NREMT Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Exam Study Guide

120 minutes (a 2-hour time limit).

A scaled score of 950 indicates the passing point.

$104 USD.

Ensure scene safety, determine mechanism of injury/nature of illness, identify number of patients, take BSI/standard precautions, and consider need for additional resources.

Airway, Breathing, Circulation — the immediate life threats assessed first (with C-spine/hemorrhage control as priorities).

The principle that a critically injured trauma patient has the best survival odds when definitive surgical care is reached within roughly one hour of injury; EMTs aim to minimize scene time.

Pale, cool, clammy skin; tachycardia; tachypnea; altered mental status; weak/thready pulse; and (late) falling blood pressure.

Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last oral intake, and Events leading up to the incident.

Expressed consent is when a competent patient explicitly agrees to care; implied consent assumes an unconscious or incapacitated patient would consent to lifesaving care.

Use the jaw-thrust maneuver (instead of head-tilt/chin-lift) to open the airway while maintaining manual in-line stabilization of the head and neck.

Early recognition and access to emergency services, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced life support. These work together to improve outcomes in sudden cardiac arrest.

Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the breastbone (sternum) between the nipples, place your other hand on top, and compress at least 2 inches at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.

Stridor is a high-pitched, musical breathing sound caused by disrupted airflow. Croup (viral croup, laryngotracheobronchitis) is the most common cause in children, typically presenting with a barky, seal-like cough.

Rapid onset of symptoms including wheezing, urticaria (hives), edema (face/throat), hypotension, tachycardia, and possible loss of consciousness. Can progress rapidly to respiratory or cardiovascular collapse.

Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) repeatedly until the object is dislodged or the patient becomes unconscious. If unconscious, begin CPR and check the airway between cycles.

The recovery position keeps the airway open and allows fluids (blood, vomit) to drain from the mouth, preventing aspiration in an unconscious but breathing patient.

Triage is the sorting of casualties by severity. Categories are: Immediate/Red (life-threatening), Delayed/Yellow (serious but stable), Minor/Green (walking wounded), and Expectant/Black (deceased or unsalvageable).

Tachycardia (increased heart rate) is often the earliest sign of sepsis in children, as they compensate for decreased perfusion. Hypotension is a late finding indicating decompensation.

Decompensated shock occurs when the body can no longer maintain adequate tissue perfusion. Blood pressure drops, cellular metabolism becomes anaerobic, lactic acidosis develops, and organ failure ensues if not rapidly corrected.

OPQRST stands for Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Radiation, Severity, and Time. It is used to evaluate and characterize a patient's chief complaint or pain.

Respiratory distress is increased work of breathing with adequate gas exchange and alertness. Respiratory failure is inadequate ventilation/oxygenation with altered mental status, cyanosis, and inability to maintain the airway.

JVD can indicate increased intrathoracic pressure from pneumothorax, hemothorax, or cardiac tamponade. It is a key sign of tension pneumothorax when combined with hypotension and respiratory distress.

Head and neck = 9%, each arm = 9%, each leg = 18%, front torso = 18%, back torso = 18%, genitalia = 1%. Rapid calculation helps determine transport decision and fluid resuscitation needs.

Remove constrictive items, immobilize the limb below heart level, mark swelling progression with a pen and time, and transport immediately. Avoid cutting, sucking, or applying tourniquets unless instructed by medical control.

Retroperitoneal describes structures behind the peritoneum, in the space between the abdominal wall and vertebral column. Examples include the kidneys, pancreas, and aorta.

Battle's sign (bruising behind the ears), raccoon eyes (periorbital ecchymosis), CSF rhinorrhea (clear fluid from nose), and hemotympanum (blood behind the tympanum). Often delayed in appearance.

Elevate the head of the stretcher 30 degrees, avoid hyperventilation unless directed by medical control, maintain normothermia, keep the airway patent, and provide rapid transport. Excessive CO2 removal can worsen outcomes.

A seizure is a single episode of abnormal electrical activity lasting seconds to minutes. Status epilepticus is continuous seizure activity or multiple seizures without recovery of consciousness, which is a medical emergency.

Protect the patient from injury, position on their side to prevent aspiration, do NOT restrain limbs or force objects in the mouth, monitor airway and breathing, administer oxygen, and transport to the hospital.

Chest pain or discomfort, dyspnea, nausea, diaphoresis, and palpitations. Women and diabetics may present atypically with fatigue, indigestion, or jaw pain. Always obtain a 12-lead ECG within 10 minutes.

The tripod position (leaning forward on arms) indicates severe respiratory distress or orthopnea. It suggests pulmonary edema, acute asthma exacerbation, or severe pneumonia. Provide oxygen and consider CPAP if available.

Albuterol is a beta-2 agonist that causes bronchial smooth muscle relaxation, opening the airways and improving airflow. It rapidly relieves bronchospasm in asthma and COPD exacerbations.

AVPU = Alert, Verbal (responds to voice), Painful (responds only to pain), Unresponsive. This rapid scale assesses level of consciousness and guides urgency of interventions like airway management.

The recommended ratio is 30 compressions to 2 ventilations (30:2). Continue this ratio until the patient shows signs of life, an AED is available, or professional help arrives.