Gathering and Organizing Information Practice Questions

57 multiple-choice questions on Gathering and organizing information for paramedic and EMT students, from Chapter 12 (Critical Thinking and Clinical Decision Making). Read each question, pick your answer, then tap Show answer to check it and read the explanation.

57 practice questions

1. The quality of a clinical decision depends first on:

   1. A. The transport time to the receiving facility
   2. B. The hospital selected as the destination
   3. C. The specific treatment chosen for the patient
   4. D. The quality and completeness of gathered data
   Show answer

   Answer: D. The quality and completeness of gathered data

   Bad data produces bad conclusions, however good the reasoning.

2. The most common reason important information is missed is:

   1. A. Monitor or equipment failure during assessment
   2. B. Gaps and limitations in the written protocols
   3. C. Deliberate deception by the patient or family
   4. D. A rushed or incomplete assessment
   Show answer

   Answer: D. A rushed or incomplete assessment

   Slowing down for 60 seconds often changes the picture.

3. When the patient cannot give a history, the paramedic should:

   1. A. Assume the worst-case diagnosis and transport
   2. B. Rely on vital signs alone to guide care
   3. C. Wait for hospital records before treating
   4. D. Seek history from family, devices, and the scene
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Seek history from family, devices, and the scene

   The environment is a history source most providers underuse. Bystanders and medication bottles are also valuable sources.

4. Pertinent negatives contribute to decision making by:

   1. A. Supporting accurate billing for the call
   2. B. Completing required fields in the report
   3. C. Narrowing the differential diagnosis
   4. D. Justifying a faster transport decision
   Show answer

   Answer: C. Narrowing the differential diagnosis

   What the patient denies matters as much as what they report. They help rule conditions out.

5. Vital signs are most useful when:

   1. A. Interpreted in isolation from other findings
   2. B. Trended over time and read in context
   3. C. Taken once and recorded accurately
   4. D. Compared only with textbook normal values
   Show answer

   Answer: B. Trended over time and read in context

   A single set is a snapshot, not a story.

6. A finding that does not fit your working impression should be:

   1. A. Attributed to an equipment malfunction
   2. B. Disregarded as a statistical outlier
   3. C. Documented but excluded from reasoning
   4. D. Taken seriously as a possible key clue
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Taken seriously as a possible key clue

   The detail that does not fit is often the key.

7. Scene clues such as pill bottles, oxygen equipment, and living conditions:

   1. A. Are mainly useful to law enforcement
   2. B. Should be confirmed by the patient before use
   3. C. Matter mainly when the patient is unresponsive
   4. D. Can supply history the patient cannot give
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Can supply history the patient cannot give

   Scene clues such as pill bottles, home oxygen, and living conditions can supply history the patient cannot or does not give, so note them before you leave. They help even when the patient can talk, because patients forget or minimize, and they are worth weighing without the patient's confirmation. Law enforcement is not their main audience.

8. Information from bystanders should be:

   1. A. Weighed and attributed to its source
   2. B. Used only on trauma-related calls
   3. C. Ignored in favor of patient statements
   4. D. Accepted as fact without question
   Show answer

   Answer: A. Weighed and attributed to its source

   The last person to see the patient normal is often the most valuable witness.

9. Organizing information as you gather it helps by:

   1. A. Reducing the length of documentation
   2. B. Saving time on arrival at the hospital
   3. C. Reassuring the family that care is organized
   4. D. Revealing patterns and gaps while on scene
   Show answer

   Answer: D. Revealing patterns and gaps while on scene

   A mental framework keeps you from collecting random facts. You see gaps while you still have access to the patient.

10. When time is short, the paramedic should:

    1. A. Rely mainly on the dispatch information
    2. B. Skip the history and transport immediately
    3. C. Gather everything anyway to be thorough
    4. D. Prioritize information that changes actions
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Prioritize information that changes actions

    Ask the questions whose answers change what you do next.

11. Reassessment contributes to decision making because it:

    1. A. Shows the trend and whether the plan works
    2. B. Confirms that the original impression was right
    3. C. Fills the time during a long transport
    4. D. Satisfies the protocol's documentation rules
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Shows the trend and whether the plan works

    Trajectory often matters more than any single finding.

12. A patient whose story changes during the call should prompt the paramedic to:

    1. A. Consider medical causes for the inconsistency
    2. B. Assume deliberate deception by the patient
    3. C. Document the patient as an unreliable historian
    4. D. Stop asking questions to avoid confusion
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Consider medical causes for the inconsistency

    An inconsistent history is itself a clinical finding. Consider hypoxia, hypoglycemia, head injury, intoxication, or fear.

13. The most reliable sources of information for forming a field impression are:

    1. A. Secondhand accounts from bystanders
    2. B. The dispatch code and call notes
    3. C. Your own exam plus a focused history
    4. D. Assumptions based on the neighborhood
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Your own exam plus a focused history

    Firsthand assessment and history are the backbone of decision making; secondhand information must be weighed carefully.

14. Dispatch information should be treated as:

    1. A. The working diagnosis for the call
    2. B. Irrelevant once you reach the patient
    3. C. A starting point to confirm on scene
    4. D. Completely accurate and reliable
    Show answer

    Answer: C. A starting point to confirm on scene

    Dispatch information is frequently incomplete or wrong; the scene size-up and assessment confirm or refute it.

15. Which mnemonic helps organize history of present illness information?

    1. A. AVPU
    2. B. DCAP-BTLS
    3. C. OPQRST
    4. D. SAMPLE
    Show answer

    Answer: C. OPQRST

    OPQRST (Onset, Provocation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, Time) structures the chief complaint history.

16. A paramedic organizes findings into 'pertinent positives' and 'pertinent negatives.' A pertinent negative is:

    1. A. A vital sign that falls below normal
    2. B. An expected finding that is absent
    3. C. A complaint the patient has never had
    4. D. An abnormal finding that confirms a condition
    Show answer

    Answer: B. An expected finding that is absent

    Pertinent negatives (e.g., no chest pain in a dyspneic patient) narrow the differential. Its absence helps rule a condition out.

17. When the patient's story conflicts with physical findings, the paramedic should:

    1. A. Note the discrepancy and investigate
    2. B. Disregard the patient's own account
    3. C. Assume the patient is not being truthful
    4. D. Disregard the physical exam findings
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Note the discrepancy and investigate

    Discrepancies are data; they often point toward the true problem or an unreliable historian.

18. Which type of information is most likely to introduce error into decision making?

    1. A. Repeated assessments over time
    2. B. Direct observation
    3. C. Measured vital signs
    4. D. Unverified assumptions
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Unverified assumptions

    Assumptions that are never checked are a common root of diagnostic error.

19. Organizing information by body system is useful because it:

    1. A. Is slower but more legally defensible
    2. B. Replaces the need to document a chief complaint
    3. C. Limits omissions and links findings to causes
    4. D. Is required by state documentation law
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Limits omissions and links findings to causes

    A systematic body-system structure limits omissions and helps link related findings to likely causes, supporting pattern recognition. It is not inherently slower or more defensible, it builds on rather than replaces the chief complaint, and no general state law requires it.

20. Information gathered from a patient's medications list helps the paramedic:

    1. A. Skip parts of the physical exam safely
    2. B. Infer conditions the patient did not mention
    3. C. Decide whether transport is necessary
    4. D. Determine the correct billing codes
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Infer conditions the patient did not mention

    Medications are clues to chronic conditions and potential drug interactions.

21. The 'chief complaint' is best defined as:

    1. A. Why help was requested, in the patient's words
    2. B. The most dangerous finding on assessment
    3. C. The paramedic's working field diagnosis
    4. D. The code assigned by the dispatcher
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Why help was requested, in the patient's words

    The chief complaint is the patient-reported reason for the call and anchors the history.

22. A paramedic prioritizes which information to gather first based on:

    1. A. Life threats found in the primary assessment
    2. B. The dispatch nature code for the call
    3. C. The chief complaint the patient states first
    4. D. The order in which findings are noticed
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Life threats found in the primary assessment

    Information gathering is prioritized around what could kill the patient soonest. The dispatch code and the stated chief complaint are starting points, but the primary assessment decides what is gathered first because life threats take priority over the stated complaint.

23. In the home of a newly confused 75-year-old, you find a pill organizer still holding several days of doses and a new antibiotic prescription. What should you conclude?

    1. A. Missed doses or an infection may explain this
    2. B. The extra pills point to an intentional overdose
    3. C. The antibiotic has already treated any infection
    4. D. Confusion is normal at her age and needs no workup
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Missed doses or an infection may explain this

    Scene clues supply history the patient cannot give. Untaken doses suggest nonadherence or a decline in function, and a new antibiotic suggests a recent infection, a common trigger of delirium. Acute confusion is never normal aging and needs evaluation. Doses left in the organizer mean pills were not taken, which points away from overdose, and a recently started antibiotic suggests an active infection that may still be driving the confusion.

24. An unresponsive man has a fistula with a thrill in his left forearm, and today's missed dialysis appointment card is on the table. What should this tell you?

    1. A. Suspect hyperkalemia from missed dialysis; get a 12-lead
    2. B. Use the fistula arm for both the IV and the BP cuff readings
    3. C. Suspect dehydration from missed dialysis; give fluids
    4. D. Assume a stroke, since dialysis patients have them often
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Suspect hyperkalemia from missed dialysis; get a 12-lead

    Devices and scene items are history sources. A fistula means end-stage kidney disease on hemodialysis, and a missed session raises the risk of hyperkalemia and fluid overload, so look for peaked T waves or a wide QRS. Never use the fistula arm for BP or routine IV access. Assuming a stroke without focal findings is anchoring. Missed dialysis leads to fluid overload rather than dehydration, so a large fluid bolus can worsen pulmonary edema.

25. The SAMPLE history gathers:

    1. A. Speech, Alertness, Motor, Pupils, Last oral intake, ECG
    2. B. Signs/symptoms, Airway, Mental status, Pulse, Lungs, Exposure
    3. C. Scene safety, Assessment, Medications, Plan, Last call, Events
    4. D. Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Meds, Past history, Last intake, Events
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Signs/symptoms, Allergies, Meds, Past history, Last intake, Events

    SAMPLE is the standard framework for a focused patient history. The L stands for last oral intake.

26. Why should a paramedic avoid asking leading questions?

    1. A. They take longer than open-ended questions
    2. B. They are prohibited by privacy regulations
    3. C. They should be reserved for physicians
    4. D. They can bias answers and corrupt the data
    Show answer

    Answer: D. They can bias answers and corrupt the data

    Open-ended questions produce more accurate information than questions that suggest an answer.

27. Three sets of vitals 5 minutes apart in a trauma patient: HR 96, 108, 122; BP 128/84, 122/88, 116/92. What does the trend show?

    1. A. Stable vital signs, since every BP is above 90
    2. B. Improvement, since the diastolic pressure is rising
    3. C. Developing shock despite a normal systolic BP
    4. D. Pain alone, since the blood pressure is normal
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Developing shock despite a normal systolic BP

    Trending shows the direction and speed of change. A rising heart rate and a pulse pressure narrowing from 44 to 24 mm Hg indicate compensated hemorrhagic shock. A single normal systolic BP is misleading, the rising diastolic reflects vasoconstriction rather than improvement, and pain does not progressively narrow the pulse pressure.

28. Which best describes 'data saturation' in field assessment?

    1. A. Losing data when the monitor battery dies
    2. B. A patient refusing to answer further questions
    3. C. Filling the patient care report with excess detail
    4. D. Reaching the point where new data changes nothing
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Reaching the point where new data changes nothing

    At some point additional questions yield diminishing returns; the paramedic must act on the information gathered.

29. One bystander says the patient 'just fainted,' and another says he 'shook all over for a few seconds.' How should you handle this?

    1. A. Use only the first account, since it came first
    2. B. Ignore both, since bystanders are unreliable
    3. C. Record seizure only, since shaking proves it
    4. D. Record both accounts and keep both causes open
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Record both accounts and keep both causes open

    Bystander information is weighed and attributed to its source. Brief jerking is common in syncope (convulsive syncope), so shaking alone does not prove a seizure. Look for tongue biting, incontinence, and prolonged postictal confusion, and consider cardiac causes of syncope. Discarding either account loses information.

30. Which tool helps organize a rapidly changing patient's information for a radio report?

    1. A. A structured format such as SBAR or MIST
    2. B. A detailed description of the scene first
    3. C. A free-form list in any order
    4. D. Reading the entire chart over the radio
    Show answer

    Answer: A. A structured format such as SBAR or MIST

    Structured formats ensure essential information is transmitted in a predictable order.

31. Organizing information into a differential diagnosis means:

    1. A. Ranking possible causes by risk and likelihood
    2. B. Deferring the decision until hospital testing
    3. C. Committing to one diagnosis as soon as possible
    4. D. Excluding unlikely causes as early as possible
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Ranking possible causes by risk and likelihood

    A differential keeps dangerous possibilities in view until they are ruled out.

32. The physical exam contributes information that the history cannot by:

    1. A. Giving objective findings to check the history
    2. B. Being faster than taking a history
    3. C. Being a legal requirement for every call
    4. D. Replacing the need for a detailed history
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Giving objective findings to check the history

    Objective findings are the check on subjective history and often reveal problems the patient didn't mention.

33. You arrive at an apartment for an unresponsive 45-year-old. Before touching the patient, you note an empty insulin pen and an untouched meal on the table. How should you use these observations?

    1. A. Conclude hypoglycemia and skip further assessment
    2. B. Ignore them until a full history is obtained
    3. C. Treat them as clues and confirm with a glucose
    4. D. Give oral glucose based on these clues alone
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Treat them as clues and confirm with a glucose

    Scene clues help build early hypotheses, but they must be confirmed with assessment data such as a blood glucose. Oral glucose must be swallowed, so it is not given to an unresponsive patient, and the clues still need a glucose check first.

34. A family member says the patient 'has heart problems.' Which follow-up question gathers the most useful information?

    1. A. What are his heart meds and diagnoses?
    2. B. Has he had any recent changes in his mood?
    3. C. Has he ever been treated at this hospital?
    4. D. Would he prefer to go by ambulance or car?
    Show answer

    Answer: A. What are his heart meds and diagnoses?

    Specific medication and diagnosis information turns a vague history into usable clinical data.

35. A 70-year-old with dyspnea hands you a list of medications: furosemide, carvedilol, lisinopril, and spironolactone. This list most strongly suggests a history of:

    1. A. COPD
    2. B. Seizure disorder
    3. C. Hypothyroidism
    4. D. Heart failure
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Heart failure

    A loop diuretic, beta blocker, ACE inhibitor, and aldosterone antagonist is a classic heart-failure regimen.

36. A patient with chest pain says the pain is 'sharp, worse when I breathe in and when I lie flat, better leaning forward.' This information is most consistent with:

    1. A. Renal colic
    2. B. Biliary colic
    3. C. Pericarditis
    4. D. Stable angina
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Pericarditis

    Positional pleuritic chest pain relieved by leaning forward is characteristic of pericarditis.

37. You are questioning a 16-year-old about possible drug use while her parents stand nearby. The best strategy to obtain accurate information is to:

    1. A. Skip the question entirely since she is a minor
    2. B. Have the parents answer on her behalf
    3. C. Repeat the question more firmly in front of them
    4. D. Speak with her privately, away from parents
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Speak with her privately, away from parents

    Privacy increases the likelihood of honest answers about sensitive topics such as drug use or sexual history.

38. A patient on warfarin fell and hit his head but feels fine. How should the anticoagulant history influence your decision making?

    1. A. It means a head injury is unlikely
    2. B. It raises concern for intracranial bleeding
    3. C. It is irrelevant because he feels fine
    4. D. It matters only if there is a scalp laceration
    Show answer

    Answer: B. It raises concern for intracranial bleeding

    Anticoagulated patients with head trauma are at increased risk for delayed intracranial hemorrhage despite a benign initial presentation. It supports transport for evaluation.

39. Which question about chest pain is open-ended?

    1. A. Does it go down your left arm?
    2. B. Is the pain sharp or dull?
    3. C. Is it a 10 out of 10?
    4. D. Can you describe the pain?
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Can you describe the pain?

    Open-ended questions let the patient describe symptoms in their own words without being led.

40. While obtaining a history, the patient repeatedly mentions his 'stomach' but points to his lower chest. The best response is to:

    1. A. Assume it is reflux and move on to vitals
    2. B. Ask a family member where the pain is instead
    3. C. Document 'abdominal pain' exactly as he stated
    4. D. Clarify the exact location of the discomfort
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Clarify the exact location of the discomfort

    Patients often use imprecise terms; clarifying location prevents mislabeling possible cardiac pain. Avoid assuming it is abdominal.

41. You obtain a pulse oximetry reading of 84% on a patient who is talking comfortably with pink skin and warm fingers. What is the best next step?

    1. A. Verify probe placement and waveform quality
    2. B. Discontinue any supplemental oxygen being given
    3. C. Prepare for immediate endotracheal intubation
    4. D. Document the 84% reading and take no action
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Verify probe placement and waveform quality

    Device readings must be verified against the patient's appearance and signal quality before acting on them. Correlate the reading with the clinical picture.

42. A 25-year-old woman has lower abdominal pain and lightheadedness. Which piece of history is most important to obtain early?

    1. A. Most recent meal she ate
    2. B. Possibility of pregnancy
    3. C. Recent changes in her bowel habits
    4. D. Any burning or pain with urination
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Possibility of pregnancy

    Ectopic pregnancy is a life threat in women of childbearing age with abdominal pain and lightheadedness. Ask early about the date of the last menstrual period. Bowel and urinary symptoms help with the differential, but they do not address a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, which is the immediate threat in a lightheaded woman of childbearing age.

43. You are caring for a patient after a motor vehicle collision. Which observation provides the most useful mechanism-of-injury information?

    1. A. Light scuffing on the rear bumper
    2. B. The posted speed limit on that road
    3. C. The make and color of the vehicle
    4. D. Intrusion into the patient's side
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Intrusion into the patient's side

    Intrusion on the patient's side suggests significant force and possible thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic injury. Light rear-bumper scuffing points to little energy transfer to the occupant, and the posted speed limit does not tell you how fast the vehicles were actually moving.

44. A patient with a decreased level of consciousness has a medical alert bracelet reading 'Addison's disease.' How should this information be used?

    1. A. Assume the patient is allergic to steroids
    2. B. Withhold steroids until the ED confirms it
    3. C. Consider adrenal crisis as the cause
    4. D. Ignore it unless the patient confirms it
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Consider adrenal crisis as the cause

    Patients with adrenal insufficiency can develop life-threatening adrenal crisis; the bracelet is valuable history. Adrenal crisis can cause shock and altered mental status. Steroids are the treatment for adrenal crisis, so holding them until the ED confirms the history delays care; give hydrocortisone where protocol allows.

45. You and your partner obtain different blood pressures on the same patient within a minute. The best action is to:

    1. A. Use whichever value fits your impression
    2. B. Recheck with proper technique and cuff size
    3. C. Document only the higher of the two values
    4. D. Average the two values and document that
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Recheck with proper technique and cuff size

    Discrepant measurements should be verified rather than reconciled by choosing the convenient value. Consider checking both arms if indicated.

46. Which best describes the purpose of using a structured format like OPQRST?

    1. A. Ensuring key complaint details aren't missed
    2. B. Replacing the need for a physical exam
    3. C. Obtaining informed consent for treatment
    4. D. Shortening the time spent with patients
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Ensuring key complaint details aren't missed

    Structured mnemonics organize questioning so important details are consistently gathered.

47. A patient tells you his chest pain started 'a while ago.' Why is pinning down the exact onset time important?

    1. A. It determines whether the patient may refuse
    2. B. It decides whether aspirin may be given to the patient
    3. C. It confirms whether the pain is cardiac
    4. D. It guides reperfusion and destination choices
    Show answer

    Answer: D. It guides reperfusion and destination choices

    Time of onset influences treatment eligibility and destination decisions for conditions like STEMI and stroke. Aspirin for suspected ACS is given regardless of how long ago the pain began, and onset time alone cannot tell cardiac pain from other causes.

48. An elderly patient denies any recent illness, but his daughter says he has been confused and eating poorly for three days. How should this conflict be handled?

    1. A. Assume the daughter is exaggerating his symptoms
    2. B. Rely on the patient's denial since he is competent
    3. C. Document both accounts and draw no conclusions
    4. D. Credit the daughter's account and investigate
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Credit the daughter's account and investigate

    Family members can identify subtle changes from baseline that confused patients may not recognize.

49. Which is the most useful baseline question for an elderly patient with altered mental status?

    1. A. Has he ever been admitted to a hospital?
    2. B. Does he have dementia, yes or no?
    3. C. What is different from his usual self?
    4. D. Is he always this confused, yes or no?
    Show answer

    Answer: C. What is different from his usual self?

    Establishing the patient's normal baseline helps determine whether the current state is an acute change.

50. You arrive at a residence for a seizure. The patient is postictal. Which piece of information from bystanders is most valuable?

    1. A. How much sleep he had gotten the night before the event
    2. B. How the seizure looked and how long it lasted
    3. C. Whether bystanders held him down
    4. D. Who placed the 911 call and at what time
    Show answer

    Answer: B. How the seizure looked and how long it lasted

    Eyewitness description of the event and its duration helps distinguish seizure from syncope and guides treatment. Sleep loss is a possible trigger worth noting, and bystander restraint matters for injuries, but neither helps as much as the description and duration in telling a seizure from syncope and deciding on treatment.

51. A patient with abdominal pain has normal vital signs but is lying perfectly still and winces when the stretcher is bumped. This information suggests:

    1. A. Musculoskeletal strain
    2. B. Anxiety
    3. C. Peritoneal irritation
    4. D. Renal colic
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Peritoneal irritation

    Patients with peritonitis typically lie still because movement worsens pain; this is a valuable exam finding.

52. When gathering information from a patient who speaks limited English, the best approach is to:

    1. A. Use a qualified interpreter or language line
    2. B. Use yes/no hand gestures only
    3. C. Skip the history and rely on the exam
    4. D. Have a young child in the family translate
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Use a qualified interpreter or language line

    Qualified interpreters improve accuracy; using children or untrained translators risks errors and privacy problems.

53. You find a patient in a cold apartment with the heat off in winter. How should this environmental finding be used?

    1. A. Ignore it if the patient is wearing a coat
    2. B. Use it only for a social services referral
    3. C. Consider hypothermia and check temperature
    4. D. Delay assessment until the room is warmed
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Consider hypothermia and check temperature

    Environmental conditions can be direct causes of illness and must be integrated into the assessment. Warming the environment helps, but assessment and active rewarming of the patient should not wait for the room to heat up.

54. Which finding is an example of a pertinent negative in a patient with suspected pulmonary embolism?

    1. A. Oxygen saturation of 88%
    2. B. No leg swelling or recent travel
    3. C. Sharp pleuritic chest pain
    4. D. Heart rate of 118 beats per minute
    Show answer

    Answer: B. No leg swelling or recent travel

    Absence of key risk factors is a pertinent negative that informs the likelihood of PE.

55. A paramedic writes all findings on a glove during a busy call. Why might a structured approach to information be better?

    1. A. It allows findings to be shared only verbally
    2. B. It reduces the chance of missing key findings
    3. C. It removes the need for any reassessment later
    4. D. Notes written on gloves are never acceptable
    Show answer

    Answer: B. It reduces the chance of missing key findings

    Organizing findings systematically (e.g., by body system or problem) makes gaps and patterns easier to recognize.

56. You are assessing a 4-year-old with fever and difficulty breathing. Which source of information is most important for baseline and history?

    1. A. The dispatcher who took the call
    2. B. The neighbor who called 911
    3. C. The child's caregiver
    4. D. The child's preschool teacher
    Show answer

    Answer: C. The child's caregiver

    Caregivers provide the most reliable history and baseline information for young children.

57. Which piece of information gathered on scene is most likely to change your destination decision for a trauma patient?

    1. A. The patient being 30 years old
    2. B. A closed wrist fracture with intact pulses
    3. C. The patient's stated preferred hospital
    4. D. GCS 12 with a depressed skull fracture
    Show answer

    Answer: D. GCS 12 with a depressed skull fracture

    Physiologic and anatomic triage criteria such as GCS and skull fracture guide trauma center destination. An isolated closed wrist fracture with good distal pulses does not meet trauma center criteria by itself.