Emergency Care Ch18 quiz – Flashcards

1. You are called to the school where a 16-year-old female has trouble breathing from a possible allergic reaction. You arrive and find the patient wheezing, with cool clammy skin, and holding an epinephrine auto-injector. After you assess the patient and contact medical control, you are advised to give the medication. When you give the patient the epinephrine auto-injector she develops symptoms of anxiety: dizziness, headache, nausea, nervousness, paleness, sweating, tremors, vomiting, and weakness. These symptoms are considered: a. contraindications. b. untoward effects. c. side effects. d. indications.

2. Which of the following is often prescribed for a patient with a heart condition? a. Ventolin b. Nitroglycerin c. An epinephrine auto-injector d. Non-aspirin pain relievers such as Tylenol

3. What medication is given when a patient suffers from a medical or traumatic condition called hypoxia? a. Oxygen b. Oral glucose c. Epinephrine d. Aspirin

4. Which of the following is a desired action of epinephrine delivered by auto-injector? a. Constriction of blood vessels b. Constriction of coronary arteries c. Dilation of coronary arteries d. Decrease in blood pressure

5. Which of the following statements is true concerning oxygen? a. Never give oxygen to a chronic obstructed pulmonary disease patient. b. Always document the need for oxygen by pulse oximetry before giving it to the patient. c. Only withhold oxygen to anyone who is allergic to it. d. Never withhold oxygen to any patient who needs it.

6. You have just administered nitroglycerin to a 68-year-old patient. Within a few minutes, she complains of feeling faint and lightheaded, but states that she is still having some chest pain. Which of the following would be the BEST sequence of actions? a. Lower the head of the stretcher and take the patient's blood pressure. b. Administer activated charcoal to prevent further absorption of the nitroglycerin and closely monitor the patient's blood pressure. c. Advise the patient that this is a normal occurrence and administer a second dose of nitroglycerin. d. Increase the amount of oxygen you are giving to the patient before administering a second dose of nitroglycerin.

7. The study of the effects of medications on the body in relation to age and weight is called: a. pharmacology. b. pharmacodynamics. c. measurement and documentation. d. pharmacokinetics.

8. Which of the following describes the sublingual route of medication administration? a. The medication is injected under the skin. b. The medication is breathed into the lungs, such as from an inhaler. c. The medication is placed under the tongue. d. The medication is swallowed whole, not chewed.

9. Nitroglycerin (Nitro) is used for patients with recurrent chest pain or a history of heart attack. Nitro is supplied in what two ways? a. Pills and injectable b. Aerosol and spray c. Pills and spray d. Ointment and pills

10. You respond to a medical call for a 59-year-old female complaining of tightness in her chest. You place her on a high concentration of oxygen and prepare for a short 5-minute transport to the hospital. The patient tells you she is on nitroglycerin, which she has not taken. Your partner tells you that you can give aspirin per protocol. Should you delay the patient transport to give the medication and why? a. No, any delay will cause the patient more heart damage; each delay weakens the myocardium. b. Yes, the nitroglycerin will cause the blood vessels to dilate and restore some blood flow, and the aspirin will slow the clotting process. c. Yes, the nitroglycerin will cause the heart to beat stronger and restore some blood flow, and the aspirin will ease the pain. d. No, any delay will cause the patient more stress; she needs to be in a definitive care facility.

11. Which of the following should you anticipate when giving nitroglycerin to a patient? a. A drop in the patient's blood pressure b. A patient complaint of headache c. A change in the level of pain experienced by the patient d. All of the above

12. What is the first medication that should be administered to a patient experiencing chest pain with difficulty breathing? a. Oxygen b. Aspirin c. Nitroglycerin d. Albuterol

13. Why should EMTs study pharmacology? a. As an EMT, you will be trusted to administer medications in emergency situations; many of these may be lifesaving, but there is potential to do harm. b. An EMT must know the manufacturer, sources, characteristics, and effects of every medication that has been prescribed to the patient. c. As an EMT, you will be trusted to administer medications in emergency situations, although many of these may do nothing but give the patient false hope. d. An EMT must know the sources, characteristics, and effects of each medication that the physician may prescribe.

14. Bronchodilator inhalers have several common side effects, which include: a. decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate. b. bronchodilation and increased heart rate. c. vasoconstriction and increased heart rate. d. jitteriness and increased heart rate.

16. You are on the scene of a 48-year-old male patient complaining of chest pain. He has nitroglycerin prescribed and available. After performing your physical examination, you contact medical control and are ordered to assist the patient in taking his nitroglycerin. Five minutes after taking his nitroglycerin, the patient complains of being dizzy and having a headache. You lie the patient down on the stretcher and reassess his vital signs. He is now hypotensive. The patient is: a. suffering from an allergic reaction to nitroglycerin. b. suffering from an anaphylactic reaction to nitroglycerin. c. suffering from an untoward reaction to nitroglycerin. d. suffering from the side effects of nitroglycerin.

17. The epinephrine auto-injector is given via the _______________ route. a. oral b. enteral c. digestive d. parenteral

18. You are called to assist a 25-year-old female patient who is in profound respiratory distress. The patient has a history of asthma and severe allergies to peanuts. She has a prescribed Albuterol inhaler and an epinephrine auto-injector. The patient states she was working on her garden when she accidentally stirred up a hornets' nest and was stung multiple times. The patient has wheezing in all fields, and is breathing at 28 times per minute. She states that she triggered her asthma by running across the yard to the safety of her home. As you apply oxygen, you notice that she is now speaking in two- to three-word sentences, her skin has splotches, and her tongue and neck appear to be swelling. You suspect that the patient is suffering from what condition? a. Exercise-induced asthma b. Status asthmaticus c. Anaphylaxis d. Hyperventilation syndrome

19. You are on the scene of a 44-year-old female patient who has attempted suicide by taking all 30 pills of her antidepressant medication at once. You are ordered by medical control to administer activated charcoal. How will activated charcoal reduce the effects of the medication? a. Activated charcoal will cause the patient to vomit the medication. b. Activated charcoal will inactivate the patient's stomach acid. c. Activated charcoal will coat the intestines, preventing absorption. d. Activated charcoal will bind to the medication, reducing absorption.

20. What are the names given to each medication listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia? a. Official, chemical, and generic b. Manufacturers, general, and governmental c. Trade, chemical, and generic d. Trade, brand, and generic

15. When you give patients nitroglycerin, they sometimes develop a headache. This would be called a: a. side effect. b. contraindication. c. untoward effect. d. indication.