Table of Contents
Introduction 1 About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 4
Part I: Making Sense of the EMT Exam 5
Chapter 1: Becoming an Emergency Medical Technician 7
Understanding What Being an EMT Means 7
What does an EMT do? 7
Where do EMTs work? 8
Can you use EMT training for other purposes? 9
Walking through the Steps of Becoming an EMT 9
Finding and completing a class 9
Passing the National Registry Exam 9
Finishing the process 10
Maintaining Your EMT Certification 10
Chapter 2: Taking an EMT Course and Registering for the EMT Exam 13
Enrolling in and Completing an EMT Course 13
Finding a course that fits your needs 13
Being prepared for the course 14
Meeting the course requirements 16
Getting the most out of your instructors 16
Signing Up for the EMT Exam 16
Chapter 3: Getting to Know the EMT Exam 19
Checking Out the Cognitive Exam 19
Breaking down the exam 19
Airway, respiration, and ventilation 20
Cardiology and resuscitation 20
Medical and obstetrics/gynecology 20
Trauma 21
EMS operations 21
Getting a grip on computer adaptive testing 22
Scoring the exam and getting your results 22
Completing the Practical Exam Portion 23
Part II: Test-Taking Tips and Strategies 25
Chapter 4: The Anatomy of the Multiple-Choice Question 27
Looking at the Parts 27
The stem 28
Distractors and the answer 28
Noting the importance of high-quality distractors 28
Aiming for the best answer 29
Breaking Down a Question Step by Step 29
Looking at the stem and answering it 29
Eliminating what’s not right 30
Choosing which answer is best 31
Chapter 5: Checking Out Computer Adaptive Testing 33
Understanding How Computer Adaptive Testing Works 33
How does CAT adapt? 34
Who judges the questions’ difficulty, anyway? 35
What makes CAT better? 35
Adapting to Computer Adaptive Testing 36
Chapter 6: Preparing for the Exam 37
Gearing Up to Study 37
Setting the stage 37
Staying on schedule 38
Making the Most Out of Studying 39
Using objectives 39
Studying with buddies 39
Trying a few tips for retaining info 40
Giving your brain a break 40
Picking Out Other Pointers for Success 41
Having the right mindset 41
Making a few final plans before exam day 41
Chapter 7: Doing Your Best During the Exam 43
Knowing What to Expect in a Nutshell 43
Staying Focused and Positive During the Exam 44
Answering one question at a time 44
Maintaining a positive attitude 45
Getting Your Results and Moving Ahead 45
Part III: Assessing What You Know and Reviewing Essential Information 47
Chapter 8: Taking a Preassessment with Answers and Explanations 49
Going through the Preassessment Questions 49
Looking at the Preassessment Answers and Figuring Out How to Proceed 61
Chapter 9: The Air way, Respiration, and Ventilation 69
Getting an Overview of the Respiratory System 69
Knowing the Airway and Breathing Issues to Look for When You Assess Patients 72
Understanding when breathing is (and isn’t) normal 72
Deciding when to oxygenate 73
Recognizing when to ventilate 73
Taking Action on Potential Airway and Breathing Problems 74
Upper airway conditions 74
Lower airway conditions 76
Nonrespiratory conditions 78
Practice Questions about the Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation 79
Answers and Explanations 82
Chapter 10: Cardiology and Resuscitation Essentials 85
Checking Out the Cardiovascular System 85
Surveying major structures 85
Understanding blood pressure 88
Knowing the Cardiovascular Issues to Look for When You Assess Patients 88
Recognizing normal cardiovascular findings 88
Noting when cardiovascular findings aren’t normal 89
Distinguishing acute coronary syndrome from everything else 90
Acting on Potential Cardiovascular Problems 91
Pump problems 91
Pipe problems 92
Fluid problems 94
Managing a cardiac arrest 95
Practice Questions about Cardiology and Resuscitation 96
Answers and Explanations 100
Chapter 11: Medical and Obstetrics/Gynecology Fundamentals 103
Introducing the Body’s Main Systems 103
Feeling Out the Nervous System 104
Moving through the Gastrointestinal System 107
Fighting Invaders with the Immune System 110
Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis 110
Infectious diseases 111
Taking Control with the Endocrine System 112
Getting the Scoop on the Hematologic System (Blood) 115
Considering the Urinary System 116
Cycling through Obstetrics and Gynecology 117
Obstetrics 119
The normal delivery 121
Abnormal deliveries 123
Resuscitating a newborn 125
Gynecology 125
Boning Up on the Musculoskeletal System 126
Understanding Toxicology 127
Handling Psychiatric Disorders and Behavioral Emergencies 128
Practice Questions about Medical and Obstetrics/Gynecology Fundamentals 130
Answers and Explanations 135
Chapter 12: Trauma Basics 139
Relating the Mechanism of Injury to Injury Patterns 139
Connecting MOI and force 139
Differentiating blunt from penetrating MOI 140
Blunt MOI 140
Penetrating MOI 142
Blast MOI 142
Matching obvious injuries to hidden injuries 142
Investigating Injuries That Affect the Airway and Breathing 144
Injuries that block the airway 144
Injuries that make breathing difficult 145
Assessing Injuries That Affect Circulation 146
Pump, pipes, and fluid: How circulation works 147
Injuries to the heart 147
Injuries to the vasculature 148
Evaluating Spinal Cord Injuries 150
Managing Trauma Step by Step 151
Practice Questions about Trauma 152
Answers and Explanations 157
Chapter 13: The Scoop on Pediatrics 159
Sorting Out What Makes Children Different from Adults 159
Developmental differences 159
Anatomical differences 161
Physiological differences 162
Managing the Pediatric Patient 163
Assessment tips 164
Medical situations 165
Trauma situations 168
Head, brain, and spinal injuries 168
Chest and abdominal injuries 169
Falls and burns 169
Disaster management for multiple patients 169
Practice Questions about Pediatrics 171
Answers and Explanations 174
Chapter 14: EMS Operations 177
Maintaining Medical Legal Standards 177
Grasping the basic legal tenets of medical practice 177
Avoiding negligence 178
Getting the proper consent 178
Understanding slander and libel 179
Dealing with refusals of care and/or transport 179
Maintaining confidentiality 179
Respecting advanced directives 179
Steering clear of abandonment 180
Complying with mandatory reporting 180
Coping with crime scenes 180
Documenting your cases 180
Staying Healthy, Sane, and Safe 181
Being fit for the job 181
Handling the stress of the profession 182
Knowing that safety is job one 182
Communicating Well with Others During an Emergency 183
Working on a team 183
Interacting with others on the scene 184
Understanding Emergency Vehicle Operations 184
Maintaining equipment levels and vehicle readiness 185
Driving an ambulance 185
Using air medical services 186
Performing light rescue 187
Managing Large Incidents 187
Triage 188
Hazardous incidents 189
Practice Questions about EMS Operations 190
Answers and Explanations 194
Part IV: Putting Your Knowledge into Practice 197
Chapter 15: Practice Exam 1 199
Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 1 201
Questions 203
Chapter 16: Practice Exam 1: Answers and Explanations 217
Answers and Explanations 217
Answer Key 227
Chapter 17: Practice Exam 2 229
Answer Sheet for Practice Exam 2 231
Questions 233
Chapter 18: Practice Exam 2: Answers and Explanations 247
Answers and Explanations 247
Answer Key 257
Part V: The Part of Tens 259
Chapter 19: Ten Assessment Tips for EMTs 261
Looking at the Whole Patient 261
Assessing the ABCs before Anything Else 261
Deciding Whether to Oxygenate or Ventilate 262
Determining Shock 262
Searching for the Signs of Beck’s Triad 262
Checking for Cushing’s Triad 263
Recognizing That Not All Wheezes Are Asthma 263
Listing the Causes of Altered Mental Status 263
Understanding That Not All Myocardial Infarctions Have Chest Pain as a Symptom 264
Knowing That Crying is a Good Sign in Pediatric Patients 264
Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Per forming EMT Procedures 265
Practice, Practice, Practice 265
Closely Evaluate Breathing 265
Palpate Firmly and Steadily 266
Improve the Volume of Lung Sounds 266
Immobilize the Patient’s Spine at the Correct Time 266
Control Bleeding Immediately 267
Splint an Angulated Fracture the Way You Found It (If Possible) 267
Perform a Focused Physical Exam 267
Make an Abdominal Exam More Accurate 267
Provide Consistent Medical Documentation 268
Index 269
