Anatomy of an EMS Call Practice Questions

43 multiple-choice questions on Anatomy of a call for paramedic and EMT students, from Chapter 1 (EMS Systems). Read each question, pick your answer, then tap Show answer to check it and read the explanation.

43 practice questions

1. Which is the correct order of the phases of a call?

   1. A. Preparation, dispatch, en route, scene, care, transfer
   2. B. Preparation, en route, dispatch, care, scene, transfer
   3. C. Dispatch, en route, scene, care, preparation, transfer
   4. D. Dispatch, preparation, en route, scene, care, transfer
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Preparation, dispatch, en route, scene, care, transfer

   The phases are preparation, dispatch, en route, arrival and scene size-up, patient care, transfer of care, and post-run. Each phase has its own safety and care tasks.

2. The information a dispatcher gives before you arrive should:

   1. A. Be disregarded until you see the patient
   2. B. Guide preparation without locking you in
   3. C. Determine whether you will transport
   4. D. Be treated as a confirmed diagnosis
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Guide preparation without locking you in

   It should help you prepare while you stay ready for a different situation on arrival. Dispatch information is often incomplete or wrong.

3. While responding, the single most important safety practice for the crew is:

   1. A. Using lights and sirens the entire way
   2. B. Reviewing protocols while en route
   3. C. Seat belts and driving with due regard
   4. D. Choosing the shortest possible route
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Seat belts and driving with due regard

   Crashes are a leading cause of EMS deaths.

4. Scene size-up includes:

   1. A. Safety, precautions, MOI, patients, resources
   2. B. Obtaining a first set of vital signs
   3. C. Counting the patients and starting triage
   4. D. Only checking the scene for obvious hazards
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Safety, precautions, MOI, patients, resources

   Size-up includes scene safety, standard precautions, mechanism of injury or nature of illness, number of patients, and need for more resources. Size-up decides everything that follows.

5. Additional resources should be requested:

   1. A. As early as you recognize the need
   2. B. After contacting medical control
   3. C. Only by the on-scene supervisor
   4. D. After the first patient is fully packaged
   Show answer

   Answer: A. As early as you recognize the need

   Help called late arrives late.

6. Standard precautions should be selected:

   1. A. After patient contact, based on findings
   2. B. Before contact, based on expected risk
   3. C. Only once transport has started
   4. D. Only when the patient is bleeding
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Before contact, based on expected risk

   Select them before patient contact, based on the situation you expect. Gloves at minimum; eye protection and a mask when splashing or airborne risk is likely.

7. The first step on reaching the patient is usually to:

   1. A. Introduce yourself, get consent, assess
   2. B. Call the receiving hospital with a report
   3. C. Take a full set of baseline vital signs first
   4. D. Move the patient onto the stretcher quickly
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Introduce yourself, get consent, assess

   Introduce yourself, obtain consent, and begin the primary assessment. Consent and rapport come before hands-on care for a responsive patient.

8. A radio report to the receiving hospital should include:

   1. A. Your ETA and the dispatch complaint
   2. B. Every detail from the scene in order
   3. C. Key findings, treatment, response, and ETA
   4. D. The patient's name, age, and address
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Key findings, treatment, response, and ETA

   Include unit and level of care, patient age and sex, chief complaint, pertinent findings and vitals, treatment and response, and ETA. Keep it short and organized so the staff can prepare.

9. The verbal hand-off at the hospital should be given:

   1. A. The nurse or physician taking over
   2. B. The unit clerk at the triage desk
   3. C. Dispatch over the radio only
   4. D. Hospital staff in writing only
   Show answer

   Answer: A. The nurse or physician taking over

   Give it to the nurse or physician taking over care, before you leave. Hand-off is one of the highest-risk moments for lost information.

10. The patient care report should be completed:

    1. A. Whenever it is convenient for the crew
    2. B. Only for patients who are transported
    3. C. Only after ALS interventions
    4. D. Promptly, per local policy
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Promptly, per local policy

    Complete it promptly and accurately, generally before the end of shift or as local policy requires. Memory fades quickly, and the report is a legal document.

11. Post-run duties include:

    1. A. Clean, restock, document, and review
    2. B. Refueling the unit and nothing else
    3. C. Finishing the documentation only
    4. D. Returning to service right after hand-off
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Clean, restock, document, and review

    Post-run duties include cleaning and disinfecting, restocking, refueling, completing documentation, and reviewing the call. The unit isn't truly available until it is ready for the next patient.

12. Reviewing a difficult call with the crew afterward is valuable because it:

    1. A. Identifies which crew member was at fault
    2. B. Satisfies state quality reporting rules
    3. C. Replaces the need for written documentation
    4. D. Reinforces strengths and finds gaps
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Reinforces strengths and finds gaps

    It reinforces what went well, identifies improvements, and supports the crew. Regular, low-key debriefs work better than rare formal ones.

13. Using lights and sirens legally requires the driver to:

    1. A. Exceed the speed limit by no more than 10 mph
    2. B. Have the right of way at all times
    3. C. Have a supervisor's approval first
    4. D. Drive with due regard for others' safety
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Drive with due regard for others' safety

    Due regard means privileges never excuse a crash you could have avoided.

14. During the preparation phase, the paramedic should confirm:

    1. A. Hospital bed availability across the region
    2. B. The weather forecast for the whole shift ahead
    3. C. Equipment, supplies, drugs, and readiness
    4. D. The fuel level of the unit and nothing more
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Equipment, supplies, drugs, and readiness

    Confirm equipment function, supplies, medications, and personal readiness. Expired and missing items are found here, not on scene.

15. When dispatch information suggests a violent scene, the appropriate action is to:

    1. A. Respond directly to the patient's location
    2. B. Approach quietly without lights or sirens
    3. C. Cancel the call and notify dispatch
    4. D. Stage safely until police secure the scene
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Stage safely until police secure the scene

    Staging distance should be out of sight and range.

16. The response phase should be guided by:

    1. A. Following other emergency units closely
    2. B. Due regard and a planned route
    3. C. Continuous use of the siren
    4. D. The fastest speed traffic allows
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Due regard and a planned route

    Safe driving with due regard and a planned route should guide the response. Most EMS deaths involve vehicles.

17. Discussion en route should include:

    1. A. The patient care report for the last call
    2. B. Nothing, so the driver can stay focused
    3. C. Anticipated needs and role assignments
    4. D. The receiving hospital's internal policies
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Anticipated needs and role assignments

    Discuss anticipated needs, role assignments, and equipment to bring in. Two minutes of planning saves time on scene. Finishing the last report en route takes attention away from planning for this call.

18. On arrival, before approaching the patient, the crew should:

    1. A. Take a set of baseline vital signs
    2. B. Gather every piece of equipment
    3. C. Contact medical control for orders
    4. D. Check safety, hazards, patient count
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Check safety, hazards, patient count

    Assess scene safety, note hazards, and determine the number of patients. The general impression begins from a distance.

19. You are dispatched to an adult who is vomiting blood. Which PPE should you put on before entering?

    1. A. Gloves only, adding more after you see the patient
    2. B. An N95 respirator alone, since vomiting spreads airborne disease
    3. C. No PPE until you confirm that the patient is bleeding
    4. D. Gloves, eye protection, and a mask, plus a gown if heavy splash is likely
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Gloves, eye protection, and a mask, plus a gown if heavy splash is likely

    Choose PPE before contact based on the exposure you expect. Vomiting blood brings a real risk of splash to the eyes, nose, and mouth, so standard precautions call for gloves, eye protection, and a mask, with a gown for heavy contamination. Gloves alone leave the face exposed. An N95 is for airborne pathogens and does not protect the eyes. Waiting to confirm blood means you are exposed before you protect yourself.

20. You reach a man sitting on a park bench. He says he is 'fine,' but he is pale and sweaty. After introducing yourself, what is your next step?

    1. A. Ask to assess him while forming your general impression
    2. B. Begin transport, since pale, sweaty skin means he is unstable
    3. C. Have him sign a refusal, since he says he is fine
    4. D. Wait for police before speaking with him further
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Ask to assess him while forming your general impression

    Get consent and start the assessment. Pale, diaphoretic skin is a warning sign that needs evaluation, but it is not grounds to transport without assessment or consent. A refusal is valid only after an assessment and an informed discussion of the risks. Nothing in the scenario suggests a scene-safety threat that would justify waiting for police.

21. You are the only unit at a two-car crash. You see three patients, and one is trapped behind a crushed door. When should you request fire/rescue and more ambulances?

    1. A. After you have triaged every patient
    2. B. Now, as part of the scene size-up
    3. C. After the trapped patient is freed
    4. D. After you contact medical control
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Now, as part of the scene size-up

    Resource needs are part of the scene size-up. Entrapment and more patients than you have crews are obvious needs the moment you see them. Help requested late arrives late, and extrication and extra units take time to reach the scene. Waiting until triage is done or the patient is freed adds that delay. Medical control does not dispatch rescue resources.

22. Packaging a patient refers to:

    1. A. Organizing the radio report
    2. B. Bagging equipment for the next call
    3. C. Securing the patient for safe transport
    4. D. Completing the patient documentation
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Securing the patient for safe transport

    Packaging is preparing and securing the patient for safe movement and transport. Splinting, padding, and securing are part of it.

23. Moving a patient to the ambulance requires consideration of:

    1. A. Speed of movement above all other factors
    2. B. Where the ambulance is parked and nothing else
    3. C. Condition, route, obstacles, crew safety
    4. D. The family's preference for the carrying method
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Condition, route, obstacles, crew safety

    Consider patient condition, route, obstacles, weather, and crew safety. Plan before lifting.

24. During transport, the paramedic should:

    1. A. Continue assessment and reassessment
    2. B. Sit quietly and observe the patient
    3. C. Focus on completing documentation
    4. D. Stand to reach equipment more easily
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Continue assessment and reassessment

    Continue assessment, treatment, and reassessment. Remain belted when possible.

25. The radio report to the hospital should be given:

    1. A. On arrival at the hospital
    2. B. Only for critical patients
    3. C. Early enough for them to prepare
    4. D. After the verbal hand-off
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Early enough for them to prepare

    Timing depends on transport length.

26. If the patient's condition changes en route, the paramedic should:

    1. A. Reassess, treat, and update the hospital
    2. B. Wait until arrival at the hospital to act
    3. C. Continue care exactly as originally planned
    4. D. Increase transport speed and do nothing else
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Reassess, treat, and update the hospital

    An updated report changes the team waiting for you.

27. Your patient received naloxone 15 minutes ago and is now awake and breathing normally. In the hand-off, which detail is most important for the ED team to hear?

    1. A. That the call was dispatched as a possible opioid overdose
    2. B. The total time spent on scene before transport began
    3. C. Naloxone dose, route, time, and response, since sedation can recur
    4. D. How the family described the patient's usual mood and habits
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Naloxone dose, route, time, and response, since sedation can recur

    Naloxone often wears off before many opioids do, especially long-acting or high-potency ones, so respiratory depression can come back. The receiving team needs the dose, route, time, and response to know how long to watch the patient and when to expect re-sedation. The dispatch code, scene time, and usual mood do not change what the team watches for next.

28. The written report should ideally be completed:

    1. A. By the end of the month
    2. B. Within a week of the call date
    3. C. Before leaving the hospital if possible
    4. D. Only for patients who are transported
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Before leaving the hospital if possible

    Complete it before leaving the hospital or as soon as practical. Hospitals need it for continuity.

29. During the post-run phase, decontamination should occur:

    1. A. During the weekly unit check
    2. B. Only after calls with infectious patients
    3. C. At the end of the work shift
    4. D. Before the unit returns to service
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Before the unit returns to service

    The next patient depends on it.

30. Restocking after a call should be verified by:

    1. A. Glancing over the most-used bins
    2. B. Restocking what you recall using
    3. C. Checking the inventory list
    4. D. Counting supplies at the weekly check
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Checking the inventory list

    Missing items are discovered at the worst time. Memory and a quick look miss items, and a weekly count leaves gaps on the calls in between.

31. Returning to service should occur when:

    1. A. When cleaned, restocked, and ready
    2. B. Once the patient is moved to a bed
    3. C. Immediately after the verbal hand-off
    4. D. As soon as documentation is finished
    Show answer

    Answer: A. When cleaned, restocked, and ready

    Availability without readiness is not availability. Moving the patient is only the hand-off; the unit still needs cleaning and restocking.

32. Which best describes the paramedic's responsibility if a call is cancelled en route?

    1. A. Continue to the scene and assess anyway
    2. B. Document the cancellation and its source
    3. C. Notify the receiving hospital of the change
    4. D. No documentation is needed for cancellations
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Document the cancellation and its source

    Document the dispatch, the cancellation source and time, and the disposition. Cancellations are sometimes disputed.

33. A patient found to have no complaint and no findings still requires:

    1. A. Contact with medical control
    2. B. No documentation at all
    3. C. Transport to the hospital
    4. D. Assessment and documentation
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Assessment and documentation

    Assess and document, including any refusal of care. These calls carry real liability.

34. Which phase of the call carries the highest injury risk to the crew?

    1. A. Hands-on assessment of the patient on scene
    2. B. Writing the patient care report afterward
    3. C. Transfer of care at the receiving hospital
    4. D. Vehicle operations and patient movement
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Vehicle operations and patient movement

    Response and transport in the vehicle, and patient movement, carry the most risk. Crashes and lifting injuries dominate.

35. A crew that is dispatched to a call while eating should:

    1. A. Ask dispatch to send another unit
    2. B. Notify the hospital of a delay
    3. C. Finish eating, then respond
    4. D. Respond promptly to the call
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Respond promptly to the call

    Respond promptly; fatigue and nutrition are managed through system policy rather than by delaying calls. Crew rest and meals are scheduled through system policy.

36. Scene time for a critical trauma patient should generally be:

    1. A. As long as needed to complete a full exam
    2. B. Minimized to essential interventions
    3. C. Whatever time the family wishes to allow
    4. D. At least 20 minutes to stabilize first
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Minimized to essential interventions

    Minimize scene time, focusing on interventions that must be done before transport. Time to surgery matters.

37. Scene time for a medical patient such as one with cardiac arrest may be:

    1. A. Irrelevant to the outcome
    2. B. Longer, since CPR is better on scene
    3. C. Always minimized for rapid transport
    4. D. Fixed by protocol at 10 minutes
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Longer, since CPR is better on scene

    It may be longer, since high-quality resuscitation is often better delivered on scene. Moving a patient degrades compressions.

38. Communication with family during a call should include:

    1. A. Brief explanations and the destination
    2. B. No information until reaching the hospital
    3. C. A detailed prognosis and likely outcome
    4. D. Precise technical terms to show competence
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Brief explanations and the destination

    Give brief explanations of what is happening and where the patient is going. Family also supplies important history.

39. Which is an appropriate use of the transport time?

    1. A. Completing the billing and insurance paperwork
    2. B. Reassessment, treatment, and the report
    3. C. Catching up on charts from earlier calls
    4. D. Restocking supplies from the overhead cabinets
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Reassessment, treatment, and the report

    Use transport time for reassessment, treatment, documentation notes, and preparing the report. Patients deteriorate during transport.

40. At the end of the call, reviewing the run with the crew serves to:

    1. A. Satisfy an agency policy
    2. B. Identify successes and improvements
    3. C. Assign blame for problems
    4. D. Rank each crew member's performance
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Identify successes and improvements

    Short, regular reviews beat rare formal ones. Ranking crew members turns a learning review into an evaluation.

41. If equipment failed during the call, the paramedic should:

    1. A. Repair it yourself after the call
    2. B. Make a mental note of it
    3. C. Document, remove, and report it
    4. D. Keep using it if it seems to work
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Document, remove, and report it

    Document it, remove the item from service, and report it. The next crew must not inherit the problem.

42. Which best describes an effective hand-off report?

    1. A. A full chronological retelling of the call
    2. B. A concise summary of condition and care
    3. C. Vital signs and nothing more
    4. D. The original dispatch complaint
    Show answer

    Answer: B. A concise summary of condition and care

    An effective hand-off is a concise, organized summary emphasizing condition, care given, and changes. Lead with how sick the patient is.

43. After transferring care, the paramedic remains responsible for:

    1. A. Carrying out the hospital's treatment orders
    2. B. Documentation and sharing late findings
    3. C. Nothing further once care is transferred
    4. D. Ongoing treatment of the patient in the ED
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Documentation and sharing late findings

    The paramedic must complete documentation and communicate anything the receiving team still needs. Remember to report anything discovered late.