EMT Practice Test

1. Question Content...

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Question1: Which of the following signs is most frequently associated with meningitis?

Question2: An unconscious patient in hepatic failure secondary to alcoholism becomes acutely hypoglycemic. Glucagon administration is contraindicated for this patient because glucagon

Question3: The family of a patient with trauma believes that the patient is in pain and requests that a neighbor, a therapeutic touch practitioner, be allowed to see the patient. Unit policy allows visits by immediate family only. Which of the following is the most important consideration in a nurse's decision about facilitating the visit?

Question4: When caring for a patient with septic shock secondary to osteomyelitis, which of the following laboratory tests will best monitor response to therapy?

Question5: A patient who experienced a blunt chest trauma in an automobile crash is admitted with multiple rib fractures.
The patient is dyspneic and hypotensive and is reporting left shoulder pain. On auscultation, a nurse notes that bowel sounds can be heard over the lower left thorax. These findings are consistent with

Question6: The primary pathophysiology underlying acute respiratory failure in a patient with head trauma involves

Question7: A patient is admitted with a femoral shaft fracture and an oblique fracture of three ribs on the right side. The patient suddenly reports shortness of breath. Assessment reveals new-onset headache, central and peripheral cyanosis, and petechiae of the neck and anterior chest wall. Available data are:

The nurse should suspect the development of

Question8: A patient who recently lost their spouse is admitted following an emergent cardiac catheterization. The procedure report states chest pain and ST elevation, no significant coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning, and an EF of 35%. These findings are consistent for

Question9: The nurse is caring for a patient with neutropenia secondary to chemotherapy. When communicating dietary needs to the provider, the nurse should request which of the following to improve the patient's immune function?

Question10: Which of the following is a late finding in hypovolemic shock?

Question11: A patient is 2 days post MI. The patient was stable until this morning, when severe chest discomfort developed. Assessment reveals:
BP70/palpable
HR122
RR38
PAOP28 mm Hg, with large V waves
CI1.6 L/min/m2
Cool, clammy skin
Inspiratory crackles throughout the lung field
Loud blowing holosystolic murmur at the apex
The patient's present clinical status is most likely a result of

Question12: A patient is admitted with hypotension, tachycardia, and intermittent confusion. Upon arrival, the patient asks to walk to the bathroom. Which of the following is a nurse's best action?

Question13: A physician tries three times to insert a central line, then says, "I think I can get it this time." A nurse should

Question14: During the monthly code team review, it is noted that regulators have been consistently missing from the O2 tanks. Which of the following is a nurse's best action?

Question15: To maintain adequate pain control in a post-surgical patient addicted to heroin, a nurse should plan to

Question16: Potentially life-threatening consequences of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) include

Question17: The water retention associated with SIADH is characterized by

Question18: In order to meet the spiritual needs of critically ill patients and their families, which of the following should the nurse understand regarding chaplain services?

Question19: The family of a patient requests permission to administer traditional herbs to the patient. Which of the following should be the nurse's first action?

Question20: Which of the following is a sign of brain death?

Question21: A patient is admitted for hypertensive crisis. As a nurse is starting a peripheral IV, the patient appears increasingly anxious as the catheter is about to be inserted. The patient threatens to harm the nurse if the catheter insertion causes pain. Which of the following is the nurse's best action?

Question22: A patient post-surgical externalized ventricular drain placement has treatment orders that include continuous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage at 10 mm Hg. Which of the following should the nurse anticipate with an increase in the ICP above 25 mm Hg?

Question23: A patient was admitted 3 days ago for an overdose of acetaminophen (Tylenol). The patient is developing a decreasing level of consciousness. Which the following is the most likely finding?

Question24: A ventilator-associated event (VAE) is best prevented by

Question25: The dysrhythmia most commonly associated with mitral stenosis is

Question26: The rationale for initiating early enteral feeding in a patient with sepsis is to

Question27: In septic shock, a mixed venous O2 saturation (SO2) of 84% indicates that

Question28: Which of the following assessment findings would be found in a patient with pulmonary hypertension?

Question29: For a patient who sustained blunt renal trauma and a crush injury to the leg, monitoring should include observing for

Question30: Which of the following should the nurse expect in a patient with papillary muscle dysfunction?

Question31: A patient with cardiogenic shock for several days has been managed aggressively with vasopressor and inotrope therapies. Which of the following indicates organ dysfunction from hypoperfusion?

Question32: A patient with a history of six cardiac catheterizations relates that he has received differing instructions about the duration of required bedrest after the procedure. To further investigate this issue, which of the following is a nurse's most appropriate action?

Question33: A patient with a history of asthma presents with acute onset of dyspnea, a non-productive cough, and tachypnea. He is very anxious, restless, and tachycardic. Which of the following is a first-line drug for these symptoms?

Question34: A nurse should expect which of the following plans of care for a patient with a complicated RV infarction?

Question35: A patient is admitted with a traumatic brain injury. During assessment, a nurse notes increased urinary output from the catheter. Which of the following should the nurse suspect?

Question36: A patient is recovering from CABG surgery. On postoperative day 3, the patient's laboratory values indicate thrombocytopenia and elevated liver function tests. The patient is scheduled for hemodialysis today. A nurse notifies the physician of the abnormal laboratory values. The nurse should next anticipate an order to

Question37: The family member of a patient who is receiving mechanical ventilation is to be taught suctioning. When developing a teaching plan, the nurse should first

Question38: A patient with a left ventricular assist device has been hospitalized for 5 days. A nurse notes anasarca and skin breakdown over multiple pressure points. When addressing the patient's nutritional needs, which of the following should the nurse consider?

Question39: A patient has been declared brain dead. A nurse would like the family to consider organ donation but has never requested this from a family before. The best initial action by the nurse is to

Question40: Which of the following are most indicative of acute pancreatitis?

Question41: A patient who was admitted after an open aortofemoral bypass for claudication at rest has a hemoglobin A1C of 8.9. The patient admits having poor control of blood glucose levels and is scared to use insulin as directed because of a few episodes of hypoglycemia. Which of the following should the nurse initially request to be consulted?

Question42: A nurse has responded to a rapid response call on a medical-surgical floor in the hospital. The nurse finds the patient with the following data:
BP72/30
HR132
RR24
T102.3° F (39.0° C)
SpO295%
Ph7.13
PaCO234 mm Hg
PaO288 mm Hg
HCO3 14 mEq/L
Na+ 142 mEq/L
The nurse should anticipate an order to administer which of the following?

Question43: A patient develops the dysrhythmia shown below:

Blood pressure is 83/40. The patient is pale, diaphoretic, lethargic, and disoriented. The most appropriate treatment is

Question44: In a patient with a chest tube, an air leak in the pleural space is indicated by which of the following conditions in the water-seal chamber?

Question45: A patient is intubated and receiving assist control mechanical ventilation and is on a norepinephrine drip following a head injury. Patient data are:

Which of the following interventions will improve cerebral perfusion?

Question46: For a patient with unstable angina, the major goal of treatment is to

Question47: A patient with a history of COPD is admitted with increasing dyspnea and fatigue. O2 is initiated via nasal cannula at 4 L/min with an O2 saturation of 99%. One hour later, the patient becomes lethargic. Which of the following is the most likely cause for the change in the patient's mental status?

Question48: For a patient with suspected pulmonary embolism, which of the following is the most definitive diagnostic test?

Question49: The intended effects of medications for a patient in acute CHF are to

Question50: A patient who is confused and dyspneic is admitted with ABG values that reveal hypoxemia. Results from insertion of a pulmonary artery catheter are:
PAP 38/18 mm Hg
PAOP10 mm Hg
CI 3.5 L/min/m2
These values are most indicative of

Question51: Patients in end-stage cardiomyopathy often exhibit which of the following symptoms of right-sided heart failure?

Question52: A patient's blood culture report notes the presence of vancomycin resistant enterococcus. The nurse should place the patient in which type of isolation?

Question53: A consistent prolongation of the P-R interval beyond 0.20 sec indicates which of the following types of AV block?

Question54: Which of the following serum laboratory results is most concerning to a nurse who is caring for a patient with a Stage Ill pressure ulcer on the coccyx?

Question55: An older adult patient reports an inability to sleep due to staff waking the patient for frequent neurological assessments. In order to minimize sleep disruptions, the nurse should

Question56: A patient with a sodium level of 114 mEq/L is most likely to develop

Question57: The first priority in management of an acute GI hemorrhage is

Question58: A patient with a history of alcohol abuse has been admitted for progressive dyspnea and leg swelling.
Assessment findings include:
BP155/90
HR85
CVP12 mm Hg
Which of the following tests will provide the most definitive diagnosis?

Question59: A nurse is performing medication reconciliation during a patient's admission. To determine the patient's current understanding of the medication furosemide (Lasix), which of the following is the best statement by the nurse?

Question60: Which of the following diagnostic procedures best pinpoints the location, size, and origin of a cerebral aneurysm?

Question61: A patient is admitted for acute benzodiazepine overdose. Nursing interventions should include administration of

Question62: The underlying pathophysiology of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is best explained as

Question63: A caloric irrigation test of the oculovestibular reflex is performed on a patient who is comatose following a hypoxic brain injury. When cold water is introduced into the left ear, nystagmus occurs with slow deviation of the eyes toward the left, followed by faster eye deviation to the right. This pattern is indicative of a

Question64: Which of the following is the most common prerenal cause of acute tubular necrosis?

Question65: A nurse is providing care to a patient diagnosed with abdominal compartment syndrome. The nurse should recognize the patient is most at risk for developing

Question66: A patient presents with fever and chills, is diaphoretic, and reports experiencing abdominal and intermittent left shoulder pain for the past week. An ultrasound shows an enlarged spleen. Vital signs are:
BP 106/59
HR 118
RR 23
T101.2° F (38.4° C)
When reviewing the lab report, which of the following findings is most significant to this presentation?