Chapter 32 Quiz

Question 1

A 30-year-old male was rescued after being lost in the woods for approximately 18 hours. The outside temperature is 30°F (–1°C). He is immediately placed in the warmed ambulance, where you perform a primary assessment. He is unresponsive, pale, and apneic. You should:
Select one:
A. apply an AED and assess his cardiac rhythm.
B. assess for a carotid pulse for up to 60 seconds.
C. apply chemical heat packs to his groin and axillae.
D. open his airway and give two rescue breaths.

Answer 1

B. assess for a carotid pulse for up to 60 seconds.

Question 2

A 31-year-old male was bitten on the leg by an unidentified snake. The patient is conscious and alert and in no apparent distress. Your assessment of his leg reveals two small puncture marks with minimal pain and swelling. In addition to administering oxygen and providing reassurance, further care for this patient should include:
Select one:
A. elevating the lower extremities and giving antivenin.
B. supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.
C. applying ice to the wound and transporting quickly.
D. transporting only with close, continuous monitoring.

Answer 2

B. supine positioning, splinting the leg, and transporting.

Question 3

All of the following terms refer to a body part that is cold but not frozen, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. immersion foot.
B. trench foot.
C. frostnip.
D. frostbite.

Answer 3

D. frostbite.

Question 4

Burns associated with lightning strikes are typically:
Select one:
A. third-degree.
B. superficial.
C. full-thickness.
D. partial-thickness.

Answer 4

B. superficial.

Question 5

Common signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include all of the following, EXCEPT:
Select one:
A. nausea.
B. tachycardia.
C. hot, dry skin.
D. headache.

Answer 5

C. hot, dry skin.

Question 6

Drowning is MOST accurately defined as:
Select one:
A. temporary survival after submersion in water.
B. water in the lungs following submersion in water.
C. death beyond 24 hours after submersion in water.
D. death from suffocation after submersion in water.

Answer 6

D. death from suffocation after submersion in water.

Question 7

Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below:
Select one:
A. 90°F (32°C).
B. 95°F (35°C).
C. 88°F (31°C).
D. 98°F (37°C).

Answer 7

B. 95°F (35°C).

Question 8

In contrast to Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever:
Select one:
A. causes painful joint swelling after a few days or weeks.
B. can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse.
C. may be confused with rheumatoid arthritis.
D. presents with flu-like symptoms and a bull’s-eye rash.

Answer 8

B. can cause paralysis and cardiorespiratory collapse.

Question 9

Most of the serious injuries associated with scuba diving are caused by:
Select one:
A. cold water temperature.
B. alcohol consumption.
C. too rapid of a descent.
D. too rapid of an ascent.

Answer 9

D. too rapid of an ascent.

Question 10

The body's natural cooling mechanism, in which sweat is converted to a gas, is called:
Select one:
A. convection.
B. conduction.
C. evaporation.
D. radiation.

Answer 10

C. evaporation.

Question 11

The EMT must assume that any unwitnessed water-related incident is accompanied by:
Select one:
A. cold-water immersion.
B. an air embolism.
C. possible spinal injury.
D. alcohol intoxication.

Answer 11

C. possible spinal injury.

Question 12

The MOST prominent symptom of decompression sickness is:
Select one:
A. dizziness and nausea.
B. abdominal or joint pain.
C. difficulty with vision.
D. tightness in the chest.

Answer 12

B. abdominal or joint pain.

Question 13

The venom of a black widow spider is toxic to the:
Select one:
A. nervous system.
B. cardiovascular system.
C. respiratory system.
D. renal system.

Answer 13

A. nervous system.

Question 14

When a warm hand is immersed in water that is 70°F (21°C), heat is transferred from the hand to the water through a process called:
Select one:
A. conduction.
B. evaporation.
C. convection.
D. radiation.

Answer 14

A. conduction.

Question 15

Which of the following is an early sign of pit viper envenomation?
Select one:
A. Syncope and bleeding at distal sites
B. Signs and symptoms of hypoperfusion
C. Local swelling and ecchymosis
D. General weakness and diaphoresis

Answer 15

C. Local swelling and ecchymosis

Question 16

Which of the following MOST accurately describes hyperthermia?
Select one:
A. Heat evaporates a significant amount of body water.
B. The body eliminates more heat than it can generate.
C. The body is exposed to more heat than it can lose.
D. The core body temperature exceeds 99.5°F (37°C).

Answer 16

C. The body is exposed to more heat than it can lose.

Question 17

You and your partner respond to a park where several people were reportedly struck by lightning. When you arrive, you find three patients. The first patient is lying supine on the ground; he is unresponsive and does not appear to be breathing. The second patient is ambulatory, appears confused, and is holding his arm against his chest. The third patient is sitting on the ground holding the sides of his head. After calling for backup, you should:
Select one:
A. recognize that the patients who are conscious are at high risk for developing cardiac arrest and quickly assess them for potentially life-threatening injuries.
B. immediately begin CPR on the unresponsive patient, but cease resuscitation efforts if there is no response after 5 minutes of treatment.
C. focus your initial treatment efforts on the patients who are conscious because the unresponsive patient is likely in irreversible cardiac arrest.
D. assess the unresponsive patient’s pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the AED as soon as possible.

Answer 17

D. assess the unresponsive patient’s pulse, begin CPR starting with chest compressions if he is pulseless, and attach the AED as soon as possible.

Question 18

You are transporting a 28-year-old man with a frostbitten foot. The patient’s vital signs are stable and he denies any other injuries or symptoms. The weather is treacherous and your transport time to the hospital is approximately 45 minutes. During transport, you should:
Select one:
A. cover his foot with chemical heat compresses.
B. protect the affected part from further injury.
C. rewarm his foot in 102°F to 104°F (38.9°C to 40°C) water.
D. administer oxygen via a nonrebreathing mask.

Answer 18

B. protect the affected part from further injury.

Question 19

You receive a call to a residence for a sick patient. Upon your arrival, you find the patient, a 53-year-old diabetic male, lying down on his front porch. His wife tells you that he had been mowing the lawn in the heat for the past 3 hours. The patient is confused and has hot, moist skin. His pulse is weak and thready, and his blood pressure is 90/50 mm Hg. You should:
Select one:
A. administer one tube of oral glucose and reassess his mental status.
B. load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions.
C. perform a head-to-toe assessment and look for signs of trauma.
D. place him in a sitting position and have him drink 1 L of water.

Answer 19

B. load him into the ambulance and begin rapid cooling interventions.

Question 20

You respond to a local lake where a diver complains of difficulty breathing that occurred immediately after rapidly ascending from a depth of approximately 30 feet. On assessment, you note that he has cyanosis around his lips and has pink froth coming from his nose and mouth. You should:
Select one:
A. place him in a semi-sitting position, suction his mouth and nose, apply a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, and transport to the closest emergency department.
B. suction his mouth and nose, keep him supine and elevate his legs to prevent air bubbles from entering his brain, administer high-flow oxygen, and transport to a hyperbaric chamber.
C. suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, monitor the patient’s breath sounds for a pneumothorax, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.
D. position him supine with his head elevated 30°, suction his mouth and nose, hyperventilate him with a bag-valve mask, and contact medical control for further guidance.

Answer 20

C. suction his mouth and nose, apply high-flow oxygen, monitor the patient’s breath sounds for a pneumothorax, and contact medical control regarding transport to a recompression facility.