Question 1

An example of a primary problem is:
A) myocardial infarction.
B) leg pain.
C) nausea.
D) shortness of breath.

Accepted Answer

Myocardial infarction is a primary problem, also known as a chief complaint or main reason for seeking medical attention. Leg pain, nausea, and shortness of breath can be symptoms of various primary problems.

Question 2

You would like to test a patient's visual acuity, but a visual acuity card or wall chart is not available. You can still test for visual acuity by:
A) asking the patient to indicate the farthest object he can see.
B) checking the pupils.
C) having the patient count your raised fingers.
D) covering one eye and testing for light accommodation.

Accepted Answer

While asking the patient to indicate the farthest object they can see and checking the pupils may provide some limited information about their visual acuity, the most reliable option presented is to have the patient count your raised fingers. This test, known as finger counting, involves holding up your fingers at a specific distance from the patient and asking them to count them. This provides a more accurate measure of visual acuity as it tests the patient's ability to distinguish between shapes at a specific distance, which is the basis of visual acuity. Covering one eye and testing for light accommodation is not a test of visual acuity, but rather a test of the pupillary reflex.

Question 3

Physical exam techniques include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) palpation.
B) association.
C) auscultation.
D) inspection.

Accepted Answer

Association is not a physical exam technique. Palpation involves feeling the body with the fingers or hands, auscultation involves listening to sounds within the body using a stethoscope, and inspection involves visually examining the body and its parts.

Question 4

Areas in the patient's current health status include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) home situation.
B) previous illnesses.
C) sleep patterns.
D) environmental hazards.

Accepted Answer

The patient's current health status refers to their current state of health, so previous illnesses are not included. The other choices (home situation, sleep patterns, and environmental hazards) are all factors that can affect a patient's current health status.

Question 5

Which of the following is the best example of referred pain?
A) Right shoulder pain associated with cholecystitis
B) Abdominal pain related to pancreatitis
C) Flank pain associated with a kidney stone
D) Chest pain located under the sternum associated with a cardiac condition

Accepted Answer

Referred pain is when pain is felt in a different part of the body than where the actual problem is. In this case, the pain is felt in the right shoulder, even though the issue is with the gallbladder (cholecystitis).

Question 6

Asking a patient, "Can you rate your pain on a 0 to 10 scale?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?
A) S
B) T
C) R
D) Q

Accepted Answer

The answer of Asking a patient, "Can you rate your...

Question 7

Asking a patient, "Where does it hurt?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?
A) P
B) Q
C) O
D) R

Accepted Answer

The answer of Asking a patient, "Where does it hurt?"...

Question 8

A patient who appears to be intoxicated has fallen and is complaining of pain in his right arm. He is agitated and loud. Which one of the following is appropriate to your initial approach to taking the history for this patient?
A) "If you do not quiet down, I will call the police, and they will arrest you."
B) "How much have you had to drink?"
C) "I cannot help you if you keep yelling like that!"
D) "Stop yelling, or I will have to strap you to the stretcher."

Accepted Answer

Asking the patient how much alcohol they have consumed can provide important information about the cause of the injury and potential treatment options. However, it is important to approach the patient with empathy and understanding, rather than threatening or confrontational language. Choices A, C, and D are inappropriate and could escalate the situation or damage the patient-provider relationship.

Question 9

A sign or symptom that causes a patient or bystander to request medical help is known as the:
A) primary problem.
B) present illness.
C) associated symptom.
D) chief complaint.

Accepted Answer

The chief complaint is the main reason why the patient or bystander seeks medical attention. It is a concise statement that summarizes the patient's primary concern or symptom.

Question 10

What does the "C" in the CAGE alcohol-screening tool stand for?
A) Are you careful when you drink?
B) What causes your drinking?
C) Are you concerned about your drinking?
D) Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking?

Accepted Answer

The "C" in the CAGE alcohol-screening tool stands for "Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking?"

Question 11

Asking your patient to recall what he had for a meal earlier in the day would test:
A) recent memory.
B) remote memory.
C) immediate memory.
D) long-term memory.

Accepted Answer

Asking a patient to recall what he had for a meal earlier in the day tests recent memory, which refers to the ability to remember events that occurred recently. Remote memory, on the other hand, refers to the ability to remember events that occurred in the distant past, while immediate memory refers to the ability to remember information for a very short period of time (e.g. remembering a phone number for a few seconds). Long-term memory refers to the ability to remember information over a long period of time.

Question 12

For trauma patients you will use an abbreviated version of the past history known as:
A) CAGE.
B) HEENT.
C) OPQRST-ASPN.
D) SAMPLE.

Accepted Answer

For trauma patients, the abbreviated version of past history is known as SAMPLE, which stands for Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last meal, and Events preceding the injury. CAGE is a screening tool for alcohol use disorder, HEENT is an acronym for Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose, and Throat, and OPQRST-ASPN is a mnemonic for assessing pain. None of these options are appropriate for obtaining a past medical history specifically for a trauma patient.

Question 13

Asking a patient, "What were you doing when this problem began?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?
A) P
B) Q
C) O
D) R

Accepted Answer

Asking a patient, "What were you doing when this problem began?" is part of the "Onset" component of the OPQRST mnemonic, which is used to assess a patient's symptoms.

Question 14

You are able to feel vibrations through the chest wall as your patient speaks. This is called:
A) egophony.
B) auscultation.
C) whispered pectoriloquy.
D) tactile fremitus.

Accepted Answer

Tactile fremitus is the vibrations felt on the chest wall as the patient speaks. Egophony refers to the change in sound of a patient's voice when auscultating the chest, whispered pectoriloquy refers to the transmission of sound through the lung fields during whispered speech, and auscultation is the act of listening to internal sounds within the body.

Question 15

Which of the following pieces of information should you record as preliminary data?
A) The chief complaint
B) Elements of the past history
C) Aspects of the present illness
D) The patient's age

Accepted Answer

Preliminary data typically includes basic information such as the patient's age, name, and contact information. The other options (chief complaint, past history, present illness) are part of the patient's medical history and are typically recorded after obtaining preliminary data.

Question 16

The process in which a paramedic places a hand on a body part, then sharply taps a distal knuckle with the tip of another finger, is known as:
A) percussion.
B) hyperresonance.
C) palpation.
D) observation.

Accepted Answer

The described process is percussion, which involves tapping or striking body parts to produce sounds that can be used to evaluate the condition of underlying tissues or organs.

Question 17

Using knowledge and experience to diagnose patients and plan their treatment is called clinical:
A) judgment.
B) intuition.
C) practice.
D) reflection.

Accepted Answer

Clinical judgment refers to the process of using knowledge and experience to make a diagnosis and plan a patient's treatment. It involves analyzing patient data and considering different options before making a decision. Intuition may play a role in the process, but it should be supported by evidence-based practice and reflection on past experiences.

Question 18

Asking a patient, "Does it hurt more when you breathe deeply?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?
A) Q
B) O
C) R
D) P

Accepted Answer

This question is part of the "P" for Provocation/Palliation in the OPQRST format, which is used to assess a patient's symptoms. Asking if the pain worsens with deep breathing is inquiring about what provokes or palliates the pain.

Question 19

Elements of the patient history include all of the following EXCEPT:
A) physical examination.
B) present illness.
C) current health status.
D) preliminary data.

Accepted Answer

The physical examination is not a part of the patient history as it is a separate process that involves observing, palpating, and auscultating the patient's body to gather objective data about their physical state. The other options - present illness, current health status and preliminary data - are all part of the patient history.

Question 20

Critical thinking is a thought process used to:
A) defend one's actions in a CQI review process.
B) establish credibility with an emergency physician.
C) analyze and evaluate.
D) focus on a situation's most important aspect.

Accepted Answer

Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information, arguments, and situations in order to form a well-reasoned judgement. This process goes beyond simply focusing on the most important aspects of a situation and is not limited to defending one's actions or establishing credibility with specific individuals.

Quiz 2: Scene Size-Up

An example of a primary problem is:

You would like to test a patient's visual acuity, but a visual acuity card or wall chart is not available. You can still test for visual acuity by:

Physical exam techniques include all of the following EXCEPT:

Areas in the patient's current health status include all of the following EXCEPT:

Which of the following is the best example of referred pain?

Asking a patient, "Can you rate your pain on a 0 to 10 scale?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?

Asking a patient, "Where does it hurt?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?

A patient who appears to be intoxicated has fallen and is complaining of pain in his right arm. He is agitated and loud. Which one of the following is appropriate to your initial approach to taking the history for this patient?

A sign or symptom that causes a patient or bystander to request medical help is known as the:

What does the "C" in the CAGE alcohol-screening tool stand for?

Asking your patient to recall what he had for a meal earlier in the day would test:

For trauma patients you will use an abbreviated version of the past history known as:

Asking a patient, "What were you doing when this problem began?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?

You are able to feel vibrations through the chest wall as your patient speaks. This is called:

Which of the following pieces of information should you record as preliminary data?

The process in which a paramedic places a hand on a body part, then sharply taps a distal knuckle with the tip of another finger, is known as:

Using knowledge and experience to diagnose patients and plan their treatment is called clinical:

Asking a patient, "Does it hurt more when you breathe deeply?" represents what part of the OPQRST question format?

Elements of the patient history include all of the following EXCEPT:

Critical thinking is a thought process used to: