EMT Practice Questions

Pulmonary edema is caused by fluid accumulation in the alveoli, impairing gas exchange. It is typically due to:

Left-sided heart failure: Blood backs up into the pulmonary circulation

Hypertensive crisis: Increases hydrostatic pressure in the lungs

Anaphylaxis causes vasodilation and bronchospasm, not fluid overload. Increased oncotic pressure would retain fluid in capillaries — the opposite of edema.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (Based on NREMT standards):

The patient’s signs—hip pain, deformity, and leg shortening—are consistent with a proximal femur or hip fracture. NREMT trauma care emphasizes immobilization, pain reduction, and prevention of further injury.

Option C (Apply mild traction) is appropriate to reduce muscle spasm and pain when a femur fracture is suspected and no contraindications are present.

Option D (Splint with blankets and pillows) is correct because soft splinting stabilizes the injury and limits movement during transport.

Option A is not required because oxygen saturation is adequate.

Option B is contraindicated because leg elevation may worsen pain or bleeding.

Option E is reserved for unstable pelvic fractures, not isolated hip fractures.

NREMT emphasizes gentle handling, immobilization, and rapid transport for suspected hip fractures.

The patient’s symptoms are consistent with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The first-line treatments are:

Aspirin (160–325 mg): inhibits platelet aggregation, reducing clot progression.

Oxygen: administered when SpO₂ < 94% or signs of hypoxia/distress are present.

CPAP is for pulmonary edema or respiratory failure. Nitroglycerin requires BP > 90 systolic and medical direction approval. Laying the patient supine may increase myocardial workload and is inappropriate unless hypotension occurs.

Appearance (Skin Color): → 2 points

The neonate is completely pink.

APGAR criteria:

0 = blue/pale

1 = pink body, blue extremities

2 = completely pink

Pulse (Heart Rate): → 2 points

Heart rate is 108/min.

APGAR criteria:

0 = absent

1 = < 100/min

2 = ≥ 100/min

Activity (Muscle Tone): → 1 point

The neonate has some flexion of extremities, but not active motion.

APGAR criteria:

0 = limp

1 = some flexion

2 = active motion

Respirations: → 1 point

Breathing is slow, not strong crying.

APGAR criteria:

0 = absent

1 = slow or irregular respirations

2 = strong cry

Total APGAR Score at 5 Minutes: 6 / 10

Interpretation (NREMT-based):

A score of 6 indicates the newborn requires continued supportive care, such as warming, positioning, stimulation, and close monitoring.

No immediate chest compressions are indicated because the heart rate is > 100/min.

Respiratory effort should continue to be assessed closely.

This scoring aligns with NREMT neonatal assessment and APGAR scoring guidelines used for evaluating newborn transition after birth.