AEMCA Patient Assessment and Triage 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During the START triage system, a patient who is breathing at a rate of 28 breaths per minute should be tagged:
- Immediate (Red) (Correct answer)
- Delayed (Yellow)
- Minor (Green)
- Expectant (Black)
Correct answer: Immediate (Red)
In START triage, a respiratory rate above 30 breaths per minute tags the patient as Immediate; 28 is borderline but combined with other findings often yields Immediate.
Question 2: When assessing a responsive patient, the SAMPLE history mnemonic includes which of the following elements?
- Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent history, Last oral intake, Events (Correct answer)
- Scene safety, Airway, Mechanism, Patient age, Level of consciousness, Exposure
- Systolic BP, Airway, Mental status, Perfusion, Level of pain, Events
- Speech, Alertness, Mobility, Pulse, Level of distress, Environment
Correct answer: Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent history, Last oral intake, Events
SAMPLE stands for Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, and Events leading to the emergency.
Question 3: Which triage category in the JumpSTART pediatric triage system is used for children who are not breathing and have no palpable pulse?
- Expectant (Black) (Correct answer)
- Immediate (Red)
- Delayed (Yellow)
- Minor (Green)
Correct answer: Expectant (Black)
Children with no respirations and no palpable pulse are tagged Expectant (Black) in JumpSTART, as resuscitation is unlikely to be successful in a mass casualty event.
Question 4: A patient involved in a motor vehicle collision is found unresponsive. The AEMCA's first priority during the primary assessment is to:
- Ensure a patent airway (Correct answer)
- Obtain a blood pressure reading
- Check for extremity injuries
- Determine the mechanism of injury
Correct answer: Ensure a patent airway
Airway patency is always the first priority (A in the ABCs) during the primary assessment of an unresponsive trauma patient.
Question 5: When performing a rapid trauma assessment on an unconscious patient, the AEMCA should assess the head for:
- Deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures, burns, tenderness, lacerations, and swelling (DCAP-BTLS) (Correct answer)
- Only visible lacerations and active bleeding
- Glasgow Coma Scale components only
- Pupillary response and blood pressure
Correct answer: Deformities, contusions, abrasions, punctures, burns, tenderness, lacerations, and swelling (DCAP-BTLS)
DCAP-BTLS is the systematic mnemonic used during the rapid trauma assessment to evaluate each body region for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures/Penetrations, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling.
Question 6: A patient's Glasgow Coma Scale score is calculated at 3. This indicates:
- No meaningful response — deep coma (Correct answer)
- Mild confusion with intact reflexes
- Moderate brain injury with purposeful movement
- Normal neurological function
Correct answer: No meaningful response — deep coma
A GCS of 3 is the minimum possible score, indicating no eye opening, no verbal response, and no motor response, consistent with deep coma.
Question 7: During secondary assessment of a conscious medical patient, auscultation of lung sounds revealing absent breath sounds on one side suggests:
- Possible pneumothorax or hemothorax (Correct answer)
- Normal bilateral air entry
- Mild asthma exacerbation
- Upper airway obstruction only
Correct answer: Possible pneumothorax or hemothorax
Absent breath sounds unilaterally suggest a pneumothorax or hemothorax, requiring immediate intervention.
AEMCA Patient Assessment and Triage 2
During the START triage system, a patient who is breathing at a rate of 28 breaths per minute should be tagged: