Study Guide

EMT Module 1: Vital Signs

EMT / NREMT Prep / Vital Signs

Original EMT and NREMT study practice: Vital Signs. 8 practice questions with the original answer-specific explanations. Not official NREMT questions.

Module 1 · Page 1

MEMORIZE → UNDERSTAND → CONNECT → APPLY 01 EMT MODULE 1 VITAL SIGNS Memorize → Understand → Connect → Apply Aligned to the supplied chapter-review pages from Emergency Care, 14th ed.: Airway Management (234–235), Respiration and Artificial Ventilation (286–287), Primary Assessment (335–337). Values and examples below are supplementary instruction, not textbook quotations.

Module 1 · Page 2

01 / MEMORIZE 02 1. MEMORIZE Heart rate (HR): normal resting adult 60–100 beats/min. Respiratory rate (RR): normal resting adult 12–20 breaths/min. Blood pressure (BP): about 120/80 mmHg is a common reference; systolic below 90 mmHg is concerning for hypotension. SpO2: typically 95–100% at sea level in healthy adults; readings depend on patient and conditions.

Module 1 · Page 3

01 / MEMORIZE 03 AVPU: Alert, responds to Verbal stimuli, responds to Painful stimuli, Unresponsive. Skin: pale, cool, clammy skin may suggest poor perfusion. Look at the entire patient. Important: These are general adult study references, not automatic treatment thresholds. Normal BP does not rule out shock. A normal SpO2 does not prove adequate ventilation. Quick recall Without looking: What are normal adult HR and RR? What does AVPU stand for? Which BP number is systolic?

Module 1 · Page 4

02 / UNDERSTAND 04 2. UNDERSTAND Heart rate = how often the heart beats. A fast HR may reflect fear, pain, fever, low oxygen, or compensation for low blood volume. Systolic BP = pressure when the heart contracts. Diastolic BP = pressure between contractions. BP alone does not tell you whether tissues are adequately perfused. Respiratory rate = breaths per minute. Breathing depth and effort matter too. Fast, shallow breaths can be ineffective.

Module 1 · Page 5

02 / UNDERSTAND 05 Ventilation = movement of air in and out of the lungs, allowing CO2 elimination. Oxygenation = oxygen entering and being carried in the blood. They are related but not the same. SpO2 estimates hemoglobin oxygen saturation. It does not measure CO2 or the volume of each breath. A reading can lag or be inaccurate in some conditions. Perfusion = delivery of blood and oxygen to body tissues. Mental status, skin signs, pulse quality, and BP together provide clues.

Module 1 · Page 6

02 / UNDERSTAND 06 Two simple equations Cardiac output = heart rate × stroke volume. Stroke volume means blood pumped per beat. If stroke volume falls, HR may increase to compensate. heart rate stroke volume × Cardiac output If stroke volume falls, HR may increase to compensate. ↓ ↑ stroke volume falls HR may increase

Module 1 · Page 7

02 / UNDERSTAND 07 Minute ventilation = respiratory rate × tidal volume. Tidal volume is air per breath. Effective alveolar ventilation can still be poor when breaths are rapid and shallow. respiratory rate tidal volume × Minute ventilation Effective alveolar ventilation can still be poor when breaths are rapid and shallow.

Module 1 · Page 8

03 / CONNECT THE DOTS 08 3. CONNECT THE DOTS 1 Blood loss → 2 less blood returns to the heart → 3 less blood pumped per beat → 4 HR rises to compensate → 5 BP may initially stay normal → 6 worsening loss may cause hypotension and confusion. Takeaway: A patient can be in compensated shock before BP falls.

Module 1 · Page 9

03 / CONNECT THE DOTS 09 1 Shallow breathing → 2 inadequate air exchange → 3 CO2 may rise and oxygenation may worsen → 4 confusion or fatigue → 5 respiratory failure if not corrected. Takeaway: A high RR does not guarantee adequate ventilation.

Module 1 · Page 10

03 / CONNECT THE DOTS 10 1 Breathing difficulty → 2 greater work of breathing and stress response → 3 often increased RR and HR → 4 fatigue may develop → 5 breathing becomes weaker and mental status declines. Takeaway: A patient who becomes quieter and breathes less effectively may be deteriorating, not improving.

Module 1 · Page 11

03 / CONNECT THE DOTS 11 The five questions for EVERY scenario 1. FIND: What findings are abnormal? 2. SORT: Is the immediate threat airway, breathing, or circulation? 3. EXPLAIN: Why would the body respond this way? 4. TREND: Is the patient compensating or deteriorating? 5. ACT: What is the immediate EMT priority? Cardiac arrest is a special pathway: for an unresponsive patient with absent normal breathing, check pulse promptly and begin CPR/AED as indicated by training and protocols.

Module 1 · Page 12

04 / WORKED PATIENT SCENARIOS 12 4. WORKED PATIENT SCENARIOS Case A: A 22-year-old man after a crash has HR 126, BP 114/76, RR 26, cool sweaty skin, and abdominal pain. Think: HR and RR are fast. Cool, sweaty skin and trauma suggest possible blood loss. The body may be maintaining BP by increasing HR and vessel constriction. Concern: possible compensated shock. Assess life threats and prioritize rapid transport.

Module 1 · Page 13

04 / WORKED PATIENT SCENARIOS 13 Case B: A 68-year-old woman breathes 30 times/min but has very shallow chest rise, blue lips, and declining alertness. Think: Fast RR is not reassuring when depth is poor. Concern: inadequate ventilation / respiratory failure. Immediately manage airway and assist ventilation with BVM and oxygen when indicated by assessment and protocol.

Module 1 · Page 14

04 / WORKED PATIENT SCENARIOS 14 Case C: A patient with suspected opioid overdose breathes 6 times/min with shallow chest rise. SpO2 reads 97%. Think: SpO2 does not directly measure CO2 clearance and may lag. Concern: inadequate ventilation. Support airway and breathing immediately; consider naloxone per protocol without delaying ventilation. Remember Treat the patient, not the monitor. First identify life threats, then use the numbers to support your reasoning.

Practice — Question 1

Trauma patient: HR 132, BP 118/78, RR 25, pale cool skin. Best interpretation?

A. Normal BP excludes shockB. Possible compensated shockC. RR proves adequate ventilationD. No concern