EMS Patient Assessment & Documentation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The 'E' in the OPQRST mnemonic used for pain assessment stands for:
- Elevation
- Exacerbating and relieving factors (Correct answer)
- Episodes per week
- Etiology
Correct answer: Exacerbating and relieving factors
In OPQRST, 'E' stands for Exacerbating and relieving factors — what makes the pain better or worse.
Question 2: You arrive on scene to find an unresponsive adult. After ensuring scene safety, your immediate next step is:
- Apply oxygen via non-rebreather mask
- Check for a carotid pulse for 10 seconds
- Establish responsiveness and call for help (Correct answer)
- Open the airway with a jaw-thrust maneuver
Correct answer: Establish responsiveness and call for help
The primary survey begins by checking responsiveness and activating the emergency response system before proceeding to airway and circulation.
Question 3: Which term describes documentation that is altered or falsified after a patient care report has been submitted?
- Addendum
- Falsification (Correct answer)
- Amendment
- Late entry
Correct answer: Falsification
Falsification refers to intentional alteration or fabrication of documentation, which is both unethical and illegal in EMS practice.
Question 4: During a pediatric assessment using the Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT), which three components are evaluated?
- Airway, Breathing, Circulation
- Appearance, Work of Breathing, Circulation to skin (Correct answer)
- Level of consciousness, Pulse rate, Skin color
- Glasgow Coma Scale, Respiratory rate, Capillary refill
Correct answer: Appearance, Work of Breathing, Circulation to skin
The PAT evaluates Appearance (tone, interactiveness, cry), Work of Breathing (retractions, sounds), and Circulation to skin (color, mottling) from a distance.
Question 5: A patient's Glasgow Coma Scale score is calculated as Eyes=3, Verbal=4, Motor=5. What is the total GCS score?
- 10
- 11
- 12 (Correct answer)
- 13
Correct answer: 12
GCS is calculated by summing the three component scores: 3 (eyes) + 4 (verbal) + 5 (motor) = 12.
Question 6: Which assessment tool uses mnemonic components including 'Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time' to evaluate pain?
- SAMPLE
- OPQRST (Correct answer)
- AVPU
- DCAP-BTLS
Correct answer: OPQRST
OPQRST is the standard EMS mnemonic used to comprehensively assess the characteristics of a patient's pain or chief complaint.
Question 7: When performing a rapid trauma assessment, DCAP-BTLS is used to identify soft tissue injuries. What does the 'B' stand for?
- Bruising
- Burns
- Bleeding (Correct answer)
- Bony deformity
Correct answer: Bleeding
In DCAP-BTLS, 'B' stands for Burns, which must be identified during the rapid head-to-toe trauma assessment.
EMS Patient Assessment & Documentation 3
The 'E' in the OPQRST mnemonic used for pain assessment stands for: