AEMT Patient Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The OPQRST mnemonic is used by the AEMT when assessing:
- Airway patency and breath sounds
- A patient's pain or chief complaint (Correct answer)
- Mental status and orientation
- Circulatory and perfusion status
Correct answer: A patient's pain or chief complaint
OPQRST (Onset, Provocation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, Time) systematically characterizes a patient's pain or presenting complaint.
Question 2: In the SAMPLE history mnemonic, the letter 'A' stands for:
- Assessment findings
- Allergies (Correct answer)
- Associated symptoms
- Activity prior to onset
Correct answer: Allergies
The 'A' in SAMPLE stands for Allergies, particularly to medications, foods, or environmental agents relevant to treatment.
Question 3: During a secondary assessment of a trauma patient, when examining the chest the AEMT should assess for all of the following EXCEPT:
- Paradoxical chest wall movement
- Equal bilateral chest rise and fall
- Jugular vein distension
- Capillary refill time (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Capillary refill time
Capillary refill is assessed in the extremities; chest assessment focuses on breathing mechanics, breath sounds, and signs of tension pneumothorax or hemothorax.
Question 4: Which set of vital signs would MOST concern an AEMT assessing an adult patient?
- BP 118/76 mmHg, HR 72/min, RR 16/min, SpO2 98%
- BP 90/60 mmHg, HR 124/min, RR 26/min, SpO2 91% (Correct answer)
- BP 132/84 mmHg, HR 88/min, RR 18/min, SpO2 96%
- BP 142/90 mmHg, HR 80/min, RR 20/min, SpO2 95%
Correct answer: BP 90/60 mmHg, HR 124/min, RR 26/min, SpO2 91%
Hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypoxia together suggest a patient in decompensating shock requiring immediate aggressive intervention.
Question 5: When assessing pupils, the finding 'PERRL' indicates:
- Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light (Correct answer)
- Pupils Elevated, Rigid, and Reactive to Light
- Pupils Equal, Round, and Restricted Laterally
- Pupils Elevated, Round, and Reactive to Light
Correct answer: Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light
PERRL stands for Pupils Equal, Round, and Reactive to Light, which is the normal expected finding during neurological assessment.
Question 6: Which component of the SAMPLE history is represented by the letter 'M'?
- Mechanism of injury
- Medical allergies
- Medications currently taken (Correct answer)
- Mental health history
Correct answer: Medications currently taken
The 'M' in SAMPLE stands for Medications, including all prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal supplements the patient currently takes.
Question 7: For a responsive, stable medical patient during transport, how frequently should vital signs be reassessed?
- Every 5 minutes
- Every 10 minutes
- Every 15 minutes (Correct answer)
- Every 20 minutes
Correct answer: Every 15 minutes
Standard protocol requires vital signs to be reassessed every 15 minutes for stable medical patients during transport.
AEMT Patient Assessment 2
The OPQRST mnemonic is used by the AEMT when assessing: