EMS Emergency Response & Transport 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An EMT is transporting a patient who suddenly deteriorates during transport. What is the FIRST action?
- Request ALS intercept immediately
- Pull over and perform a focused reassessment (Correct answer)
- Notify receiving hospital via radio
- Increase transport speed with lights and sirens
Correct answer: Pull over and perform a focused reassessment
Stopping to reassess identifies the specific problem and guides whether ALS, diversion, or expedited transport is needed.
Question 2: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires EMS personnel to use which level of PPE when exposed to blood or body fluids?
- Level A chemical suit
- Standard precautions (gloves, eye protection, mask as needed) (Correct answer)
- N95 respirator at all times
- Full surgical gown for every patient contact
Correct answer: Standard precautions (gloves, eye protection, mask as needed)
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires standard precautions using appropriate barriers based on the level of anticipated exposure.
Question 3: A bariatric patient requiring transport does NOT fit on a standard stretcher. The BEST resource to contact is:
- The local fire department for additional manpower
- A specialty bariatric transport service or bariatric-capable unit (Correct answer)
- A hospital to arrange a home admission
- Law enforcement for crowd control
Correct answer: A specialty bariatric transport service or bariatric-capable unit
Bariatric transport services have reinforced equipment and trained crews to safely move and transport morbidly obese patients.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of the 'due regard' legal standard in EMS?
- Mandate that EMTs always use lights and sirens
- Require EMS drivers to exercise reasonable caution to protect others even during emergency response (Correct answer)
- Allow ambulances to exceed speed limits by 20 mph
- Define minimum patient care documentation standards
Correct answer: Require EMS drivers to exercise reasonable caution to protect others even during emergency response
'Due regard' means that even with legal exemptions, EMS drivers must not create unreasonable danger for other motorists and pedestrians.
Question 5: Which hand position on a wheeled stretcher provides the MOST control when loading into the ambulance?
- Both hands on the head-end rail
- One hand on each long side rail (Correct answer)
- Hands on the undercarriage frame only
- Gripping the mattress edges
Correct answer: One hand on each long side rail
Holding one hand on each side rail distributes force evenly and allows the EMT to guide and control the stretcher's lateral position during loading.
Question 6: When an EMS crew arrives at a crime scene, their FIRST priority is:
- Preserving evidence by not touching anything
- Contacting the medical examiner
- Ensuring personal safety and scene safety (Correct answer)
- Documenting the scene with photographs
Correct answer: Ensuring personal safety and scene safety
Scene safety always supersedes all other actions — EMS cannot render care if crew members become victims themselves.
Question 7: A patient with a suspected spinal injury should be transferred from the ground to the ambulance cot using which technique?
- Emergency drag to the ambulance
- Log roll onto a long backboard, then transfer to the cot (Correct answer)
- Direct carry with one EMT at the head and one at the feet
- Scoop stretcher only, without a long backboard
Correct answer: Log roll onto a long backboard, then transfer to the cot
The log roll onto a long backboard maintains spinal alignment during transfer and provides a rigid platform for safe movement to the cot.
EMS Emergency Response & Transport 3
An EMT is transporting a patient who suddenly deteriorates during transport.
What is the FIRST action?