Can You Get a Perfect Score on This EMT Quiz?

By: Torrance Grey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Get a Perfect Score on This EMT Quiz?
Image: Image Source / Image Source / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Have you ever wondered if you could make the grade as an emergency medical technician? If so, our quiz is for you. Well, OK ... it's probably not going to be as difficult as the National Registry EMT certification exam, because it's for a general audience. 

Did you know, for example, that the current NREMT exam is "cognitively adaptive"? That means that the computerized test starts with the most difficult questions on each sub-topic, and if you answer those correctly, it moves on. If not, it tapers down to progressively easier questions. So if it's taking you what feels like a long time to take the exam, you might not be as prepared as you thought! But don't worry, as long as you demonstrate an adequate level of knowledge, you won't fail. You'll just get out a bit earlier if you ace it!

There's a lot to cover. EMTs must have a good understanding of human anatomy, the systems of the body and common illnesses and injuries. But beyond that, they have to understand how to communicate with children, the elderly, and those for whom English is a second language. They need to know how to instill trust in patients, how to deal with the drunk, drug users or those agitated by mental illness. And, no less important, they need to remember how to protect themselves in the field. There are many risks to the job, from back injuries incurred while lifting patients, to hostile dogs, to the canisters of highly combustible oxygen that are a part of an ambulance's equipment. 

Remember, the next time you see an EMT or paramedic -- treat them well; they have a very difficult job!

If you are using the terms "systolic" and "diastolic," what are you probably doing?
Listening for breathing sounds
Administering insulin
Taking a patient's blood pressure
Setting a broken radial bone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Systole and diastole are the two halves of the heartbeat. Each one exerts a different pressure on the walls of veins and arteries, meaning we have systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

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A bag-valve-mask setup is used to give a patient which of these?
Blood
Glucose
Insulin
Oxygen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The others would be administered intravenously or orally. But oxygen/nitrogen is administered via a mask.

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If an RP suspects his father is having a "brain attack," what does this mean?
A drug overdose
A Parkinson's flareup
Symptoms of schizophrenia
A stroke
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Brain attack" is a term related to "heart attack." In both cases, part of the organ is being deprived of necessary blood flow; death can result.

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If you work as an EMT, will you ever be expected to testify in court about what you witnessed on a call?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

EMTs, like other types of first responder, might be called to court to testify about what they saw at an emergency scene that was also a crime scene. Few people are exempt from this responsibility -- religious personnel, for example.

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"Anterior" and "posterior" are medical terms for what?
Improving and declining
Left side and right side
Nearer and farther away
Front and back
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

EMTs, like doctors and nurses, learn these anatomical terms in school. They're meant to eliminate confusion in the field. But don't confuse "anterior" and "posterior" with "ventral" and "dorsal" -- the latter two terms refer more specifically to a patient's torso (chest/stomach versus back).

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A healthy resting heart rate is ________ beats per minute.
12 -24
30 - 40
50 - 90
100 - 140
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There's a bit of wiggle room here -- serious caffeine users might be up around 100, while ultra-marathoners can get down under 40. But 12 - 24 is too low. That's the number of breaths per minute a healthy resting adult takes.

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You arrive at a scene of a reported fight and stabbing, and find it unusually quiet, with no one in sight. What does this suggest to you?
The problem is resolved; you should leave.
You should proceed with great caution.
You should enter the premises right away; everyone is unconscious or dying.
You should go looking for the person who committed the stabbing, who has evidently fled.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Emergency scenes are usually noisy places, with people crying, hurrying around trying to help, et cetera. What EMT manuals call "unusual silence" suggests something is wrong, possibly a hostage situation or similar.

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Pulse, respiration rate, body temperature and blood pressure are called a patient's _______.
BMI
Intake status
Venn profile
Vital signs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These are the vital signs because they will give you, taken together, a good snapshot of the patient's condition. If any one of the four is "off," something is wrong in their system.

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A patient who reports taking oral glucose is most likely a _______ patient.
Cancer
Diabetes
Asthma
Lupus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Diabetes is possibly the fastest-growing health problem in the developed world (e.g. North America, Australia, etc). Diabetes patients might carry oral glucose with them, or take insulin.

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If you see the terms "cervical," "thoracic" and "lumbar," you know you're dealing with the _____.
Brain
Lungs
Skull
Spine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Cervical" is an important concept/area for EMTs. Cervical spine injuries can happen when a patient is moved prematurely or without caution in the field, and can cause quadriplegia.

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The mnemonic "ABC" stands for "_______, Breathing, Circulation."
AIrway
Anaphylaxis
Aerobics
Attention
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This memory device helps first-responders remember the very first steps in keeping someone alive. Make sure their AIRWAY is clear, that they are BREATHING, and that their heart is beating (CIRCULATION). It's not just EMTs who are taught this; it's essential to first aid.

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Which of these items is NOT used for BSI?
Gloves
Goggles
A mask
A stethoscope
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The other three items, all wearable, protect an EMT from contacting body fluids and maybe being exposed to an infectious disease. A stethoscope is simply medical equipment.

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A patient whose doctor has prescribed albuterol most likely has ______.
Asthma
Leukemia
Scleroderma
Von Willebrand disease
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Albuterol is an inhaled drug that helps with difficulty breathing caused by asthma. It is also prescribed to COPD patients.

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If you're using a "sphygmomanometer," what are you holding in your hands?
A blood-pressure meter
An oxygen tank
A defibrillator
A splint
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We're not sure, but we suspect this has been the winning word at a high-level spelling bee. Everyone else just says "blood pressure meter."

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A bluish tinge to the skin suggests what issue?
Arsenic poisoning
Internal bleeding
Lack of oxygen
High blood pressure
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is called "cyanosis," and is related to the name "cyan" for blue (which you might recognize if you work in printing). It appears first in and around the lips.

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The rules and directions an EMT must follow in the field are called _______.
A DNR
The directorate
Queensberry rules
Standing orders
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Every ambulance service has its "standing orders," which are procedures to be followed in the field. For example, if only a paramedic, not an EMT-B, can administer oxygen, that's how it's always supposed to work.

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Don't confuse "palpation" with "palpitations," which are ...
A strong throbbing of the heart
Calcium deposits in the kidney
Irregular brain waves
Signs of gastric distress
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Palpation" and "palpitation" are related words, though. They both come from the Latin verb "palpare," meaning "to touch or stroke."

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In the title "EMT-B," what does the "B" stand for?
Basic
Biologist
Beginner
Boy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

EMT-B is the starting point in an EMT career. It's where you'd start right after passing your exam and being hired.

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Who creates the standing orders?
The most veteran paramedic
The service's medical director
Whoever's running the local ER that day/night
No one, everyone just makes the best decisions they can
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Every ambulance service must have a medical director. This is an MD who sets policies for treatment and care in the field. He or she is often available by phone in case particularly tricky situations come up.

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What does "BSI" stand for?
Biological Services International
Biological Science Investigator
Body Substance Isolation
Beyond Saveable, I (Think)
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

BSI is a key concept in emergency medical work. It refers to practices that keep EMTs safe from infectious diseases.

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Which of these is a healthy blood pressure?
80/40
110/70
180/90
Both #1 and #2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't be fooled by the idea that lower is always better. This isn't so. If a patient's blood pressure is too low, like the top number, they might have lost a lot of blood, and they're definitely at risk to pass out.

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True or false: A "stair chair" is something you might use to transport a patient in the field.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though you've probably heard of it less often than a stretcher or back board, a stair chair is used for getting an immobile patient to an ambulance. As the name suggests, it gets patients down flights of stairs.

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A patient's femoral artery runs through her _____.
Arm
Leg
Foot
Heart
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This blood vessel is named for the femur, or the big bone of the upper leg. It is very large, and if slashed open, can cause severe blood loss.

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You would use a splint to treat what issue?
A skeletal injury
Low blood pressure
High blood pressure
Insulin shock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Splints are used to immobilize limbs with fractures or even broken bones. They don't have an effect on blood pressure.

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If a patient carries an "epi-pen," what does this tell you?
She is pre-diabetic.
She has a life-threatening allergy.
She has a pacemaker.
She is a lawyer.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Anaphylactic shock" is a life-threatening reaction to an allergen. The swelling of tissues can close up a patient's airway, blocking their supply of air. An Epi-pen (technically, this is a brand name, hence capitalized) delivers a life-saving anti-inflammatory to stop the swelling process.

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Who stocks the supplies in the ambulance before each shift?
You do!
The station's custodian
An intern
The ambulance service's medical director
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A basic duty of every EMT, upon arriving at work, is to check the supplies in the "bus." This job is shared between you and your partner/supervisor, usually a paramedic.

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An 85-year-old man has called 911 after a fall at his apartment. When you arrive, he says he's moving around fine and doesn't need any care. What is your next step?
Tell him you're glad he's better and leave.
Ask him for a cup of coffee before you go -- no point in not staying to chat.
Ask for consent to take him to the ER for a followup check.
Call Social Services; he shouldn't be living alone.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Explain that you want to rule out an underlying issue that might have caused the fall, or an injury which could flare up later. But don't jump to calling Social Services -- that's pretty drastic.

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Which of these can be a sign of either brain injury or drug use?
Swollen ankles
Disordered speech
Pupil size
Both #2 and #3
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's easy to confuse a brain injury for drug use, especially if the head trauma is concealed by hair. Confused speech and dilated or contracted pupils can be a sign of either. One clue: Mismatched pupils, like one "blown" or dilated pupil, is definitely a sign of concussion.

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Where might you perform "triage"?
At the scene of a drug overdose
In a situation involving an infant
At a major emergency like a bridge collapse
At the scene of a near-drowning
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At the scene of a natural or man-made disaster, there are going to be many injured people, and those injuries are going to vary widely in severity. Triage is a way of quickly sorting patients according to how urgently they need help. Often, this involves colored tags you would hang around their necks -- green, yellow or red. There's also a black tag, to quickly identified a person who is already dead, and thus beyond help.

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In the field, how might you determine "capillary refill"?
Draw a small amount of blood
Ask the patient to hold her breath
Squeeze the patient's fingernail
Shine a light in his eyes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When you squeeze a healthy person's fingernail, it will become pink again almost as soon as you let go. If it stays pale longer than two seconds, there is probably an issue with his or her circulation. However, older persons or those with pre-existing health issues might have low capillary refill all the time.

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The injured and sick people you treat in the course of a shift are usually called _______.
Clients
Patients
Victims
Any of these
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The preferred term is "patient," just as it would be in a doctor's office or a hospital. As more than one veteran paramedic puts it, "The people I treat aren't victims! A victim is a patient who receives lousy care!"

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"Palpating" is a fancy term for what?
Listening to breath sounds
Listening to the heartbeat
Taking a patient history
Touching/feeling the body
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Palpating" is feeling a patient's body for breaks, swellings, et cetera. It has to be done with sensitivity for a patient's injuries and their sense of modesty (e.g. palpitating the upper thighs or buttocks).

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A "transient ischemic attack" is a minor form of what health crisis?
Heart attack
Insulin shock
Coma
Stroke
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This medical issue, often abbreviated "TIA," is also called a mini-stroke. Patients might know know they'd had one, which can present as brief, temporary confusion.

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Which of these body substances is of least concern, in terms of infectious disease?
Blood
Urine
Saliva
Feces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It might be unpleasant when a patient pees on you, but it's generally safe, as urine is sterile (though it can carry skin cells and blood cells it's contacted along the way). Blood and saliva are high-risk substances. and feces can carry pathogens like E.coli.

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The work that EMTs and paramedics do is formally called ...
Corpsman work
Field nursing
Prehospital care
Triage
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

EMT work is called "prehospital care." You'll see this term a lot in textbooks and manuals, but hear it less often on the job.

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