EMS Pre-Hospital Care & Treatment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient presents with suspected tension pneumothorax. Which intervention is the priority?
- Immediate needle decompression at the 2nd intercostal space, midclavicular line (Correct answer)
- Apply occlusive dressing and transport
- Administer high-flow oxygen and monitor
- Perform bag-valve-mask ventilation
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which burn requires immediate transport to a burn center?
- Superficial burns covering 5% BSA on the arm
- Full-thickness burns covering 10% BSA on the chest (Correct answer)
- Superficial burns to the back of the hand
- Partial-thickness burn to the calf, 3% BSA
Correct answer: Full-thickness burns covering 10% BSA on the chest
Full-thickness burns covering ≥10% BSA are a burn center criterion.
Question 3: During a cardiac arrest, the recommended compression-to-ventilation ratio for a single EMT without an advanced airway is:
- 15:2
- 30:2 (Correct answer)
- 5:1
- 15:1
Correct answer: 30:2
Current AHA guidelines recommend a 30:2 ratio for single-rescuer CPR without an advanced airway.
Question 4: A pediatric patient is unresponsive with a heart rate of 40 bpm. What is the first intervention?
- Administer atropine 0.5 mg IV
- Begin chest compressions immediately
- Open the airway and provide rescue breaths (Correct answer)
- Apply an AED
Correct 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.
Question 5: A patient with suspected spinal injury refuses immobilization. The EMT should:
- Force immobilization to protect the patient
- Document refusal, explain risks, and have the patient sign an AMA form (Correct answer)
- Restrain the patient and transport
- Leave the scene immediately
Correct 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.
Question 6: The Glasgow Coma Scale score for a patient who opens eyes to voice, has confused speech, and localizes pain is:
- 11
- 12 (Correct answer)
- 13
- 10
Correct answer: 12
Eye opening to voice=3, confused verbal=4, localizes pain (motor)=5; total GCS = 12.
Question 7: Which medication is used in the pre-hospital setting to reverse opioid overdose?
- Flumazenil
- Naloxone (Correct answer)
- Adenosine
- Epinephrine
Correct answer: Naloxone
Naloxone (Narcan) is the opioid antagonist used to rapidly reverse opioid-induced respiratory depression.
EMS Pre-Hospital Care & Treatment 2
A patient presents with suspected tension pneumothorax.
Which intervention is the priority?