Paramedic
Quiz
Start a general adaptive quiz or drill a weak topic with a focus exam.
Start a practice quiz
Question 1 of 25
You are caring for a 77-year-old woman who is in moderate respiratory distress. She is sitting in a tripod position with two-word dyspnea. She has a recent cold with increasing dyspnea and a productive cough with yellow sputum. She denies chest pain. She has been smoking cigarettes for the past 40 years. Vital signs are bp 150/80 mm Hg, p 100 bpm, and rr 36 breaths per minute and labored. Her skin is cyanotic and she has pitting edema in the legs. You hear expiratory wheezing upon auscultation of the lungs. Her pedal edema is most likely caused by which of the following?
Tap an answer to start a 25-question general knowledge quiz.
Focus exams
25-question quizzes. Weakest topics appear first.
Question type practice
25-question quizzes drawn only from one type—the same labels you see on Progress when we analyze your misses.
Thinking style
Straight recall questions
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question asks you to think
Straight recall questions
Tests whether you know a definition, limit, dose, step, or fact cold.
Spot it
- The question asks “which of the following defines…”, “what is…”, or lists facts without a full scene.
- No patient story—or the story is thin and the answers are pure knowledge.
- Often the shortest questions on the exam.
Work it
- Name the topic (airway, shock, meds) before you look at choices.
- If two answers are both “true”, pick the one that matches the exact wording of the question (definition vs indication vs contraindication).
- Do not invent a scenario; recall the rule you drilled in flashcards or class.
Common trap
Turning a recall item into a story in your head and “logic-ing” past the right memorized line.
Thinking style
Choose-the-action questions
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question asks you to think
Choose-the-action questions
Tests what you do next for a patient who is already described.
Spot it
- Phrases like “you should”, “first action”, “most appropriate”, “next step”, “immediately”.
- A vignette with vitals, mechanism, or presentation—you must choose an intervention or priority.
- Often one clearly unsafe option if you skip assessment order (ABC, scene safety, spine).
Work it
- Identify the life threat first (airway, breathing, circulation, major hemorrhage).
- Ask: “Has the question already given me permission to act, or do I need another piece of assessment?”
- Eliminate answers that violate scope, scene safety, or the sequence you were taught (e.g. oxygen before suction when gurgling).
- Pick the best single step for this moment—not everything you would do on scene.
Common trap
Choosing what sounds most thorough instead of what is first and indicated in the question.
Thinking style
Figure-out-the-cause questions
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question asks you to think
Figure-out-the-cause questions
Tests whether you can interpret findings and pick the most likely cause or diagnosis.
Spot it
- Language like “most likely cause”, “best explains”, “you should suspect”, “most consistent with”.
- Clusters of signs (vitals + skin + neuro + mechanism) that point to one pathophysiology.
- Wrong answers are often plausible for one finding in isolation.
Work it
- List the abnormal findings; ignore normal or irrelevant detail.
- Match the pattern to a syndrome (e.g. tamponade vs tension pneumo, hypoglycemia vs stroke).
- Use mechanism of injury or onset when the vitals alone overlap.
- Only after you have a working diagnosis, map to the answer choice—do not reverse-engineer from the letters.
Common trap
Fixating on one dramatic finding (e.g. JVD) without checking which diagnosis the full set supports.
Question setup
Direct knowledge questions
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question is set up
Direct knowledge questions
Knowledge-first wording with little or no patient narrative.
Spot it
- “Which of the following…?” without “your patient” or dispatch language.
- Definitions, equipment specs, scope rules, or physiology.
Work it
- Treat it as straight recall unless the wording sneaks in a scenario clause.
- Watch for absolute words (always/never) and protocol exceptions.
Common trap
Over-complicating a simple fact question by imagining a patient who is not in the question.
Question setup
Patient scenarios
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question is set up
Patient scenarios
A concrete patient encounter—dispatch, presentation, or exam findings.
Spot it
- “Your patient…”, “You are called…”, age + sex + complaint, or “presents with”.
- This is the default style for application and many analysis items.
Work it
- Underline age, MOI, chief complaint, and vitals; note what is acute vs chronic.
- Decide cognitive type (action vs cause vs recall) after you understand the scene.
- Re-read the question line (“first”, “most likely”, “best”) before submitting.
Common trap
Answering from the category title in your head (e.g. “cardiac”) instead of this patient’s data.
Question setup
Pediatric patients
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question is set up
Pediatric patients
Children and infants—anatomy, vitals, and doses differ from adults.
Spot it
- Infant, child, pediatric, newborn, or ages roughly 12 and under in the question.
- Airway positioning, CPR ratios, and assessment cues may change.
Work it
- Confirm weight or age bracket when dosing or equipment size matters.
- Use pediatric normals for RR/HR; smaller airways kink with hyperextension or flexion.
- Consider caregiver report and non-verbal distress signals.
Common trap
Applying adult-first interventions without adjusting for size or development.
Question setup
Geriatric patients
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question is set up
Geriatric patients
Older adults—atypical presentation and comorbidity are common.
Spot it
- Elderly, geriatric, nursing-home, assisted-living, or ages 65+ with subtle decompensation.
- May lack fever or classic pain in serious illness.
Work it
- Treat “found on the floor” or altered mental status as high risk until proven otherwise.
- Review meds, polypharmacy, and baseline function when offered in the question.
- Maintain dignity and thermal comfort; still prioritize ABC and time-sensitive care.
Common trap
Assuming stability because vitals look “almost normal” for your adult template.
Question setup
Obstetric calls
25 questions · only this type in the pool
How the question is set up
Obstetric calls
Pregnancy, labor, delivery, or postpartum complications.
Spot it
- Pregnant, gestation, contractions, crowning, postpartum bleeding, etc.
- Two patients—mother and fetus—may be in play.
Work it
- Identify trimester or stage of labor when the question allows; complications differ by phase.
- Left lateral tilt and oxygen for maternal hypotension when appropriate per protocol.
- Separate obstetric emergencies (eclampsia, prolapse, hemorrhage) using presentation clusters.
Common trap
Forgetting that pregnancy changes physiology (blood volume, airway edema, different shock signs).
