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Prehospital Emergency Care Practice Test: Handling Environmental Emergencies
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Environmental emergencies can include a variety of patient presentations, such as heat and cold exposure, toxic envenomation, exposure to allergens, and noxious plants.  Here are some symptoms of environmental emergencies: Hyperthermia: Elevated core temperature, muscle cramps, altered mental status, weakness, headache, nausea or vomiting, rapid, strong pulse at first, which deteriorates into thready pulse, deep, rapid breathing at first, which deteriorates into shallow and weak breathing, skin that is cool and moist during early stages, skin that is hot at late stages,... Show more
Prehospital Emergency Care Practice Test: Handling Environmental Emergencies
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25 Questions

1. A 24-year-old female who was hiking in shorts informs you that she has been bitten by an insect on her leg. She states no other complaints. Assessment reveals a tick embedded in her leg. As an EMT, you should provide care to this patient by:
2. You have been summoned to a beach for a young male patient who has been stung by jellyfish on both forearms. As the senior EMT on scene, which directions should you provide to the other EMS providers in providing proper care to this patient?
3. In which of these settings will sweating be less effective as a means to cool the body?
4. You have been summoned to a field where a 32-year-old male patient has been struck by lightning. Emergency Medical Responders are with the patient, providing manual spine motion restriction. Once you arrive at the patient's side, what should you do first?
5. You are called to treat a homeless person who complains of an inability to walk due to sores and numbness of his feet. The EMR tells you that the patient is well oriented with good pulses and respiration but that his feet are edematous with open sores and broken-down skin. This finding is the typical result of which condition?
6. Which of these patients with heat emergency would be the highest priority for transport?
7. You are giving a talk on hunting safety. A hunter asks you when someone should attempt to rewarm a hand or foot that is frostbitten. What is your best response?
8. Which of these statements about immersion hypothermia is false?
9. The EMT is correctly assessing the skin temperature of a patient who has been exposed to cold temperatures for an extended period of time when he:
10. You are called to a construction site on a hot and humid day for a male patient with a heat emergency. On scene, you find a 49-year-old man who is responsive to verbal stimuli. Coworkers state that the patient had been moving concrete blocks all day in the hot weather and had not rested, eaten, or had anything to drink in the past two hours. During the primary assessment, you note the patient's airway to be open and breathing rapid but adequate. His radial pulse is rapid and bounding, and his skin is hot and dry. Which of these findings makes this patient a priority for immediate and rapid transport?
11. A patient is confused and combative after playing football in the open sun on an extremely hot day. On the field, you find his airway open, respirations tachypneic but adequate, and radial pulse rapid. The patient's skin is hot and dry. After deciding whether to provide spine motion restriction precautions, your next action would be to:
12. A young male patient who was angry with friends wandered away from a party and spent the night outside uncovered in 40-50°F temperatures. He is confused, has decreased but adequate breathing, and has a weak radial pulse. His skin is cool and capillary refill delayed. You note that he is not shivering. Based on this presentation, what can you safely conclude?
13. Which thermometer should be utilized by an EMT when assessing the temperature of a patient with hypothermia?
14. A landscaper who has been working in 105°F weather is found collapsed in a client's yard. He is responsive to painful stimuli and has an open airway. His breathing is shallow, alveolar breath sounds are absent, and radial pulse is weak. The patient's skin is hot and dry and appears to be sunburned. The EMT should immediately:
15. You have been called to a residence for a spider bite. On scene, the homeowner states that he was moving some boxes in his garage when he accidentally grabbed a spider and it bit him. He killed the spider and shows you a brown-colored spider with a 'violin shape' on its back. He then states that the bite does not hurt and he sees no need to go to the hospital. As a knowledgeable EMT, you should state:
16. A patient has been bitten by what appears to be a black widow spider. The bite to her left hand is dull and achy, and the patient states that the muscles in her shoulders and back are starting to hurt, as if they are cramping up. After ensuring that no life-threatening conditions are present and administering oxygen, the EMT should:
17. Which of these findings would present earliest in a patient with hypothermia?
18. A patient with hypothermia is alert and confused, but complains of left arm pain. His friends found him outside, where the patient spent the night after he got drunk and passed out in the cold. It appears as though he has a localized freezing cold injury to the arm in question. In caring for this patient, which of these treatments would be acceptable?
19. A young female patient was weeding her garden when she was bitten on her left hand by an unidentified snake. The primary assessment does not reveal any life threats and vital signs are stable. In caring for this patient and her injury, it is critical that the EMT:
20. A patient has been struck by lightning at a picnic. A doctor on scene states that the patient was in cardiac arrest after the strike, but with 1 minute of CPR, has a heartbeat and weak sonorous respirations. The patient remains unresponsive. Which priority care should the EMT provide?
21. Which of these statements made by your EMT partner would require immediate correction when treating a patient with hypothermia and a deep freezing cold injury to his left foot, ankle, and lower leg?
22. When obtaining a history of a 5-year-old boy with generalized hypothermia, which question should be asked before all others?
23. The primary assessment of a teenage male patient who is unresponsive with hot, moist, and flushed skin reveals his airway to be open, breathing shallow, and radial pulse weak. You have initiated positive pressure ventilation with supplemental oxygen. What should you consider doing next?
24. You are reassessing a patient whom you are treating for heat exhaustion. Which of these findings indicates that the patient is improving?
25. A young man has been struck by lightning on a golf course and is in cardiac arrest. Other golfers say that he was struck 8-10 minutes ago. What should the EMT do immediately?