Paramedic school entry exam
5 main vital signs - Correct Answer Respirations, BP, pulse, pupils, skin, pulse ox (sixth vital)
Abandonment - Correct Answer Leaving a pt w/o having turned pt care over to medical professional at or above your
level of care
Abdominal aortic aneursym (triple A) - Correct Answer Weakening of the wall of aorta in abd region. Prone to rupture.
Remember to check BP in both arms. Bilat. femoral pulses. Tearing back pain. Remember, their pain does NOT have
to be severe. Discrepancy in BP of greater than 20mmHg between arms is suggestive of aortic involvement.
Rx: ABC's, high flow O2, assess for muffled heart sounds, look for JVD.
Abdominal evisceration - Correct Answer Cover w/ moist sterile dressing. Cover moist dressing w/ occlusive dressing.
Flex legs if possible to reduce abd contraction. Treat for shock.
Abnormal skin colors and what the represent - Correct Answer Pale: May be due to lack of blood due to hypovolemia
or vasoconstriction.
Cyanotic: blusih color may indicat lack of oxygenated blood. OFten appears nail beds/around mouth first.
Flush: red skin, may indicated excessive heat, high temp, exertion, vasodilation.
Jaundice: Yellow skin, may indicate liver problems.
Mottling: A "marbled" appearance to the skin combining cyanosis with other skin colors; may indicate hypoperfusion.
Action/indication/contraindication/side effects/procedure of Aspirin - Correct Answer Reduces inflammation,
decreases platelet aggression, reduces fever.
Chest pain.
Allergic to med, decreased LOC, unable to swallow, recent bleed, active ulcer, pediatric pt, expired med, lack of MD.
Nausea, bleeding, allergic reaction, may lead to Reye's syndrome in ped pt's.
Orally.
Action/indication/contraindication/side effects/procedure of Epinephrine - Correct Answer Autoinjector.
Peripheral vasoconstriction, increased heart rate, bronchodilator.
Anaphylaxis.
Expired med, lack of MD.
Tachycardia, htn, increased myocardial O2 demand, restlessness.
IM, lateral mid thigh.
Action/indication/contraindication/side effects/procedure of Nitroglycerin - Correct Answer Vasodilator, decreases
myocardial O2 demand, increases myocardial supply.
Chest pain, angina, MI.
Reflex tachy, hypotension, headache, burning under tongue, nausea.
Expired med, not prescribed to pt, hypotension, recent use of ED med, head injury, lack of MD.
0.4mg sublingual. Spray or tablet.
Action/indication/contraindication/side effects/procedure of Oral glucose - Correct Answer After absorption from GI
tract, glucose is distributed in the tissues and provides a prompt increase in circulating blood sugar.
Decreased LOC, unable to swallow, ingestion of acids, alkalis, hydrocarbons. Expired med. Lack of Medical direction.
Nausea/vomiting/dark tarry stool
Adult-1 gram per kilogram of body weight.
Ped: 25 to 50g.
Orally.
AHA chain of survival - Correct Answer Recognition, CPR, early defibrillation, ALS, post-cardiac arrest care
Alveoli - Correct Answer All airway structures serve to get air to this point. Only place where o2 and co2 are
exchanged. Contact w/ pulmonary capillaries. Pulmonary capillaries diffuse cabon dioxide from the body to the
alveoli. Alveloi diffuse o2 from respiratory system to the body. Surfactant is: a substance that helps keep the alveoli
from collapsing.
, Amputation - Correct Answer Rx: bleeding control, treat for shock. ABC's. Remember there could be other less
obvious but more severe injuries. Complete amputation. Cover w/ saline moistened gauze, tightly seal it in a clean or
sterile plastic bag and place bag over ice.
Anaphylatic shock - Correct Answer Massive vasodilation, widespread vessel permeability (leakage of fluid).
Bronchoconstriction.
Causes: meds, foods, bites, stings, environmental allergies.
S/S - skin: swelling, itching, flushed, or cyanotic.
Cardiaovascular: weak pulses, hypotension.
Respiratory: severe dyspnea, wheezing, respiratory failure.
RX: ABC's. Epinephrine for pt's w/ airway obstruction, wheezing, hypotension, or prior anaphylaxis.
Angina pectoris - Correct Answer Transient chest pain caused by lack of O2 to cardiac muscle. The heart's O2
demand exceeds its supply. Usually caused by atherosclerosis in coronary arteries. Build up of plaque in a blood
vessel, which can restrict or obstruct blood flow.
Presentation is similar to MI. Usually occurs during physical activity, stress, resolves itself w/ rest, O2, nitro. Does not
usually last longer than 10 minutes.
Anterior - Correct Answer Front
APGAR - Correct Answer 1 and 5 minutes after delivery.
Appearance - 0. Cyanotic. 1. Core pink, hands/feet cyanotic. 2. Pink all over.
Pulse - 0. no pulse. 1. <100. 2. >200.
Grimace - 0. None. 1. Minimal (facial). 2. Responds vigorously.
Activity - 0. limp. 1. limited. 2. active
Respirations - 0. Apneic. 1. Slow/irregular. 2. Adequate.
Appendicitis - Correct Answer Inflammation of the appendix. Can lead to septic shock. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
loss of appetite, fever, pain, usually localizes to right lower quadrant. ABC's with pain management. O2. Comfort
measures.
Appropriate treatment for specific closed chest injuries - Correct Answer Pneumothorax (traumatic), tension, flail
chest. Look for dilated neck veins, tracheal deviation, unilateral absent breath neck veins, tachycardia and
hypotension. Rx: Decompression/O2/Occlusive dressing/Bulk dressing
Assault - Correct Answer "I'm gonna beat your ass". Verbal
Avulsion - Correct Answer loose flap of skin/underlying tissue that has been torn loose or completely off. Rx: covering
and control bleeding.
Basic tenets of HIPAA and pt privacy - Correct Answer There is nothing you can't tell forward lines of caregivers. i.e.
the RN you are turning pt care over to.
Basics of suctioning - Correct Answer Indicated when secretions in the airway that could be aspirated, obstruct
airway, interfere w/ ventilations or insertion of mechanical airways adjunct. Increased risk of hypoxia. Do not suction
>15 secs in adults. 10 for peds. 5 for infants.
Battery - Correct Answer "I beat you with a bat" physical
Bronchiolitis - Correct Answer It causes congestion in the small airways (bronchioles) of the lung. Bronchiolitis is
almost always caused by a virus. Typically, the peak time for bronchiolitis is during the winter months.
Bronchiolitis starts out with symptoms similar to those of a common cold but then progresses to coughing, wheezing
and sometimes difficulty breathing. Symptoms of bronchiolitis can last for several days to weeks, even a month.
Characteristics and differences of types of muscle tissue - Correct Answer Smooth: involuntary located within the
blood vessels and digestive tract.
Skeletal: voluntary that attaches to the skeleton.
Cardiac: heart
Diaphragm and intercostals are involuntary but are can also be voluntary.
Chemical burn - Correct Answer Produced by acids, alkalis, other heat generating chemicals.
