PT ASSESSMENT 76-100

Question 1

When assessing muscle strength, a score of 5/5 indicates:

A. no muscle contraction or twitch.
B. minimal movement against resistance.
C. normal muscle tone and strength.
D. active movement with evident fatigue.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Bulging of a child’s anterior fontanelle is:

A. suggestive of significant dehydration.
B. benign if the child is not flailing around.
C. suggestive of an intracerebral hemorrhage.
D. pathologic when observed in a quiet child.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following statements regarding an intoxicated patient is correct?
A. While the patient is trying to explain things to you, his or her anger can escalate answer. faster than if he or she were not intoxicated.
B. Although the intoxicated patient is a poor historian, his or her family members usually provide the information that you need.
C. You should promptly transport the intoxicated patient, because attempting to obtain a medical history will be unsuccessful.
D. The risk of an intoxicated patient’s behavior turning violent is low because his or her cognitive skills are impaired significantly.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Asymmetry of the pupils:

A. is a normal finding in up to 40% of the population.
B. indicates a significant ocular or neurologic pathology.
C. is normal when a light is shone into one of the pupils.
D. must be correlated with the patient’s overall presentation.



Answer 4

D

Question 5

In general, +3 pitting edema is characterized by indentation of the skin to a depth of:

A. 0 in to 1⁄4 in.
B. 1⁄4 in to 1⁄2 in.
C. 1⁄2 in to 1 in.
D. greater than 1 in.

Answer 5

C

Question 6

The MOST clinically significant indicator(s) of ischemia in a limb is/are:

A. pulselessness.
B. poikilothermia.
C. parasthesias.
D. pain and pallor.

Answer 6

A

Question 7

You are in the BEST position to decide what, if any, care needs to be provided at the scene versus en route to the hospital once you:
A. can qualify that a patient is indeed sick.
B. determine how far away the hospital is.
C. perform a detailed secondary assessment.
D. are able to quantify how sick a patient is.

Answer 7

D

Question 8

When dealing with a patient who has multiple symptoms, the MOST effective way to develop an appropriate care plan is to:
A. prioritize the patient’s complaints.
B. perform a complete head-to-toe exam.
C. address all complaints simultaneously.
D. assume that all complaints are linked.

Answer 8

A

Question 9

A patient who complains of double vision has:

A. ptosis.
B. anisocoria.
C. diplopia.
D. hyperopia.

Answer 9

C

Question 10

A patient is generally considered to have orthostatic vital signs when:

A. the systolic BP increases and the diastolic BP decreases when going from a lying to a sitting position.
B. the heart rate increases by 20 beats/min or more when going from a supine to a standing position.
C. the respiratory rate becomes fast and the depth becomes shallow when he or she suddenly stands up.
D. he or she experiences chest pain and a rapid, irregular heart rate when going from a seated to a standing position.

Answer 10

B

Question 11

Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system causes:
A. sweating.
B. bradycardia.
C. vasodilation.
D. warm, moist skin.

Answer 11

A

Question 12

Gathering a patient’s medical history and performing a secondary assessment should occur:

A. immediately after you form your visual general impression of the patient.
B. shortly after making patient contact and determining his or her complaint.
C. after initial treatment has been rendered and you are en route to the hospital.
D. after life threats have been identified and corrected in the primary assessment.

Answer 12

D

Question 13

Which of the following actions would you likely NOT perform at the scene of a fall before engaging in the care of a conscious patient?
A. Gathering dispatch information
B. Speaking with immediate family 
C. Assessing the scene for safety 
D. Noting the mechanism of injury

Answer 13

B

Question 14

When caring for an unresponsive trauma patient, a complete secondary assessment:

A. will probably not be performed in its entirety.
B. must be performed after the primary assessment.
C. should be performed before you begin transport.
D. will enable you to immediately detect life threats.

Answer 14

A

Question 15

It would MOST likely be necessary to ask a patient a direct question if:

A. he or she is elderly and has more than one medical complaint.
B. he or she is not giving you usable facts about himself or herself.
C. he or she is having chest pain and a heart attack must be ruled out.
D. there are numerous family members and friends present at the scene.

Answer 15

B

Question 16

What part of the abdominal exam is of LEAST value in the prehospital setting?

A. Percussion
B. Auscultation
C. Inspection
D. Palpation



Answer 16

B

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a part of your overall job as a paramedic?

A. Efficiently executing a patient care plan
B. Quickly identifying your patient’s problem
C. Definitively diagnosing the patient’s problem
D. Establishing your priorities of patient care

Answer 17

C

Question 18

If a patient is able to shrug his or her shoulders and turn his or her head from left to right, the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ nerve is likely intact.
A. trigeminal
B. abducens
C. vestibulocochlear 
D. spinal accessory

Answer 18

D

Question 19

All of the following are adventitious breath sounds, 
A. rales.
B. rhonchi.
C. wheezes.
D. vesicular sounds.

Answer 19

D

Question 20

Any time you encounter jugular venous distention in a patient, you should determine:

A. where the venous obstruction is that is impeding blood return to the heart. B. what body cavity the patient is bleeding into that is causing lost volume.
C. what condition the patient has that is causing decreased venous pressure.
D. what is happening to the heart to cause such a large increase in preload.

Answer 20

A

Question 21

When scoring a patient’s deep tendon reflexes, normally active reflexes would be assigned a score of:

A. 1+.
B. 2+.
C. 3+.
D. 4+.

Answer 21

B

Question 22

In prehospital care, the priorities of evaluation and treatment are based on:
A. the degree of threat to the patient’s life.
B. your overall experience as a paramedic.
C. the receiving physician’s online orders.
D. standard treatment guidelines and algorithms.

Answer 22

A

Question 23

A patient with dysarthria has:

A. a flat affect.
B. painful joints.
C. slurred speech.
D. severe stuttering.



Answer 23

C

Question 24

You will MOST likely develop your field impression of a patient based on the:

A. medications the patient is taking.
B. chief complaint and patient history.
C. results of your secondary assessment.
D. patient’s perception of his or her problem.

Answer 24

B

Question 25

The presence of rhonchi during auscultation of the lungs is MOST suggestive of:

A. asthma.
B. pneumonia.
C. pneumothorax.
D. toxic inhalation.

Answer 25

B