Can You Answer These Questions From an EMT Exam?

By: Robin Tyler
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Answer These Questions From an EMT Exam?
Image: Tammy Hanratty / Corbis / VCG / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Every second around the world, Emergency Medical Technicians are at work helping to save lives. It might be someone injured in a car accident, or perhaps a child showing adverse allergic reactions to a bee sting. No matter the situation, these healthcare professionals are trained to react to anything thrown at them.

Emergency Medical Technicians are the medical professionals on the frontline. Even more so than doctors, to be honest. It is their job to help stabilize and transport patients to the hospital where further medical assistance can be given. And it certainly is a tough job filled with long hours and plenty of emotional situations.

But thanks to their training, Emergency Medical Technicians know how to handle each and every situation. They access what is needed and make split-second decisions, acting to ensure each and every patient gets the best treatment in whatever situation they find themselves in. 

Do you think you would be able to handle what Emergency Medical Technicians deal with on a daily basis? Well, a good way to find out is to take this quiz and see how you fare answering questions from an EMT exam! Good luck, it is sure to get your heart rate up!

Can a bee sting lead to anaphylactic shock?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A patient experiencing anaphylactic shock is a very serious situation. And yes, a bee sting can lead to this condition, because some patients are allergic to bee stings.

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From the options below, name part of the human heart.
Amygdala
Thalamus
Aorta
Hippocampus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Found in the heart, the aorta is the biggest artery found in the human body. Its main function is to transport blood that has oxygen in it through the body.

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True or false? HIV can be transmitted by inhalation and thus a mask is required when treating a patient.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

NO! HIV cannot be transmitted through inhalation at all. In a medical situation, it would only be transmitted through blood, for example a needle stick injury.

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From the answers below, choose the one that best describes a communicable disease.
It is fatal.
Spread between people
Cannot be spread
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Communicable diseases, although some can be fatal, are diseases that are spread among people in different ways. It could be through the air, for example, if a tuberculosis patient sneezes or coughs, or in blood, as in the case of HIV.

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Which of these bones is also known as the collar bone?
Rib
Clavicle
Scapula
Pubis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The medical name for the collar bone is the clavicle. It connects the shoulder blade with the sternum or breast bone. This is the longest horizontal bone in the human body.

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A baby moves through the opening of the uterus when it is delivered. What is opening called?
Cervix
Vulva
Utero
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Delivering a baby is something EMT's have to deal with from time to time. The baby will pass through the opening of the uterus, called the cervix, which dilates enough to let the infant pass into the birth canal.

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Where are the coronary arteries located?
Eyes
Feet
Heart
Brain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The coronary arteries are a major set of arteries found in the heart. Two main arteries form the coronary artery group. They are simply called the left coronary and right coronary artery. When these arteries become blocked, a patient can experience angina or even have a heart attack.

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A kneecap is also known by which name below?
Patella
Tabula
Fibula
Sternum
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A kneecap is also known as a patella. it is connected to the upper and lower leg by the means of tendons, namely the patellar and the quadriceps tendon. The patella protects the knee joint.

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When a patient is bleeding, what is the first step to control that bleeding?
Tournique
Direct pressure on the wound
Elevate the patient.
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When an EMT comes across a patient with a severe bleeding wound, the first thing to do is to apply direct pressure to the wound. This can help close up the wound (if small enough) and also give the blood chance to begin the clotting process.

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Which of these is a part of the human brain?
Lymph node
Motor cortex
Coronary artery
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The motor cortex is found near the top of our brains and stretches from ear to ear across the brain. Together with the cerebellum, it helps control movement.

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When lifting a patient, should you bend at the waist to pick the stretcher up?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No, never do this. It could lead to a back injury. Rather bend your knees to lower yourself, keeping your back straight, and lift by straightening your legs again.

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In human anatomy, what is the tube that takes food into the stomach?
Esophagus
Trachea
Small intestine
Large intestine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The esophagus connects the throat with the stomach. It forms part of the alimentary canal and is a tube consisting of muscle and filled with mucous membrane.

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Which of these is a bone in the lower arm?
Scapular
Radius
Femur
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Also called the radial bone, the radius, along with the ulna, make up the two-bone structure of the forearm. It is slightly shorter than the ulna and has a prism shape.

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Can you tell us which of the options below is part of the lungs?
Parietal lobes
Bronchi
Somatosensory cortex
Limbic system
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bronchi are connected to each lung. When we breathe, the air comes down the trachea and then passes into each bronchi which direct it toward the lungs. They form part of the pulmonary system.

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True or false? You can get tuberculosis by inhaling the germ that causes it.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When dealing with patients who have tuberculosis it is best to always wear a mask. This is because tuberculosis can be spread if you inhale the germ. Precaution is always the best option, although the disease is difficult to catch despite the fact that it is spread through the air.

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During the assessment of an injured patient, which is the most important of these below?
Fill in patient paperwork
Make sure the patient is warm
Keep the airway open
Make sure the patient has water
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While all the other tasks might be relevant at some point, an open airway is the most important thing while assessing a patient. All the other tasks can wait till after the assessment has finished.

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Can you tell us what the term hypoperfusion refers to?
Decreased blood flow through the body
A hot patient
A cold patient
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If a patient is suffering hypoperfusion, blood has slowed down flowing through their body and through vital organs. It can lead to a state of shock in the patient.

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Of a patient is showing signs of nasal flaring and accessory muscles which of these would you suspect?
Stroke
Respiratory problems
Appendicitis
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nasal flaring is a clue that a patient is in respiratory distress but its the use of accessory muscles that will confirm their problem. These are generally only used by the body following exercise or during respiratory failure.

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Can you name the bone in the upper arm?
Femur
Humerus
Patella
Fibula
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bone in the upper arm is known as the humerus. It runs from the shoulder to the elbow. The humerus connects the scapular with the two bones in the lower arm, the radius and ulna.

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When someone's immune systems reacts with an exaggerated response to something entering their body, it is called an ____________?
Overdose
Overreaction
Anaphylactic reaction
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Anaphylactic reactions can be very severe and often are a matter of life or death. A massive allergic reaction, they can be caused by an insect sting, food or even medication.

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From the options below, which best describes the thigh bone?
Patella
Humerus
Fibia
Femur
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bone in the thigh is known as the femur. Not only is the femur the longest bone in the human body, running from the hip joint to the knee, it is also the strongest.

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What is considered to be the correct depth of compression when treating an adult patient?
Between 2 and 2.4 inches
1 inch
5 inches
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When applying compression to the chest of an adult, you should compress the chest around 2 to 2.4 inches. This is around 5 to 6 centimeters. For a child, compression should be a third of their chest size.

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Which bone helps to form the cheek?
Clavicle
Ulna
Zygoma
Sacrum
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the mandible bone is used to describe the lower jaw, the cheekbone area is called the zygoma. And the upper jaw? Well, that is called the maxilla.

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In anatomy, what does anterior refer to?
Back
Front
Middle
Side
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In anatomy, the word anterior mean front. So for example, an athlete who has injured an anterior cruciate ligament in their ankle has damaged the ligament at the front of the ankle. When referring to the ligaments at the back of the ankle, one would say posterior.

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True or false? Patients with type 1 diabetes have to inject insulin each day.
True
False
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

True! Because their pancreas does not produce insulin, a type 1 diabetic must inject themselves ever day. This is usually done around meal times to help keep their blood sugar at stable levels. There are now insulin pumps which may alleviate the need for daily needles.

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If a patient is standing face forward, with their arms at their side and their palms forward, they are in the ___________ position?
Distal
Anatomical
Medial
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A person standing upright with their arms by their sides and palms facing forward is said to be in the anatomical position. This is used to describe a patient's body.

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In the right lower quadrant, which organ from the options below, will you find?
Heart
Spleen
Appendix
Gallbladder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The good old appendix, yes, that is what you will find in the right lower quadrant. This organ has a tendency to burst from time to time, but luckily, it usually lets someone know beforehand by putting them through excruciating pain!

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Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination?
Cerebellum
Medulla
Cerebrum
Brainstem
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The cerebellum lies at the back of the brain and handles all our balance and co-ordination. This is the largest part of our brain. Interestingly, cerebellum is Latin for "little brain".

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Which of these organs is the "detoxifier" of the human body?
Heart
Lungs
Kidneys
Liver
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Your liver has many functions including helping to detoxify your body, it does this by filtering anything we consume in whole or liquid form. It also turns sugar into glycogen and breaks down fats that we eat. Overall, the liver has over 500 different functions.

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Which of these below is the normal respiration rate for an adult?
10 breaths a minute
12 to 20 breaths a minute
25 to 30 breaths a minute
30 to 40 breaths per minute
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A normal adult, who has been sitting at rest, will breathe around 12 to 20 breaths a minute. Paramedics will check a patient's breathing and this can help them work out if the person is in distress or not, especially with no visible injuries.

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Who has more ribs, a man or woman?
Man
Woman
Neither, they have the same.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although the biblical story tells us that God fashioned Eve from the rib of Adam, men and women have the same number of ribs. And how many are there? Twelve pairs to make 24.

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What is the ''compression to breaths'' ratio for an adult undergoing CPR as recommended by the American Heart Association?
5:1
100:1
30:2
60:1
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The American Heart Association instituted new CPR guidelines in 2016. In it, they recommend a 30:2 ratio of compression to breaths for two EMTs while treating an adult patient.

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From the options below, which heart chamber is tasked with sending de-oxygenated blood to the lungs?
Left atrium
Right ventricle
Right atrium
Left ventricle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

All four of these are important in sending blood filled with oxygen around the lungs and then on its return, sending it to the lungs to be filled with oxygen once again. While the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood around the body, the right ventricle receives the de-oxygenated blood back to the lungs.

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Can you name the connection, created surgically, that connects an artery and a vein?
Needle
Blood donation
Shunt
Fistula
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When doctor connect an artery to a vein, it is called a fistula. This is done without any medical devices or tubing between the artery and the vein. These are often used for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

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A patient with sickle cell anemia will experience which of these below?
Priapism
Bleeding from the mouth
A temperature
None of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While sickle cell anemia can cause painful joints as well as abdominal pains, it has another implication for men. It can cause a terribly painful erection!

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You Got:
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