EMD - Emergency Medical Dispatch Trauma and Injury Scenarios Questions and Answers

Question 1

A caller reports a 45-year-old construction worker has fallen. Which piece of information is most critical for the EMD to obtain to accurately determine the potential for life-threatening injuries?

Accepted Answer

The height from which the patient fell.

Answer

The height of a fall is a primary indicator of the mechanism of injury (MOI). Falls from a significant height (typically >10-20 feet for adults) are associated with a high risk of severe, life-threatening internal injuries, even if the patient is initially conscious. This information directly impacts the dispatch determinant and the level of response sent.

Question 2

A caller states their spouse has been burned by boiling water on the chest and abdomen. The patient is awake and in severe pain. After dispatching the appropriate response, what is the MOST appropriate Post-Dispatch Instruction (PDI) for the EMD to provide?

Accepted Answer

Cover the burn with a clean, dry dressing or sheet.

Answer

For significant thermal burns, the priority after stopping the burning process is to protect the patient from infection and hypothermia. Covering the burn with a clean, dry dressing or sheet achieves this. Applying ice, ointments, or butter is contraindicated and can worsen the injury.

Question 3

Which of the following is the most critical Pre-Arrival Instruction for a patient with an object impaled in their chest?

Accepted Answer

Do not remove the object; stabilize it in place.

Answer

An impaled object may be acting as a plug to control internal bleeding. Removing it can cause catastrophic hemorrhage. The correct DLS instruction is to leave the object in place and stabilize it to prevent further movement and internal damage until responders arrive.

Question 4

An EMD is handling a call for a 30-year-old male whose hand was severed in a factory accident. The caller has successfully controlled the bleeding from the arm using direct pressure as instructed. What is the next critical instruction regarding the amputated part?

Accepted Answer

Wrap the hand in a moist sterile dressing, place it in a sealed bag, and put the bag in cool water.

Answer

The proper procedure for preserving an amputated part is to wrap it in a clean, moist sterile dressing, place it in a sealed plastic bag, and then place that bag into a container of cool water or ice water. This keeps the part cool without causing freezing damage (frostbite) from direct contact with ice.

Question 5

When assessing a patient who has been struck in the head, which of the following signs or symptoms reported by a caller would be the STRONGEST indicator of a potentially life-threatening brain injury?

Accepted Answer

The patient is confused or not acting normally.

Answer

While all are potential signs of head injury, a change in the level of consciousness or altered mental status (confusion, combativeness, not acting normally) is the most significant indicator of a serious, potentially life-threatening intracranial injury. It suggests the brain itself has been affected.

(EMD) Emergency Medical Dispatch Practice Test

(EMD) Emergency Medical Dispatch Practice Test

EMD - Emergency Medical Dispatch Trauma and Injury Scenarios Questions and Answers