Do You Know Enough First Aid to Teach an EMT Certification Class?
By: Olivia Cantor
5 min
Image: vm / E+ / Getty Images
About This Quiz
People will always need medical help for one thing or another. Unfortunately for some, they will need serious attention, and first responders and rescuers like Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) should be on the scene. Do you think you know enough of what they do to be able to perform some essential rescue functions?Â
If you're a quick thinker, a person with a very active body and with good reflexes, and if you have a desire to help out people in need, then you have the makings of a good EMT. Someone in this line of work has to be quick on their feet, thinking snappily about situations that they come upon. There is a reason why the "E" stands for "emergency," because there is an imminent danger and people are affected. If an EMT does not have quick-witted skills, then every second lost in dillydallying could cost someone's life. Yes, it is that serious of a job -- that's why it needs people who are dedicated, who are ready to help and who are very knowledgable on what do to in any situation.
If you’re interested to see if you have what it takes to deal with such medical emergencies, take this quiz and find out!
Why do you first have to look around at the scene where the injured person is located?
Find other rescuers
Find an electrical outlet for your gear
Look for other injured people
To see if there’s still danger
One of the most important things to remember is to look around to see if your surroundings are safe. Unless the person is so injured that you shouldn’t move them without proper support and equipment, you should take the injured and yourself to a safer location.
No matter how dirty the surroundings are, it’s best to wear gloves that are clean and suited for medical work. That way, infections due to being handled for treatment can be minimized, so wearing a pair should be automatic.
If you can’t wash your hands before handling the injured person, is an alcohol-based hand sanitizer good enough?
Yes
In the absence of water and soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are a good substitute for hand washing. For emergency personnel, this item should always be a part of their kit.
What is the proper way to act when you’re dealing with an injured person?
Reactive but distant
Fully emotionally involved
Calm and reassuring
Injured people are also suffering from emotional trauma, so imagine all the feelings they’re going through when you approach them. It is therefore vital for a rescuer to exhibit a calm and reassuring attitude that will help the injured person relax, even for a while, and think positively, to better the situation at hand. Panic only begets panic.
If a person looks unconscious, what is the first thing you should do?
Send them to the ambulance quickly
Tag them as unconscious
See if they can be woken up
If you reach an unresponsive person, you should try speaking to them first, or even lightly tap their shoulders, before doing anything else. One can even shout or speak in a loud voice to do that. If the injured still doesn’t react, then it’s safe to assume they are truly unconscious.
It may sound too easy, but what are the basic steps to find out if a person is still breathing?
Find a pulse
Shake them
Shout at them
See, Listen, Feel
Rising chest movement, sounds and air moving from their nose and mouths are the basic signs that someone unconscious is still breathing. You can use your cheek, positioned near the injured person’s mouth and nostrils, to feel the movement of air if a person is breathing weakly.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is one of the most important procedures that a first responder must know how to do. In many cases, CPR administered on time may spell the difference between life or death, or it may prevent some form of brain damage.
After chest compressions, what is the other action that a rescuer must do when trying to get an unconscious person breathing again?
Slapping the face
Get a 30-second break
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Aside from chest compressions, a rescuer is also supposed to do two “rescue breaths” as part of CPR. This is done by exhaling directly to the fully covered mouth after several compressions.
Where is the best place to put your hands when you are compressing a person’s chest to make them breathe again?
The middle of the ribcage
The center of the chest is the best area of the body to place your hands when compressing a person’s chest. Imagine running a line between the nipples, and then putting your two hands together at an area just below the line. Remember, just push enough to compress the chest about 2 inches. You must do this fast for about 30 times in one cycle before resting for the next cycle.
If a person has been confirmed to be unconscious, what is the next step to finding out if they are still alive?
Find out if they are breathing
Once a person is confirmed to be unconscious and cannot be woken up, the next step is to look for signs of breathing. If the person is not breathing, immediate action must be taken next.
Why do you cover a person with a towel or jacket while waiting for more help to arrive?
Keep them warm
Keeping an injured person warm is very important. This is doubly true when you are in a cold or windy environment. It may also prevent shock, so it’s a good procedure to do.
Are you supposed to try and let an unconscious person drink?
Yes
No
Under no circumstances are you supposed to try and make an unconscious person drink fluids of any kind. This may cause choking, and they may die in the process, so it’s a no-no.
When you think an injured person is in danger of an electric shock, what do you use to move the electrified source?
Nothing, because it’s dangerous to touch
Flush it down with running water
Get the ambulance driver to do it
Use a non-conductive object
Sometimes, the injured person may be in an area where live wires or exposed electrical wiring are still present. Do make sure to use a stick or similar object that is made of wood, plastic or some other non-conductive material when moving them away. Metal objects are not a good idea to use in this situation, as they conduct electricity.
It might initially make sense to use ice water or even ice cubes to treat burns. However, this is not true, as extremely cold water or ice cubes may induce frostbite on the skin of the affected area, damaging it more. Human skin is really that delicate.
Stroke victims usually have obvious symptoms. Some of the most important signs are those that portend the future -- they can be thought of as "red flags" that are letting us know that something is brewing. Aside from those mentioned in the choices, symptoms include sudden sharp headaches, weakness over one whole side of the body, blurring or loss of vision in one eye and even dizziness.
What is the most important action in a Heimlich maneuver?
Clearing space for it
The hug
To prevent people from choking on something in their windpipe, reach from behind and interlock your hands between the breastbone and belly button. Thrust upwards with your “hug” until whatever is blocking the windpipe is expelled.
Which is more effective in waking up a person, a slap or a splash of water on their face?
A light slap on the face
Splashing water on the face
Pulling the hair
None of the above
When a person is unconscious, do not slap or splash them with water on the face, even if you see them do this at the movies or in TV shows. It’s a theatrical thing to do that only works in that fictional environment. Rescuers don't do that sort of thing.
Which is better to use if you have no sterile gloves, but you know you might have contact with blood on the scene?
Thick hair
Leaves
Cotton
It will sometimes happen that you will find yourself in situations where you run out of sterile gloves or even hand sanitizer. If you have some cotton or medical gauze, which you ought to have in your kit, you can use it to wrap around your hands or fingers before treating a bloodied person. Clean any blood on you as soon as possible afterwards.
What is the first thing you do when a person has a broken bone?
Give them a drink
Use a tourniquet
Stop the bone from moving
Broken bones should be kept as “non-movable” as possible. This means that the person affected shouldn’t be supporting any weight or be subject to a lot of movement, because it can aggravate the injury.
Seizures happen in different ways, but it’s always a good idea to have the person experiencing a seizure to lie on the ground, and to lie on one side, to help them breathe. Don’t try to hold them down, as you or the person may sustain more injuries.
If the injured or traumatized person has cool skin temperature and has a pale face, what should you watch out for?
Skull fracture
Shock
Shock is usually caused by loss of blood and many or massive wounds. It can also be caused by psychological stress, even if a person is not injured. Shock can also be fatal if not addressed immediately, so watch out for this closely.
Why do rescuers use cloth or gauze and press them on a puncture or gunshot wound?
Keeps the wound warm
Closes the wound
The simplest treatment for a puncture or gunshot wound is to use medical gauze or a clean piece of cloth. Cover the wound with these materials, and then put pressure on it. This will help make the blood clot, preventing more bleeding, and helps in closing the wound.
If you’ve treated an injured person, but they look like they’re in shock, what do you do?
Don’t talk to them
Keep them warm and comfortable
If the injured person has been treated but seems to be in shock, make sure to loosen their clothing but keep them warm. You should also reassure them, but don’t give them anything to eat or drink yet.
Aside from cleanliness, why is essential for a rescuer to wear sterile gloves?
To prevent rescuers from getting infected
In some cases, the injured will have wounds that are bloody. If they have a disease that can infect others through blood and bodily fluids, gloves will protect the rescuer, who needs to be in tiptop shape to perform their duties.
If the broken bone is in the legs or fingers, what should you do?
Give painkillers
Amputate
Make a splint
When dealing with broken bones, making a splint is the usual procedure. It can be as simple as a thick roll of newspapers and tape, or if a finger is broken, you can use tape and the nearest other finger as support.
If a person is confused and sees stars after a blow to the head, what is the most possible injury here?
Infected inner ear
Broken patella
Concussion
Concussions can be a tricky sort of injury. The first aid treatment for this is usually an ice pack to the affected area and keeping the head as still as possible. Afterward, patients must be observed for at least 24 hours.
Rescuers are only effective if they themselves stay healthy and free of infection. To this end, masks and protective eye gear are provided aside from sterile gloves. These items prevent infection for both the rescuer and the injured.
If the injured person’s arm is broken, what is an option for treatment if you have only gauze or cloth items?
A sling
For broken arm bones, a sling is a good option if there are only cloth or gauze materials, or if one must conserve the use of other medical supplies. Tie the length of cloth or gauze around the broken arm, and then up around the shoulder.
Why is it critical to perform the Heimlich maneuver immediately?
Prevent throat injury
To stop swelling
To prevent loss of oxygen
Choking on a foreign object in a person’s windpipe is an immediate threat to their life. Loss of oxygen to the brain for only a few minutes can lead to permanent damage, and even death, on the spot.
Which part of the face could give clues if someone is suffering from a cerebral kind of injury?
Eyes
For cerebral kind of injuries, one can check the eyes carefully for clues to detect some anomaly of this sort, if any. If one pupil appears to be dilated while the other looks narrower than usual, this could be an essential clue to take note of.
Spinal injuries can make the person feel weak, numb or have no control and feeling at all in some parts of their body. Sometimes, it can be seen physically with the back or neck in a wrong or awkward position. This is what rescuers need to spot if they suspect that this kind of injury is present.
Which of the following is not a usual symptom of a heart attack?
Chest pain
Headaches
Heart attacks usually start with experiencing pain in the chest. This pain can then radiate outwards to the arms, the neck, even the jaw and teeth. Shortness of breath is also a symptom, along with sweating and nausea.
Why do you have to verbally express conscious injured persons that you will be treating them?
Legal consent
Even if a person is injured, if they are conscious and able to understand a rescuer, the rescuer must always ask for consent to treat them, first and foremost. Aside from being a legal requirement, this also mentally prepares the injured for the treatment about to happen.
Why is it important to carefully move any person with suspected spinal cord injuries?
To avoid permanent damage
The spinal cord, which is the main nerve pathway to our brain, is housed inside the spine. A spinal injury does not necessarily mean that the cord has been cut or torn, but mishandling a spinal injury can result in permanent paralysis over much of a person’s body.
What is the only time when you should remove an impaled object immediately from a person in the field?
If the object is too heavy
If the object is not affixed to a larger object
If it's very large
If it's blocking an airway
While it may seem cruel, the general rule is not to move or remove an impaled object from a person, until they are taken to the hospital. Then, the object can be shortened and secured into place. Aside from that, if the impaled object is blocking an airway or hampering breathing, then it can be removed immediately after consideration of how serious the injury is.