Patient Treatment and Transport

Sample questions.

8 free patient treatment and transport questions with answers and explanations. MedRelay's full question bank covers every NREMT domain, plus live scenarios that grade the decision, not just the answer.

1. Question 1

   A 74-year-old female with a suspected hip fracture asks if her living will means you cannot treat her. How do you respond?

   • A.A living will addresses end-of-life care decisions and does notCorrect
   • B.A living will only affects treatment if she is in cardiac arrest
   • C.Correct — a living will restricts all non-emergency care
   • D.She needs to sign a separate consent

   Why:Correct. A living will addresses end-of-life care in terminal or permanently unconscious states — it does not restrict fracture treatment, pain management, or transport for a conscious patient. Treat and transport her fracture appropriately. Document the living will and explain the distinction.

2. Question 2

   You respond to a 62-year-old male with severe abdominal pain. While packaging him for transport his wife asks if you can turn on the heat in the ambulance because he is shivering from cold. The ambulance is already at 21 degrees C (70 degrees F). Is there any clinical concern with patient shivering during transport for abdominal pain?

   • A.shivering only indicates the patient is cold
   • B.Turn the heat up — comfort is the clinical priority
   • C.Shivering in a patient with abdominal pain at a comfortableCorrect
   • D.Shivering always indicates anxiety — reassure him

   Why:Correct. Shivering at comfortable ambient temperature may indicate fever or sepsis: the hypothalamus raises the body's temperature setpoint in response to infection, triggering the shivering reflex to generate heat to reach the new setpoint. Shivering at 21 degrees C without cold exposure is a clinical sign of possible systemic infection. Combined with abdominal pain, this suggests possible sepsis. Temperature assessment and notification of the receiving team are appropriate.

3. Question 3

   You are transporting a 58-year-old male in hemorrhagic shock following a high-speed MVC. You have controlled external bleeding with a tourniquet. En route to the hospital he becomes more confused and his BP drops from 88/60 to 72/44. His HR increases from 118 to 138. What is the CORRECT interpretation and action?

   • A.He is deterioratingCorrect
   • B.He is improving — rate the overall trend as stable
   • C.Apply a second tourniquet and reduce your speed
   • D.Administer oral glucose

   Why:Correct. Falling BP and rising HR in a trauma patient indicates decompensating hemorrhagic shock — the body's compensatory mechanisms are failing. This patient needs definitive hemorrhage control in the OR. Notify the receiving facility immediately and transport Priority 1. The window for survival is closing.

4. Question 4

   You respond to a 24-year-old male with a penetrating wound to the right upper chest from a nail gun. The nail has been removed before your arrival. There is a 1 cm wound that makes a sucking sound with inspiration. The patient is conscious with SpO2 91%, HR 128, BP 96/72. You apply a vented occlusive chest seal. As you prepare to transport your partner says the seal is not necessary since the wound is small. Why is a chest seal indicated even for a small sucking wound?

   • A.Any thoracic wound that communicates with the pleural spaceCorrect
   • B.Chest seals are only for wounds larger than 2 cm
   • C.Only wounds with visible lung tissue need chest seals
   • D.Small wounds self-seal with normal wound healing quickly enough

   Why:Correct. Any thoracic wound with a sucking sound (confirming pleural communication) requires an occlusive chest seal regardless of wound size. The size criterion is irrelevant — what matters is whether the wound communicates with the pleural space. A sucking sound confirms this. A small unsealed wound can progressively accumulate air with each inspiration.

5. Question 5

   You respond to a 44-year-old male with chest pain. His wife tells you he had a heart attack 2 years ago and received a coronary artery stent. He now reports crushing substernal chest pain identical to his prior MI. He takes aspirin, clopidogrel, metoprolol, and rosuvastatin. You are preparing to assist with his prescribed nitroglycerin when you notice he already has a nitroglycerin patch on his upper left chest. What should you know about the patch before giving sublingual NTG?

   • A.The patch and sublingual NTG cannot be given
   • B.The patch provides a low continuous dose of nitroglycerinCorrect
   • C.Remove the patch before giving any NTG
   • D.The patch replaces the need for sublingual NTG entirely

   Why:Correct. Nitroglycerin transdermal patch and sublingual NTG: the patch provides a very low basal dose. One additional sublingual NTG for acute chest pain is generally acceptable — the cumulative dose is within normal therapeutic range. However remove the patch before defibrillation if needed (arching current risk). The patch is not a contraindication to sublingual NTG for acute pain.

6. Question 6

   At a grocery store, a 35-year-old female is stable but needs specialty burn care. What should guide destination?

   • A.No transport
   • B.Nearest store
   • C.Patient guess only
   • D.Burn protocolCorrect

   Why:Correct. Specialty-center criteria should guide destination decisions when protocol applies.

7. Question 7

   While caring for a suspected opioid overdose patient, an EMT notices powder on the patient's clothing. What is the most appropriate EMT-B action?

   • A.Use PPE and stage until the scene is safe.
   • B.Use PPE, decon skin contact, and monitor symptoms.Correct
   • C.Rush in without PPE to remove the patient.
   • D.Avoid all contact because fentanyl is instantly fatal.

   Why:Correct. EMT-B care is scene safety, appropriate PPE such as nitrile gloves and a mask if powder may become airborne, avoiding unnecessary disturbance of powder, decontamination for skin contact, and airway/ventilation support for the patient. Naloxone is used for symptomatic opioid toxicity per protocol.

8. Question 8

   At a assisted-living room, a 69-year-old male with isolated ankle pain is stable. What transport decision should be based on?

   • A.No assessment
   • B.Crew convenience only
   • C.Random choice
   • D.Local protocol and patient needCorrect

   Why:Correct. Destination and transport decisions should follow local protocol and patient condition.