CSLB General Building (B) — All Questions
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In the START triage system, a patient who is not breathing but begins breathing after you open the airway is tagged:
- a.Immediate (red)✓
- b.Delayed (yellow)
- c.Minor/walking wounded (green)
- d.Deceased/expectant (black)
In START triage, a patient who only breathes after the airway is opened is classified Immediate (red). This indicates a critical patient needing the highest transport priority.
The very first priority when arriving at any emergency scene is:
- a.Reaching the patient as fast as possible
- b.Ensuring scene safety for yourself, the crew, and bystanders✓
- c.Obtaining a full medical history
- d.Applying oxygen
Scene safety comes before patient contact because an injured rescuer cannot help and may create more victims. Assess for hazards such as traffic, violence, fire, and toxins before approaching.
Which type of consent applies to treating an unresponsive patient who cannot agree to care?
- a.Informed consent
- b.Expressed consent
- c.Implied consent✓
- d.Involuntary consent
Implied consent assumes that a reasonable unresponsive person would want life-saving care. It allows EMTs to treat patients who cannot give expressed consent.
In the START triage system, the first step to sort a large group of patients is to:
- a.Check every pulse individually first
- b.Start CPR on all non-breathing patients
- c.Immobilize all patients
- d.Direct everyone who can walk to a designated area (identifying the walking wounded)✓
START begins by asking everyone who can walk to move to a designated area, quickly identifying minor (green) patients. Remaining patients are then assessed by respirations, perfusion, and mental status.
A competent adult refuses care after being informed of the risks. The EMT should:
- a.Respect the refusal, document it thoroughly, and encourage the patient to call back if needed✓
- b.Force treatment anyway
- c.Leave without any documentation
- d.Have the patient sign nothing and depart quietly
A competent, informed adult has the right to refuse care, and the refusal must be clearly documented after explaining the risks. Encourage the patient to seek help if symptoms worsen and involve medical direction as appropriate.
Which patient should be moved with an emergency move (before full assessment)?
- a.Any patient to save time
- b.A patient in immediate danger from fire, explosion, or an unsafe scene✓
- c.A stable patient with a sprained ankle
- d.Every trauma patient
An emergency move is used when there is an immediate threat to life, such as fire or hazardous materials, even if it means less spinal protection. Otherwise, non-urgent moves preserve stabilization.
When lifting a heavy patient or stretcher, proper body mechanics include:
- a.Bending at the waist and lifting with the back
- b.Twisting while lifting to save steps
- c.Keeping the back straight, lifting with the legs, and keeping the load close to the body✓
- d.Lifting quickly with the arms fully extended
Safe lifting uses the leg muscles with a straight back and the load held close to the body, avoiding twisting. This reduces the risk of back injury to the EMT.
The purpose of providing a radio report to the receiving hospital is to:
- a.Fill required air time
- b.Replace written documentation
- c.Ask the hospital to complete your assessment
- d.Alert staff and allow them to prepare for the incoming patient✓
A concise radio (MedComm) report gives the hospital key information so they can prepare appropriate staff and resources. It typically includes age, chief complaint, vital signs, treatment, and ETA.
Standard precautions (body substance isolation) mean an EMT should:
- a.Assume all blood and body fluids are potentially infectious and use appropriate PPE✓
- b.Wear gloves only for known infections
- c.Skip protection when the patient looks healthy
- d.Use PPE only during CPR
Standard precautions treat every patient's blood and body fluids as potentially infectious. Appropriate PPE such as gloves and eye protection is used on all patient contacts.
Positioning an ambulance at a highway crash to shield the work area from traffic is an example of:
- a.Triage
- b.Scene safety and hazard protection✓
- c.Patient assessment
- d.Documentation
Positioning the apparatus to block traffic protects the crew and patients from being struck, which is part of scene safety. Traffic is a major hazard at roadway incidents.
In a mass-casualty incident (MCI), the goal of triage is to:
- a.Give the most care to the first patient found
- b.Transport patients in the order they are discovered
- c.Do the greatest good for the greatest number of patients✓
- d.Treat only the most severely injured, regardless of survivability
MCI triage aims to do the greatest good for the greatest number by prioritizing patients most likely to benefit from limited resources. This differs from routine care that focuses fully on one patient.
Which is an example of expressed consent?
- a.Treating an unconscious patient
- b.Assuming a minor agrees
- c.Treating without asking in an emergency
- d.A conscious, competent adult verbally agreeing to be treated✓
Expressed consent occurs when a competent, informed patient specifically agrees to care, verbally or otherwise. The patient must understand the nature of the treatment and its risks.
Abandonment occurs when an EMT:
- a.Stops care of a patient without ensuring an equal or higher level of care takes over✓
- b.Transfers a patient to a paramedic
- c.Documents a refusal properly
- d.Calls medical control for orders
Abandonment is terminating care without handing the patient to a provider of equal or higher training. Proper transfer of care and documentation prevent abandonment claims.
During START triage, a patient with a respiratory rate over 30 per minute is tagged:
- a.Minor/green
- b.Immediate (red)✓
- c.Delayed (yellow)
- d.Deceased (black)
In START, a respiratory rate above 30 indicates a critical patient tagged Immediate (red). Respirations, perfusion, and mental status are the three assessments used to categorize patients.