NREMT Practice Test Bank - Multiple
Choice
17. When caring for any patient
with a decreased level of con-
sciousness, your primary con-
cern should be the:
• A:potential for airway compro-
mise.
• B:patient's blood glucose level.
• C:possibility of a spinal injury.
• D:possibility of a drug over-
dose.
18. A 16-year-old, 125-pound male
ingested a bottle of aspirin
approximately 20 minutes ago.
Medical control orders you to ad-
minister activated charcoal in a
dose of 1 g/kg. How much activat-
ed charcoal should you adminis-
ter?
9 / 259
perpnea (deep breathing) would not be
present in a patient who overdosed
on a narcotic. In a narcotic overdose,
the pupils are typically constricted (mio-
sis). Barbiturates, such as phenobar-
bital, are also CNS depressants and
cause the same symptoms seen with
narcotic overdose. The patient's pupils,
however, are typically dilated (mydria-
sis), not constricted.
You selected A; This is correct!
Reason:Altered mental status could be
caused by a high or low blood glu-
cose level, drug overdose, or head in-
jury, among other causes. Furthermore,
the possibility of a spinal injury should
be considered if the patient was injured.
However, your primary concern should
be the status of the patient's airway.
Patients with a decreased level of con-
sciousness are at risk for aspiration if
vomiting occurs. Unless spinal trauma is
present or the patient is breathing inad-
equately (eg, fast or slow rate, shallow
breathing [reduced tidal volume]), place
him or her in the recovery position to
facilitate drainage if vomiting occurs. Re-
member this: no airway, no patient!
You selected D; This is correct!
Reason: First, you must determine the
patient's weight in kilograms (kg). Either
of the following formulae can be used
to convert pounds to kilograms: Formula
1: weight (in pounds) ÷ 2.2 = weight in
kg. Formula 2: weight (in pounds) ÷ 2