Chapter 12: Primary Assessment

Question 1

Which of the following is true concerning the primary assessment?

Answer 1

The primary assessment begins by just observing the patient as you enter the room.

Question 2

You are at the scene where a 19-year-old female college student has been drinking large quantities of alcohol throughout the evening. On your arrival, the patient is lying on her back with no signs of trauma; has vomited; and has slow, wet sounding respirations. Which of the following should you do next?

Answer 2

Open the patient’s airway using a head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver.

Question 3

Your patient is a middle-aged man who appears to be in distress and is clutching his chest. These observations lead you to suspect which type of problem?

Answer 3

Cardiac

Question 4

Which of the following is not part of the general impression?

Answer 4

Patient’s past medical history

Question 5

You are approaching a young adult male lying supine on the ground with his eyes closed. You should:

Answer 5

Ask him if he is okay

Question 6

You enter a room to find a 16-year-old female sitting upright in a chair with her back straight, leaning forward, and her arms supporting her. She is having a hard time talking to you. You should suspect:

Answer 6

Respiratory distress

Question 7

In the primary assessment, which of the following is not an acceptable method of assessing the patient’s circulatory status?

Answer 7

Taking a blood pressure reading

Question 8

Which of the following patients is a high priority for transport?

Answer 8

Adult male with difficulty breathing

Question 9

You find a teenage male lying supine in his bedroom. You hear gurgling sounds from the patient’s mouth and see vomit with pill fragments on the floor. You should:

Answer 9

Suction the airway

Question 10

Which of the following is a good indication of a partially occluded airway?

Answer 10

The patient with snoring respirations

Question 11

You have arrived on the scene at a high school football field where a 17-year-old male is lying on the ground. He is unresponsive and cyanotic, and he is making obvious respiratory effort without moving adequate amounts of air. Which of the following should be done first?

Answer 11

Open the patient’s airway using a manual maneuver.

Question 12

Which of the following is the proper position for maintaining the airway in a child with a decreased level of consciousness?

Answer 12

Placing the head and neck in a neutral position; using a folded towel under the shoulders if necessary

Question 13

Which of the following differences should be expected when assessing a pediatric patient, as compared to an adult patient?

Answer 13

The normal respiratory rate is faster.

Question 14

Which of the following describes the chief complaint?

Answer 14

Reason why the patient summoned EMS

Question 15

Which of the following represents the correct order of assessment for the EMT during the primary assessment from start to end?

Answer 15

General impression, mental status, airway, breathing, circulation, patient priority

Question 16

What is the first thing the EMT does during the primary assessment?

Answer 16

Forms a general impression

Question 17

Which of the following is the purpose of the primary assessment?

Answer 17

To detect and treat immediately life-threatening problems

Question 18

Which of the following is not assessed during the breathing phase of the primary assessment?

Answer 18

The pulse oximetry

Question 19

Your patient is a 33-year-old man who has been ejected from his vehicle during a high-speed collision. During your primary assessment it is discovered that he is not moving, does not appear to have adequate respirations, and has suffered moderate external bleeding. Which of the following should be done first?

Answer 19

Open the airway

Question 20

Which of the following indicates a possible circulatory problem?

Answer 20

All of the above
Rapid pulse
Slow pulse
Weak, thready pulse that is normal in rate