Deck 1: Introduction to Paramedicine

Question 1

Safety inspections, accident prevention, and medical screening of employees are some of the responsibilities for paramedics working in:

A) industrial medicine.
B) community clinics.
C) correctional institutions.
D) sports medicine.

Answer 1

industrial medicine.

Question 2

To practice, paramedics must be approved by a state or provincial agency and the:

A) National Association of EMTs.
B) National Registry of EMTs.
C) EMS system's medical director.
D) state medical director.

Answer 2

EMS system's medical director.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about a paramedic's skill competency is TRUE?

A) High-frequency, low-criticality skills should be reviewed often.
B) Low-frequency, high-criticality skills should be rarely reviewed.
C) All skills should be reviewed equally, regardless of criticality.
D) Frequent review of infrequently used skills is critical to ensure competency.

Answer 3

Frequent review of infrequently used skills is critical to ensure competency.

Question 4

Paramedics should always provide care:

A) with the intent of transporting all patients.
B) only when there is a legitimate patient complaint.
C) without regard to a patient's ability to pay.
D) with the goal of minimizing on-scene time.

Question 5

To legally function as a paramedic, one must:

A) have successfully completed an accredited EMT education program.
B) have fulfilled the specific requirements of an appropriate credentialing body.
C) strive to maintain quality health care, regardless of cost or impact on one's EMS system.
D) be able to function independently in a nonstructured, constantly changing environment.

Question 6

Which of the following agencies developed and published the 2009 EMS Instructional Guidelines?

A) The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians
B) The National Association of State EMS Training Coordinators
C) The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
D) The United States Department of Transportation

Question 7

Which of the following best describes the paramedic's expected level of functioning in the dynamic prehospital setting?

A) Acts independently
B) Under direct supervision of the medical director
C) Under telephone or radio supervision by nursing personnel
D) Under direct supervision of fire command

Question 8

Many professional sports teams have found paramedics to be effective complements to their:

A) team physicians.
B) physical therapists.
C) athletic trainers.
D) rehabilitation programs.

Question 9

Which of the following aspects of the paramedic's work most appropriately falls into the category of public health?

A) Administering care to a patient who has suffered a heart attack
B) Providing life-saving measures after a traffic accident
C) Educating the public on illness prevention
D) Taking steps to prevent a terrorist attack

Question 10

Which of the following is a desirable paramedic characteristic?

A) The ability to give medical advice
B) A commanding presence on the scene
C) The ability to establish rapport with a wide variety of patients
D) The ability to exactly follow protocols on each and every call

Question 11

Which of the following best characterizes the professional development of a paramedic?

A) It is a career-long pursuit.
B) It is focused on public education efforts.
C) It is regulated by the system medical director and state agency.
D) It is focused on illness and injury prevention.

Question 12

The highest level of prehospital care provider in the United States is a(n):

A) emergency medical responder.
B) paramedic.
C) advanced EMT.
D) emergency medical technician.

Question 13

What is one of the emerging roles and responsibilities of a paramedic in the 21st century?

A) Third-party biller
B) Managed health care
C) Health promotion
D) Internet education

Question 14

The paramedic's role has expanded to include ________ because of the need to move ill/injured patients from one health care facility to another for specialized care.

A) hospital emergency departments
B) critical care transport
C) corrections medicine
D) helicopter EMS

Question 15

Where do many of the practices and techniques of tactical EMS come from?

A) Police
B) Firefighters
C) Military
D) Critical care medics

Question 16

Many traditional EMS treatments and practices have been abandoned or refined because of:

A) research.
B) patient complaints.
C) legislation.
D) lawsuits.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the paramedic's professional obligation?

A) Acceptance and adherence to a code of professional ethics and etiquette
B) Placing the system's well-being above that of the patient
C) Absolute adherence to medical protocols
D) Following long-standing traditions in practice

Question 18

The paramedic's right to care for patients, administer medications, and perform other related tasks falls on the license of:

A) the EMS system medical director.
B) the state secretary of health.
C) the receiving hospital personnel.
D) the state medical director.

Question 19

A major advance in the education of out-of-hospital was the:

A) formation of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians.
B) 2009 publication National EMS Services Education Standards.
C) passage of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
D) establishment of the National Registry computer-based certification exam.

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the initial education program of the paramedic?

A) It addresses everything one needs to know to practice paramedicine.
B) It is a rite of passage, but information is inconsistent with how things really should be done.
C) It is the base and beginning of one's professional education, not the end.
D) Lectures prepare students, but all learning occurs on the job during the internship phase.

Question 21

The process by which a governmental agency grants permission to engage in a given occupation to an applicant who has attained the degree of competency required to ensure the public's protection is called:

A) reciprocity.
B) licensure.
C) registration.
D) certification.

Question 22

Direct access to medical consultation is a feature of:

A) a tiered response system.
B) off-line medical oversight.
C) the incident command system.
D) on-line medical direction.

Question 23

Few areas of the United States provided adequate prehospital care until:

A) after World War II.
B) after the Gulf War.
C) the late 1960s.
D) the mid-1950s.

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT typically a role of the medical director in an EMS system?

A) Participating in quality improvement
B) Educating and training personnel
C) Dispatching EMS personnel
D) Participating in personnel and equipment selection

Question 25

Which of the following situations is NOT typically addressed by EMS system protocols?

A) Triage
B) EMS system financing
C) Transfer to appropriate facilities
D) Mode of patient transportation

Question 26

What is the process by which an agency or association grants recognition to an individual who has the proper qualifications?

A) Registration
B) Qualification
C) Certification
D) Authorization

Question 27

The National EMS Education Instructional Guidelines are divided into three domains of learning. The affective domain refers to which of the following?

A) Critical thinking and decision making
B) Recall of basic facts and information
C) Physical skills used for patient care
D) Attitudes, values, and emotions

Question 28

In 1980, the revision "KKK-A-1822A" involved:

A) primarily addressing electrical systems, signage, and safety.
B) guidelines to improve occupant protection in the patient compartment.
C) changes based on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health standards.
D) improving ambulance electrical systems by designing a low-amp lighting system to replace antiquated light bars and beacons.

Question 29

Paramedics carry out their tasks in the prehospital setting as designated agents of the:

A) EMS system director.
B) EMS system medical director.
C) EMS program director.
D) hospital nursing director.

Question 30

In which of the following ways can paramedics play a significant part in EMS research?

A) Collecting data accurately and completely
B) Changing patient care practices based on unique research outcomes
C) Volunteering their patients for drug trials
D) Experimenting with different ways of managing patients

Question 31

The rules or standards that govern the conduct of members of a particular group or profession are called:

A) licensure.
B) norms.
C) protocols.
D) ethics.

Question 32

Medical policies, procedures, and practices that a system medical director has established in advance of a call are called:

A) automated medical direction.
B) off-line medical oversight.
C) remote medical direction.
D) on-line medical direction.

Question 33

Which of these terms is a synonym of "mobile integrated health care?"

A) industrial medicine
B) illness prevention
C) corrections medicine
D) community paramedicine

Question 34

The process by which an agency in one state grants automatic certification or licensing to a paramedic who is certified or licensed by an agency in another state is called:

A) professional courtesy.
B) immunity.
C) recertification.
D) reciprocity.

Question 35

The person who is legally responsible for all clinical and patient care aspects of an EMS system is the:

A) quality improvement coordinator.
B) medical director.
C) system administrator.
D) battalion chief.

Question 36

A physician not affiliated with the responding EMS system who takes part in patient care with system paramedics at an emergency scene is called a(n):

A) surrogate medical director.
B) volunteer physician.
C) intervener physician.
D) interloper physician.

Question 37

Which of the following National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) elements of EMS systems deals with issues of equal access to acceptable emergency care for all patients?

A) Human resources and training
B) Public information and education
C) Resources management
D) Trauma systems

Question 38

Which of the following elements of an EMS system is NOT needed to ensure the best possible patient care?

A) Resources management
B) Medical direction
C) Ambulance billing
D) Public information

Question 39

Which of the following certification levels is currently NOT recognized by the National EMS Scope of Practice model?

A) Paramedic
B) Emergency Medical Responder
C) Emergency Medical Technician
D) Critical Care Paramedic

Question 40

Which of the following best describes the practice of evidence-based medicine?

A) Basing all treatments on the patient's signs and symptoms
B) Combining clinical expertise with the best available clinical evidence
C) Using clinical judgment to know when you should deviate from protocols
D) Using published reports of research to change practice

Question 41

Reasons to be involved with a professional membership organization include all of the following, EXCEPT to:

A) stay abreast of changes within the profession.
B) share ideas with other providers.
C) interact with members from other parts of the country.
D) conform to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standards.

Question 42

Paramedics can improve their knowledge and skills through an evaluation by others of equal rank and skills, known as:

A) tenure tracking.
B) debriefing.
C) peer review.
D) performance appraisal.

Question 43

As defined by the National Highway Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA), which of the following is NOT a component of an EMS system?

A) System of quality improvement
B) Public information and education
C) Human resources and training
D) A public advisory council

Question 44

Entering a person's name and relevant information in a particular record maintained by an organization is best described as:

A) registration.
B) reciprocity.
C) certification.
D) licensure.

Question 45

No EMS system should be without which of the following items?

A) An independent communication system
B) One reserve ambulance for every active ambulance in the fleet
C) A large network of volunteers
D) A disaster plan

Question 46

Which of the following best describes a comprehensive network of personnel, equipment, and resources established to deliver aid and emergency medical care to the community?

A) Trauma system
B) EMS system
C) Medical direction
D) ALS system

Question 47

The established policies and procedures of an EMS system that provide a standardized approach to common patient problems and a consistent level of medical care are known as:

A) codes of action and response.
B) clinical protocols.
C) standard operating procedures.
D) standing orders.

Question 48

One area of EMS that will rely especially heavily on research is:

A) communications.
B) transportation.
C) human resources.
D) funding.

Question 49

When you complete your paramedic course and pass the National Registry examination, you will:

A) be certified to practice as a paramedic in your state.
B) be certified to practice as a paramedic in any state.
C) be licensed to practice as a paramedic in your state.
D) still need to complete your state's certification or licensure process.

Question 50

As a rule, which of the following services should be present in trauma systems within an EMS system?

A) Trauma center
B) Burn center
C) Pediatrics
D) Orthopedics

Question 51

With regard to medical authorization, which of the following best describes the role of a paramedic in providing prehospital care?

A) He relies on the delegated practice of a licensed physician medical director.
B) He relies on the delegated practice of any licensed health care practitioners, such as physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and dentists.
C) He relies on the delegated practice of a licensed nurse.
D) He relies on the autonomous medical practitioner.

Question 52

Components of a paramedic's education include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) refresher courses.
B) continuing education.
C) initial education.
D) disciplinary action.

Question 53

Which of the following choices best explains the difference between an EMT-Intermediate and an EMT-Paramedic?

A) Licensure versus certification
B) Scope of knowledge
C) The legal requirement for medical direction
D) Scope of practice

Question 54

Which of the following pieces of legislation had a significant NEGATIVE impact on EMS funding?

A) The Emergency Medical Services Systems Act
B) The National Highway Safety Act
C) The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
D) The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA)

Question 55

The future enhancement of EMS is strongly dependent on:

A) the ability to outline the logistics affecting research.
B) obtaining approval for patient consent procedures.
C) availability of quality research.
D) the collection of raw data.

Question 56

Key events in the historical development of EMS include all of the following, EXCEPT the:

A) 1973 EMS Systems Act.
B) 1988 Statewide EMS Technical Assistance Program.
C) 1975 Cater-Benson Reform Act.
D) 1981 COBRA Act.

Question 57

Although termed certification by many states, the governmental agency's permission to engage in a profession actually constitutes:

A) registration.
B) licensure.
C) authorization.
D) reciprocity.

Question 58

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the KKK specifications?

A) To standardize EMS dispatching terminology
B) To specify quality improvement procedures
C) To state the physical standards required of paramedics
D) To standardize the design of ambulances

Question 59

Guidelines developed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for quality improvement in EMS systems include all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) regulation and policy.
B) financial auditing.
C) communications.
D) human resources training.

Question 60

Which of the following is the publication that first focused attention on the deficiencies in prehospital emergency care?

A) KKK-A-1822
B) Injury in America: A Continuing Public Health Problem
C) Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease of Modern Society
D) A Leadership Guide to Quality Improvement for Emergency Medical Services Systems

Question 61

Which of the following professional characteristics is required for patients to trust paramedics to be in their homes and have access to their property and personal information?

A) Patient advocacy
B) Integrity
C) Empathy
D) Leadership

Question 62

Which of the following is NOT one of the paramedic's primary responsibilities?

A) Patient follow-up
B) Response
C) Returning to service after a call
D) Medical treatment

Question 63

An occupation in which the practitioners have a competence in a specialized body of knowledge or skills that has been recognized by some organization or agency is called a:

A) profession.
B) career.
C) vocation.
D) trade.

Question 64

An example of a quality improvement activity in EMS is:

A) peer review of patient care.
B) displaying the "Star of Life" symbol.
C) disciplinary action for patient care issues.
D) using a Type II or III ambulance.

Question 65

During the return to service, one of the paramedic's chief responsibilities is:

A) decontaminating the ambulance.
B) correcting the patient care report.
C) giving a verbal report to the receiving facility personnel.
D) taking care of personal matters before the next call.

Question 66

Which of the following are likely subjects of standing orders or protocols?

A) How to handle DNR orders
B) Procedures that can be done only with a direct order
C) When to use air transport versus ground transport
D) All of the above

Question 67

When en route to a call, one of the paramedic's chief responsibilities is:

A) assessing the patient's responsiveness.
B) preparing the ambulance to accept the patient.
C) identifying the mechanism of injury or nature of illness.
D) anticipating scene risks and needs based on dispatch information.

Question 68

The Institute of Medicine published Emergency Medical Services for Children in:

A) 1993.
B) 1984.
C) 1969.
D) 1977.

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT one of the three basic elements of citizen involvement in EMS?

A) Recognizing an emergency
B) Providing financial support for EMS agencies
C) Initiating basic life support procedures
D) Accessing the EMS system

Question 70

Categorization of EMS-receiving hospitals was initially developed to identify which of the following?

A) trauma care capability
B) stroke care capability
C) burn care capability
D) chest pain care capability

Question 71

Defending patients, protecting them, and, in general, acting in their best interests are all examples of:

A) leadership.
B) empathy.
C) patient advocacy.
D) integrity.

Question 72

Sending multiple levels of emergency care personnel to the same incident is called a:

A) mass casualty incident.
B) helicopter EMS.
C) tiered response.
D) chain of survival.

Question 73

Consoling and offering emotional support to a person who has just seen a loved one die is an example of the professional attribute of:

A) patient advocacy.
B) leadership.
C) empathy.
D) integrity.

Question 74

Which of the following is a knowledge-based failure of patient safety?

A) A stressed EMS provider applies the wrong rule, resulting in patient injury.
B) A distracted paramedic fails to perform a routine skill correctly.
C) A tired EMS provider fails to follow a relevant rule, resulting in patient injury.
D) A narcissistic paramedic makes a bad decision based on insufficient information.

Question 75

The first use of a prehospital system of triage and transport took place:

A) in large cities in the 19th-century United States.
B) during the U.S. Civil War.
C) during the Napoleonic Wars.
D) in ancient Mesopotamia.

Question 76

Your patient is a 24-year-old man with a severe closed head injury. He is unresponsive, and his vital signs are unstable. Which of the following is the appropriate receiving facility for this patient?

A) A Level I trauma center
B) A Level III trauma center
C) A Level IV trauma center
D) A Level II trauma center

Question 77

Which of these documents recommended that EMS of the future should have the ability to identify and modify illness and injury risks, provide acute illness and injury care and follow-up, and contribute to treatment of chronic conditions and community health monitoring?

A) Injury in America: A Continuing Public Health Problem
B) The EMS Agenda for the Future
C) Emergency Medical Services: At the Crossroads
D) The Ontario Prehospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) study

Question 78

Which of these is NOT an issue facing EMS providers, according to Emergency Medical Services: At the Crossroads?

A) Insufficient coordination
B) Disparities in response times
C) Limited evidence base
D) Medical malpractice

Question 79

The EMT Code of Ethics was established by which of the following groups?

A) National Association of EMTs (NAEMT)
B) American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
C) National Registry of EMTs (NREMT)
D) National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE)

Question 80

The paramedic is responsible for determining the mechanism of injury or nature of the illness when carrying out which of the primary responsibilities?

A) Scene size-up
B) Patient management
C) Patient assessment
D) Response