In pediatric patients, bradycardia and arrest are usually respiratory in origin, so airway and ventilation come first.

A patient with suspected spinal injury refuses immobilization. The EMT should:

Answer: Document refusal, explain risks, and have the patient sign an AMA form

A competent adult has the right to refuse care; the EMT must document the refusal and obtain a signed AMA form after explaining the risks.

The Glasgow Coma Scale score for a patient who opens eyes to voice, has confused speech, and localizes pain is:

Answer: 12

Eye opening to voice=3, confused verbal=4, localizes pain (motor)=5; total GCS = 12.

Which medication is used in the pre-hospital setting to reverse opioid overdose?

Answer: Naloxone

Naloxone (Narcan) is the opioid antagonist used to rapidly reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression.