NREMT Question Explained #1

At the National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE) 2016 Symposium we posted a new question each day at our booth and asked educators to choose the correct answer. Watch Dan Limmer break down the question and show you how to choose the correct answer.

[FTroopF]

Thank you for this. It's interesting that educators also struggle with some NREMT questions.

[Mis-AdventureCH]

Address the hypoxia first, then figure out the next move with a more detailed history. My tool for that? The NRB.

[InstructorWest]

Two frustrating things here. First, if the question-writers (who we assume are experienced practitioners/educators) aren't in 100% agreement right off the bat, they have no right to expect someone just coming off the EMT course to get the answer "right". Secondly, what's missing is knowledge of the pt's baselines- that's where an answer may lie. The use of the word "first" also makes this a terrible question- knowing her medications and when she last took them while considering her baseline norms makes "A" reasonable. In fact, if her baseline SpO2 was significantly higher, even "C" may be reasonable. The NREMT does not appreciate that lack of extensive field experience will change the decision-making of the EMT- not in life-threatening ways- asking about her meds before providing a mask would not change pt outcome. So why is this question relevant? The NREMT also asks questions when no national objectives exist- and the three primary textbooks present very different information. If a question cannot be answered by a strong student with information that is found in all three textbooks, it shouldn't be on the exam. The NREMT exam is a train wreck.

[nicholasparianos]

If your own educators are this widely spread on the correct answers you need to ask what you are doing wrong as an organization. To expect new EMT candidates to get it right when your educators cant is absurd.

[SM_outdoors]

You all should be in jail with how ridiculous this test is..shame on you

[abefromansausagekingofchic]

I really enjoyed how the camera kept switching angles

[mattc]

This is absolutely crap ! Suppose to master being a doctor in a few months