Question 1

Which of the following statements accurately describes the hospital emergency department?

Accepted Answer

The hospital emergency department is designed to evaluate and treat patients with urgent medical conditions or injuries that require immediate medical attention. It is often the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care, and patients are typically triaged based on the severity of their condition. However, the emergency department is not intended to provide ongoing medical care or to serve as the primary care provider for patients with chronic or non-urgent medical needs.

Question 2

The county dispatch center where you work employs Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs) as call takers. This enables the dispatch center to:

Accepted Answer

Employing Emergency Medical Dispatchers (EMDs) as call takers allows the dispatch center to provide medical instructions to the caller prior to the arrival of EMS. This is important because in many medical emergencies, the first few minutes can be critical, and the EMDs can provide guidance on how to manage the situation before EMS arrives. However, employing EMDs does not necessarily mean that the center can handle all emergency calls including those for police and fire, use computer technology for dispatching the closest ambulance, or properly utilize an enhanced 911 call-taking system.

Question 3

You are by the side of a confused diabetic patient who has a low blood sugar level. You know that the patient needs orally administered sugar, so following your service's guidelines, you call the physician on duty at the hospital emergency department and request permission to administer it. This request is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The request for permission to administer orally administered sugar to a confused diabetic patient with low blood sugar level is an example of on-line medical direction. In this scenario, the physician on duty at the hospital emergency department provides guidance and direction to the medical provider at the patient's location, ensuring that appropriate treatment is given in a timely and effective manner.

Question 4

A young man wishes to become an EMT and asks you what he will need to do to become certified. You would reply that he must first:

Accepted Answer

To become a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), one must complete a course that meets the requirements of the USDOT. This course covers topics such as patient assessment, basic life support, CPR, patient transportation, and more. Completing the course is the first step in becoming certified as an EMT. While volunteering with an ambulance service and having prior medical experience may be beneficial, they are not prerequisites for EMT certification. Additionally, providing CPR in an emergency is a valuable skill, but it is not a requirement for becoming certified as an EMT.

Question 5

A 14-year-old boy has fallen through a plate glass window and is bleeding heavily from a laceration to his arm. His panicked mother has called 911 for help. Since the 911 operators are also Emergency Medical Dispatchers, which one of the following will they be able to provide?

Accepted Answer

Emergency Medical Dispatchers are trained to provide instructions on how to control bleeding, which can be life-saving in situations like the one described. However, they cannot provide simultaneous notification of the hospital, information on medical insurance coverage, or the names of the EMTs who are responding.

Question 6

A 40-year-old man has been seriously injured in a car crash. He is unresponsive and has what you believe to be a collapsed lung. Additionally, his left leg is severely deformed and his vital signs are unstable. A passenger in the car informs you that the patient is a diabetic and has heart problems. Given this information, which one of the following is the best destination for this patient?

Accepted Answer

The patient has serious injuries and unstable vital signs, indicating a need for immediate trauma care. The collapsed lung and severe leg deformity are also indicative of a traumatic injury. The patient's diabetes and heart problems may require specialized care but are secondary concerns to the immediate need for trauma care. A trauma center is equipped to handle multiple traumatic injuries and stabilize the patient before transferring them to a specialty center if necessary.

Question 7

You would recognize that the functions of a state EMS agency include:

Accepted Answer

State EMS agencies are responsible for regulating and overseeing the statewide Emergency Medical Services system, ensuring standards and protocols are followed.

Question 8

At a public 911 center meeting, a concerned woman asks if voice over Internet protocols (VoIP) can be used to access the community emergency operations center. You would inform her that:

Accepted Answer

Internet providers are required by law to provide a callback number and location of the 911 call for VoIP services, but they are not required to provide their own 911 service like traditional telephone providers. It is important for individuals using VoIP services to understand that emergency responders may not have immediate access to their exact location and it is critical that an accurate location is provided during the call.

Question 9

On the scene of a minor motor vehicle collision, you are attending to a female patient complaining of head and neck pain. A crowd has gathered to watch the action. Which one of the following will the observing public most likely remember about the incident?

Accepted Answer

The observing public is most likely to remember specific, unusual details such as the appearance of the responders, including something like wrinkled uniforms, rather than more general or expected aspects of the scene like the number, color, or position of emergency vehicles. Personal details often stand out more in people's memories.

Question 10

How would the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) be satisfied for a pregnant Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) who suffers from paralysis of both legs and requires use of a wheelchair?

Accepted Answer

The ADA requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, including providing wheelchair accessibility. It is not necessary to provide a higher pay rate, limit work hours, or provide transportation to and from work to satisfy the ADA for this specific situation.

Question 11

Which one of the following patients should benefit most by calling an enhanced 911 system?

Accepted Answer

A patient with sudden onset of confusion could indicate a stroke or other neurological emergency, where time is of the essence. Contacting an enhanced 911 system can provide a quicker response time and potentially better outcomes for the patient.

Question 12

Which one of the following statements about EMS in the United States is true?

Accepted Answer

Each state in the United States has its own governmental control of its EMS system. The federal government provides guidance and funding, but each state has the autonomy to establish its own EMS regulations and standards.

Question 13

You have arrived on the scene of a medical emergency and find a woman lying on the floor of a grocery store. As you approach her, you know that your first priority as an EMT is:

Accepted Answer

Personal safety is always the first priority for emergency responders, including EMTs, to ensure they do not become additional victims needing assistance.

Question 14

Your service's medical director would like to explore the idea of EMTs using special transport ventilators when caring for patients who require assistance with their breathing. Using the evidence-based medicine approach, which one of the following should you do first?

Accepted Answer

The evidence-based medicine approach would involve first reviewing the medical literature related to this topic to gather information and determine any potential benefits or drawbacks of using transport ventilators. This information can then be used to inform decisions about selecting particular ventilators or conducting field trials, if necessary. Going to a local hospital or contacting vendors for price quotations comes later in the process once enough information has been gathered to make informed decisions.

Question 15

The EMT would recognize which of the following as an advantage of the 911 universal number?

Accepted Answer

The 911 universal number allows for simultaneous dispatch of EMS, law enforcement, and fire services, which can be an advantage in emergency situations where multiple services may be needed.

Question 16

You work in a community that has an "enhanced" 911 system. Which one of the following is true about that system?

Accepted Answer

An "enhanced" 911 system means that the location of the 911 call is displayed to the call taker, which allows for a faster and more accurate response. The other options (B, C, D) are unrelated to whether the 911 system is "enhanced" or not.

Question 17

If a patient with chest pain takes a daily aspirin, your medical director wants the EMT to contact an emergency department physician first before administering additional aspirin. The act of contacting the emergency department physician for permission to administer additional aspirin is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Contacting an emergency department physician for permission to administer additional aspirin is an example of on-line medical direction, where the EMT consults with a physician in real-time for guidance on patient care. Quality improvement refers to the ongoing process of evaluating and improving the quality of patient care, whereas off-line medical direction refers to standing orders or protocols provided by a physician that EMTs can follow without direct communication. Indirect medical control refers to the oversight and administration of EMS systems by governing bodies or agencies.

Question 18

Which one of the following would be an EMS public health initiative?

Accepted Answer

Educating the public on the benefits of wearing seat belts is a public health initiative aimed at reducing injuries and fatalities associated with automobile accidents.

Question 19

A female jogger has collapsed on the trail of a public park. A crowd of curious onlookers has collected and are watching as the EMT examines the patient for any life-threatening conditions. After determining that there are none and the patient is stable, the EMT acts as a patient advocate by:

Accepted Answer

Acting as a patient advocate involves protecting the patient's privacy and ensuring a safe environment for care. By asking onlookers to leave, the EMT minimizes unnecessary exposure and stress for the patient, focusing on their well-being and dignity.

Question 20

As a supervisor with an emergency ambulance service, which of the following would recognize as falling under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Accepted Answer

The ADA protects qualified individuals with disabilities, which includes employees like the dispatcher with a prosthetic leg who may need reasonable accommodations such as accessible parking.

Quiz 1: Emergency Medical Care Systems, Research, and Public Health