41) Which of the following is the BEST initial intervention for a patient who has inhaled a
poison?
A) Provide plenty of fresh air and monitor pulse oximetry readings.
B) Perform abdominal thrusts to clear the airway, followed by high-concentration oxygen.
C) Transport in a position of comfort and provide oxygen for patients with a decreased level of
consciousness.
D) Provide a patent airway, ventilation, and high-concentration oxygen.
Objective: 21.7
42) Which of the following is the MOST important means of managing a patient who has inhaled
a poison, after the airway has been established?
A) Hyperventilation
B) High concentrations of oxygen
C) Monitoring pulse oximetry
D) Administering a specific antidote
Objective: 21.7
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43) Smoke inhalation can result in all of the following except:
A) airway swelling and obstruction.
B) cardiac arrest.
C) lung contusion.
D) respiratory arrest.
Objective: 21.7
44) Your patient is an 18-year-old male who fell into a neighbor’s swimming pool but was pulled
out by bystanders. The neighbors report that the patient wandered into their yard and that he said
he had a “funny numb feeling” in his head and his chest hurt before stumbling into the pool. As
you are performing CPR, you notice that the mucous membranes in his mouth and nose are
swollen. Which of the following would account for the patient’s behavior and current condition?
A) Volatile chemicals
B) GHB
C) Methamphetamine
D) Carbon monoxide poisoning
Objective: 21.7
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45) What clinical finding is MOST suggestive of an inhaled poison?
A) Altered mental status
B) Tachypnea
C) Black-colored sputum
D) Swollen tongue
Objective: 21.7
46) When a substance enters the body through unbroken skin, it has entered the body by which
of the following routes?
A) Absorption
B) Ingestion
C) Injection
D) Consumption
Objective: 21.8
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47) Your patient is a 48-year-old male who has n exposed to a toxic powder that can be absorbed
through the skin. Which of the following measures should be taken by the EMT?
A) Wipe the powder away with a damp cloth.
B) Brush off the powder and flush the patient’s skin with a solution of baking soda and water.
C) Flush the patient’s skin with copious amounts of water.
D) Brush off the powder and flush the patient’s skin with copious amounts of water.
Objective: 21.8
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48) Your patient has come in contact with a strong acid substance. Using an alkaline solution to
treat the patient may result in which of the following?
A) Production of heat when the acid and alkali interact
B) Further damage to the patient’s tissues
C) Neutralization of the acid substance
D) All of the above
Objective: 21.8
49) By what route does nitroglycerin spray enter the body?
A) Inhalation
B) Ingestion
C) Absorption
D) Injection
Objective: 21.8
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50) A patient has a dry powder poison covering both upper extremities and chest. You should:
A) cover the patient’s arms with a burn sheet to preserve the powder for the emergency room.
B) immediately wash the powder off to prevent further exposure.
C) brush the powder off and irrigate the contaminated area with large amounts of water.
D) flush the area with large amounts of water and then brush the remaining poison off.
Objective: 21.8
51) Which of the following is the immediate toxic effect of alcohol?
A) Central nervous system (CNS) stimulation
B) Damage to the liver
C) Central nervous system depression
D) Irreversible damage to the kidneys
Objective: 21.9
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52) Which of the following effects may occur due to chronic abuse of alcohol?
A) Abnormal blood sugar levels
B) Poor nutrition
C) Potential for gastrointestinal bleeding
D) All of the above
Objective: 21.9
53) Which of the following is an injury that commonly occurs in alcoholic patients with even
minor falls and blows to the head?
A) Subdural hematoma
B) Concussion
C) Intracerebral hematoma
D) Skull fracture
Objective: 21.9
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54) Your patient is a 50-year-old female with a history of alcoholism. She is found unresponsive
in bed by her son. Which of the following possibilities should you keep in mind during your
assessment?
A) Low blood sugar
B) Head injury
C) Heart attack
D) All of the above
Objective: 21.9
55) Which of the following would LEAST likely indicate that an emergency is due to drugs or
alcohol?
A) Empty liquor bottles at the scene
B) Hospital discharge order with a pain prescription
C) Unresponsive patient with unequal pupils
D) Open sores and scars to the upper arms
Objective: 21.9
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56) Which of the following conditions can mimic the signs of alcohol intoxication?
A) Epilepsy
B) Head injuries
C) Diabetes
D) All of the above
Objective: 21.10
57) Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include all of the following except:
A) swaying and unsteadiness of movement.
B) confusion.
C) nausea and vomiting.
D) an acetone or ketone odor to the breath.
Objective: 21.10
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