Chapter 9

A 39-year-old male sustained a stab wound to the groin during an altercation at a bar. As you approach the patient, you note that he is conscious. He is screaming in pain and is attempting to control the bleeding, which is bright red and spurting from his groin area. You should:

apply direct pressure to the wound

A palpable pulse is created by

pressure waves through the arteries caused by cardiac contraction

An elderly patient has fallen and hit her head. Your initial care should focus on:

airway, breathing, and circulation

An injured patient is assigned a total score of 9 on the GCS. He is assigned a score of 2 for eye opening, a score of 3 for verbal response, and a score of 4 for motor response. Which of the following clinical findings is consistent with his GCS score?

opens eyes in response to pain, uses inappropriate words, withdraws from pain

During an EMS call, you should take standard precautions:

before exiting the ambulance and before actual patient contact

In patients with deeply pigmented skin, changes in color may be apparent only in certain areas, such as the:

lips or oral mucosa

Reassessment is performed to determine all of the following, EXCEPT:

the reason why the patient called EMS

The chief complaint is MOST accurately defined as the:

most serious thing the patient is concerned about

the rapid exam of a patient that occurs following the primary assessment should take no longer than

90 to 120 seconds

Treatment and transport priorities at the scene of a mass-casualty incident should be determined after:

all the patients have been triaged

What maneuver should be used to open the airway of an unresponsive patient with suspected trauma?

jaw-thrust maneuver

When approaching a 32-year-old male who is complaining of traumatic neck pain, you should:

ensure that the patient can see you approaching him

When you shine a light into one pupil, the normal reaction of the other pupil should be to:

become smaller

Which of the following actions would NOT be performed during the scene size-up?

rapidly assessing a patient’s respiratory status

Which of the following conditions would be LEAST likely to cause an altered level of consciousness?

acute anxiety

Which of the following scenarios does NOT involve the presence of any symptoms?

a 62 year old female who is unconscious with facial cyanosis

Which of the following statements regarding the mechanism of injury (MOI) is correct?

the MOI may allow you to predict the severity of a patient’s injuries

Which of the following statements regarding the secondary assessment is correct?

the secondary assessment should focus on a certain area or region of the body as determined by the chief complaint

You are assessing a 72-year-old man with abdominal pain. The patient is sitting in a chair; he is conscious, alert, and calm. As you are talking to the patient, your partner discreetly directs your attention to a handgun, which is located on a nearby table. You should:

position yourself in between the patient and the gun and ask your partner to request law enforcement assistance

You should suspect that a patient is experiencing respiratory failure if he or she:

has bradycardia and diminished muscle tone