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Paramedic
PARAMEDIC ENTRANCE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS UPDATED (202 5 /202 6 )
(VERIFIED ANSWERS)
Which type of muscle is found only in the heart? - ANS ✓cardiac muscle Which type of muscle is found in the vessels and intestines? - ANS ✓Smooth muscle What structures make up the upper airway? - ANS ✓Nares (nostrils), Mouth and oral cavity, Pharaynx, Larynx What structures make up the lower airway? - ANS ✓Trachea, Bronchi, Bronchioles, Alveoli What structure marks the end of the upper airway and the beginning of the lower airway? - ANS ✓Cricoid Cartilage What is a thin layer of fluid that covers the alveoli? - ANS ✓Surfactant What muscles are involved in inspiration? - ANS ✓diaphragm and external intercostals What is the order of structures that blood circulates through? - ANS ✓Right atrium, right ventricle, pulmonary artery, pulmonary capillary, pulmonary vein, left atrium, left ventricle, aorta, arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins, vena cava, right atrium.
Paramedic What structures is present in vain that prevents the backflow of blood? - ANS ✓valves What makes up the CNS? - ANS ✓brain and spinal cord What makes up the PNS? - ANS ✓Nerves located outside the spinal column. Which endocrine gland controls the other endocrine gland? - ANS ✓pituitary Which gland secretes adrenaline? - ANS ✓adrenal gland Which gland releases insulin? - ANS ✓pancreas Which organ stores bile? - ANS ✓gallbladder Which organ produces bile? - ANS ✓liver Which type of metabolism is bad? - ANS ✓Anaerobic Where are the central chemoreceptors located? - ANS ✓medulla oblongata What is Boyle's Law? - ANS ✓Increase pressure of a gas, decrease the volume. Decrease the pressure of a gas, increase the volume What is the volume of blood ejected by the left ventricle with each contraction called? - ANS ✓Stroke volume What is the body's response to hypotension? - ANS ✓Vasoconstriction
Paramedic At what age is a human considered a Toddler? - ANS ✓1 year to 2 years What age is a human considered a Preschooler? - ANS ✓3 years to 5 years What age is a human considered a School Aged Child? - ANS ✓6 years to 11 years What age is a human considered an Adolescent? - ANS ✓12 years to 15 years What age is a human considered an Adult? - ANS ✓16 years and older What is the sequence of structures air passes through when inhaling? - ANS ✓Nares/mouth, nasopharynx/oropharaynx, laryngopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli Define hypoxia - ANS ✓Inadequate oxygen being delivered to cells How do you deal with a pt with severe kyphosis? - ANS ✓Pad the voids What technique is used to open the mouth of a pt? - ANS ✓Crossed-fingers technique What is the manual maneuver used to manually open the airway of a pt with on suspected spinal injury? - ANS ✓Head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver What is the method used to manually open the airway of a pt with a suspected spinal injury? - ANS ✓Jaw-thrust maneuver How does an EMT remove secretions from the airway of an unconscious pt with no gag reflex? - ANS ✓Suction
Paramedic When suctioning the airway, suction should never be applied for longer than ___ seconds. - ANS ✓ 15 Should suction be applied while going in, or while removing the catheter? - ANS ✓While removing What is another term for a hard/rigid suction catheter? - ANS ✓Yankauer catheter What is another term for a soft catheter? - ANS ✓French catheter What are the airway adjuncts available to an EMT-B? - ANS ✓Oropharyngeal and Nasopharyngeal What is applied to the nasopharyngeal airway adjunct to assist with insertion? - ANS ✓Water-based lubricant What are some signs of inadequate breathing? - ANS ✓Tachypnea, Bradypnea, poor rhythm, poor quality, poor depth How often should vitals be assessed in a stable pt? - ANS ✓every 15 minutes How often should vitals be assessed in an unstable pt? - ANS ✓Every 5 minutes What do unequal pupils signify? - ANS ✓Some form of brain injury or false eye What do constricted pupils signify? - ANS ✓Narcotics use, CNS damage
Paramedic Which type of posturing is worse? - ANS ✓decerebrate What are the ABC's? - ANS ✓airway, breathing, circulation Do you remove an impaled object? - ANS ✓no, stabalize What is the danger of a sucking chest wound? - ANS ✓Pneumothorax What is the action number for low glucose? - ANS ✓ 70 In a pt with an implanted pacemaker, can they be shocked? - ANS ✓Yes, just be careful with your pad placement What are the five rights? - ANS ✓right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time What are the five types of shock? - ANS ✓Hypovolemic, cardiogenic, metabolic/respiratory, obstructive, Distributive In the cardic arrest pt, at what time does irreversible tissue damage occur?
- ANS ✓ 4 - 6 minutes after arrest What are the two shockable rhythms? - ANS ✓V-tach and V-fib How should pad be placed on an infant if the only pads available ar adult pads? - ANS ✓One on the front, and one on the back. Make a sandwich What position will a pt naturally take if they are in respiratory distress? - ANS ✓Tripod position
Paramedic Why is epiglottitis a medical emergency? - ANS ✓Swelling of the epiglottis can cause complete airway obstruction. ALS is required for these patients What is the dose for duoneb? - ANS ✓2.5 mg albuterol and 0.5 mg atrovent What is the only effective treatment for an aneurism? - ANS ✓Surgery What are the signs and symptoms of CHF? - ANS ✓Mild-severe confusion, cyanosis, pink sputum, tachypnea, tachycardia, desire to sit upright, anxiety, distended neck veins, crackles, SOB, pale, cool, and clammy skin, abdominal distension, lower extremity edema What is the dose for nitroglycerin? - ANS ✓0.4 mg every 4 - 5 minutes What are the contraindications for nitroglycerin? - ANS ✓Systolic is less than 90, heart rate is less than 50 or greater than 100, suspected head injury, the pt is an infant or child, the three dose maximum has been reached, the pt has taken erectile dysfunction medications in the past 48 hours what is the maximum amount of doses of nitro allowed to be given without an order from medical control - ANS ✓ 3 What is the indication for Aspirin? - ANS ✓Chest pain or discommfort What are the contraindications of Aspirin? - ANS ✓GI bleeding, active ulcers, hemorrhagic stroke, hx of bleeding or clotting disorders such as hemophilia. Known allergy to Aspirin What is the dose of aspirin? - ANS ✓160 mg-325 mg chewed as soon as possible
Paramedic what medication is used to actually reverse anaphylaxis? - ANS ✓Benadryl What are the doses for epinephrine? - ANS ✓0.3 mg for adult, and 0.15 for a pediatric How many doses of epinephrine can be administered without approval from medical control? - ANS ✓ 1 what does propane smell like? - ANS ✓rotten eggs What is added to propane to give it a distinct odor - ANS ✓Mercaptan What is the dose and route of activated charcoal? - ANS ✓1 mg/kg dissolved in water. The solution is then ingested How does activated charcoal work? - ANS ✓binds contents of stomach and prevents absorption of contents into bloodstream Why is activated charcoal not commonly used? - ANS ✓It has very specific uses and no evidence supports to suggest activated charcoal delivers a better pt outcome What must be worn if an airborne toxin is suspected? - ANS ✓SCBA What is the dose and route of Narcan? - ANS ✓ 2 mg in 2 mL given IN. 1 mL per nostril What are the four routes for toxin exposure? - ANS ✓ingestion, absorption, inhalation, injection
Paramedic What does jaundice signify? - ANS ✓Liver disease When palpating the abdomen, in what order should the quadrants be palpated? - ANS ✓Starting with the quadrant that is least painful and farthest away from the site of pain. What are you looking for when doing a physical examination of the abdomen? - ANS ✓Distention, involuntary guarding, rigidity, tenderness, pulsating masses Should you allow the sexual assault victim to shower or clean themselves before transport? - ANS ✓No, if they shower, the police will have a harder time identifying who assaulted them Should a frostbite injury be warmed rapidly, or slowly? - ANS ✓Slowly At what core temperature do mild hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS ✓ 95 - 91.4 Fahrenheit or 35-33 Celsius At what core temperature do moderate hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS ✓89.6-85.2 Fahrenheit or 32-29 Celsius At what temperature do severe hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS ✓82.4- 71.6 Fahrenheit or 28-22 Celsius At what temperature do profound hypothermia symptoms occur? - ANS ✓ 68 - 48.2 Fahrenheit or 20-9 Celsius How does an EMT treat hypothermia? - ANS ✓actively warm the pt by placing hot packs on the groin, armpits, and chest, and wrap the pt in blankets
Paramedic What goes directly on the wound or injury? - ANS ✓Dressing What is used to wrap an injury and does not need to be sterile? - ANS ✓Bandages What is the rule of nines? - ANS ✓A method used to rapidly assess how much of the body is burned each upper limb = 9% each lower limb = 18% anterior and posterior trunk = 18% each head and neck = 9% perineum and genitalia = 1% What is the rule of palms? - ANS ✓1 palm=1% of the body (use to measure smaller areas). What is a splint used for? - ANS ✓Stabilizing and immobilization of a joint or bone What does PMS stand for? - ANS ✓Pulse, Motor, Sensory What is a traction splint used for? - ANS ✓Splinting a broken femur What are the contraindications for a traction splint? - ANS ✓Pelvic instability, the injury is within 1-2 inches from the knee or ankle, the knee or ankle have been injured, partial amputation What is cushing's reflex? - ANS ✓Increased blood pressure with a decreased heart rate
Paramedic What is the slow onset brain bleed? - ANS ✓Subdural hematoma What is the rapid onset brain bleed? - ANS ✓Epidural hematoma What does battle's sign signify? - ANS ✓Basilar skull fracture What do racoon eyes signify? - ANS ✓Intracranial injury Why is a patient with a suspected spinal injury immobilized? - ANS ✓To prevent further injury to the spinal sord What tools are available for spinal motion restriction? - ANS ✓Cervical collars, long rigid spine boards, head blocks, straps, and medical tape What are the signs and symptoms of a pneumothorax? - ANS ✓Chest pain that worsens with deep inspirations, dyspnea, tachypnea, and decreased or absent breath sounds in the affected side, JVD. What are the signs and symptoms of a cardiac tamponade? - ANS ✓Similar to a pneumothorax, but without abnormal lung sounds What is cardiac tamponade? - ANS ✓compression of the heart by an accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac What is crepitus? - ANS ✓grating sound created by the rubbing of bone fragments What is an ectopic pregnancy? - ANS ✓Fertilized egg that develops outside the uterus
Paramedic What is the medical term for slouch or hunchback? - ANS ✓Kyphosis Define posterior - ANS ✓Toward the back of the body (opposite of anterior) Define anterior - ANS ✓toward the front of the body What are the three types of joint mobility? - ANS ✓immovable, slightly movable, freely movable What are the different regions of the spine called? - ANS ✓Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacrum, Coccyx Which parts of the spine are fused together? - ANS ✓Sacrum and Coccyx How many cervical vertebrae are there? - ANS ✓ 7 How many thoracic vertebrae are there? - ANS ✓ 12 How many lumbar vertebrae are there? - ANS ✓ 5 How may vertebrae are there? - ANS ✓ 33 How many sacral vertebrae are there? - ANS ✓5 fused How many vertebrae are in the Coccyx? - ANS ✓4 fused What are the three types of muscle? - ANS ✓skeletal, cardiac, smooth
Paramedic Which type of muscle is voluntary? - ANS ✓skeletal muscle What indicates imminent delivery? - ANS ✓Crowning, intense contractions that are less than 2 minutes apart and last from 60-90 seconds. How far away should the umbilical cord be cut? - ANS ✓ 6 - 9 inches from the newborn and 2-3 inches past the first clamp What are the only scenarios it is acceptable to place your fingers into the birth canal? - ANS ✓Prolapsed cord and breech delivery. What are the two positions the mother can take to assist with shoulder dystocia? - ANS ✓McRoberts position, and the gaskin maneuver What does APGAR stand for? - ANS ✓appearance, pulse, grimace, activity, respiration What is a healthy APGAR score? - ANS ✓ 7 - 10 What is a moderately depressed APGAR score? - ANS ✓ 4 - 6 What is the APGAR score for a severely depressed newborn? - ANS ✓ 0 - 3 How often should an APGAR score be evaluated? - ANS ✓60 seconds after birth and five minutes after birth What type of catheter is used for suctioning a tracheostomy tube? - ANS ✓Soft
Paramedic What are the indications for CPAP? - ANS ✓CHF, Pulmonary Edema, COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia, have a respiratory rate >25, signs and symptoms of moderate to severe respiratory distress, early respiratory failure, and increased EtCO What are the requirements for a pt to be eligible for CPAP - ANS ✓Awake and alert (GCS >10), able to maintain their own airway, able to breath on their own, and able to tolerate the mask What are the contraindications for CPAP? - ANS ✓Apnea, respiratory arrest, agonal respirations, inability to understand and obey commands, inability to maintain their airway, unresponsiveness, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, active vomiting, upper GI bleed or recent gastric surgery, pneumothorax, tracheotomy, facial trauma, increased intrathoracic pressure Why is direct mouth to mouth/nose/stoma ventilation not recomended? - ANS ✓It exposes the rescuer to the mucosal linings of the pt and in the case of their mouth and nose, potentially vomiting into the rescuer's mouth What should you do if the pt has dentures and their airway requires an adjunct? - ANS ✓If they are stable, leave them in, if they are unstable, then remove them What are the available peripheral and central pulse locations? - ANS ✓Central: Carotid and Femoral artery Peripheral: Radial, brachial, popliteal, posterior tibial, and dorsalis pedis arteries
