EMT Practice Exam Questions with Answers Emergency Medical Technicians Exam Certification

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Thepatient’s complaint of difficulty breathingis anairway/breathing issueand takes precedence over a controlled extremity bleed. The first action is toadminister oxygenand evaluate respiratory effort.

Though reassessing the wound is important,oxygenation is the prioritywhen airway compromise or respiratory distress is present. Tourniquets are foruncontrolled bleeding, which is not the case here.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Pertinent negativesare findings that arenot present, butwould be clinically relevant if they were. For example:

“No neck or back pain”helps rule out spinal injury

“No loss of consciousness”informs head trauma assessment

Statements about behavior or initial refusal (B, E) may be documented under patient behavior or refusal, but they are not pertinent negatives. Positive findings like abdominal tenderness arepertinent positives.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The patient’sexcessively high respiratory rate (RR 50),hypoxia (SpO? 89%), anddecreased mental status(drowsiness) indicaterespiratory failure, which is theinability to maintain oxygenation or ventilation.

Respiratory distress: Increased effort but adequate compensation

Respiratory arrest: Complete absence of breathing

Respiratory alkalosis: Possible early finding, but not a condition diagnosis

This patient is tiring and losing the ability to ventilate effectively — a hallmark of failure.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Compared to adults, pediatric patients have:

Aproportionately larger tongue, which increases the risk of airway obstruction

Alarger occiput, which causes natural neck flexion when lying supine, potentially occluding the airway

This anatomical difference is why EMS providers often use ashoulder rollinstead of a head tilt to maintain aneutral airwayin infants and toddlers.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Altered mental status, combined withpale, cool, and clammy skin, is strongly suggestive ofhypoglycemia(low blood sugar). Hypoglycemia is especially dangerous in diabetics who take insulin or oral hypoglycemics. The body'sadrenergic responsecauses the "cool and clammy" presentation.

Hyperglycemia typically presents withwarm, dry skinand develops more slowly. EMTs shouldadminister oral glucoseif the patient can swallow.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Agonal respirations arenot effective breathingand can mimic gasping or snorting. They often occur incardiac arrest. However, before initiating chest compressions, the EMT mustconfirm pulselessnessby checking acarotid pulse for no more than 10 seconds(AHA 2020 BLS Guidelines).

Only after pulse confirmation (or absence) should compressions begin. Suctioning or ventilating is premature unless a pulse is found.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Anexternally rotated, shortened legis a classic sign of aproximal femur fracture, specifically afemoral neck or intertrochanteric fracture, commonly seen in elderly fall patients. This presentation reflectsmuscle pulland fracture displacement.

Posterior hip dislocationscauseinternal rotation.

Pelvic fracturesmay cause instability but not specific leg rotation/shortening.

Colles' fractureis a distal radius (wrist) injury, unrelated to leg trauma.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

CPAPworks by delivering continuous positive pressure to keep alveoli open and improve oxygenation. However, complications include:

Hypotension: Due to reduced venous return and cardiac preload

Feeling of suffocation: Common psychological reaction to a tight-fitting mask and forced airflow

It isused to treat, not cause, pulmonary edema. It doesnot induce bronchospasmor myocardial infarction.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Heat exhaustionresults from prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures, leading tofluid and electrolyte loss(especially sodium and water), causinghypovolemia. This can result in:

Tachycardia

Weakness

Dizziness

Profuse sweating

Unlikeheat stroke, mental status is typically preserved in heat exhaustion. Hypertension and bradycardia are not characteristic.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Forsuspected or confirmed tuberculosis (TB), the EMT should place asurgical mask on the patient, not a HEPA respirator. Surgical masks are used tocontain droplets from the patientand reduce airborne transmission.

The EMTshould wear aN95 or HEPA respiratorto protect against inhaling airborne particles. Notification to the CDC is not the EMT’s responsibility — that falls to public health officials.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

The patient is in hypoperfusion (shock) from blood loss. In shock states, tissues are deprived of oxygen, leading to anaerobic metabolism, which produces lactic acid as a byproduct. This causes metabolic acidosis, which is a critical sign of systemic oxygen debt.

Carbon dioxide rises with respiratory failure, but lactic acid is a more specific indicator of cellular hypoxia.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

Children compensate for shock through increasedheart rate,respiratory rate, andvasoconstriction, which delays blood pressure drop. Therefore:

Tachycardiais often thefirst sign

Prolonged capillary refill(>2 seconds) is an early indicator

Tachypneasupports perfusion

Blood pressureis alate signin pediatric shock. SpO? is helpful but does not specifically indicate shock. Blood glucose may be abnormal in other metabolic conditions but is not an early marker of volume loss.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

TheSTART (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment)system classifies patients based on ability to walk, respirations, perfusion, and mental status. A patient with an open fracture who can breathe adequately, has a pulse, and follows commands is categorized as“Delayed”.

Immediate (Red) is reserved for those who cannot walk and have life-threatening conditions, such as compromised airway or severe bleeding.