EMT practice test

EMT Secondary Assessment Practice Test

History, vital signs and the focused and full-body exam. Here are 8 EMT secondary assessment questions, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-14 by the Tigertest team. Weighted to the NREMT EMT examination specifications (April 2025). Protocols vary; follow local medical direction. Not affiliated with the NREMT.

1. 1.

   A 25-year-old woman with an isolated wrist injury has normal vital signs and is alert. You should reassess her at least every:

   • A.

     5 minutes

   • B.

     30 minutes

   • C.

     45 minutes

   • D.

     15 minutes

   Answer: D.

   Stable patients are reassessed at least every 15 minutes. Reassessing every 5 minutes is acceptable but required only for unstable patients; 30 minutes is too long.

2. 2.

   A 35-year-old with a head injury is reassessed en route. His GCS dropped from 14 to 10 and his BP rose. You should:

   • A.

     Recheck in 15 minutes before acting

   • B.

     Repeat the primary assessment

   • C.

     Finish the focused exam of his scalp

   • D.

     Ventilate him at 30 breaths per minute

   Answer: B.

   A falling GCS signals deterioration, so return to the primary assessment, manage the airway and notify the receiving hospital. Hyperventilation is not used unless signs of herniation are present, and waiting 15 minutes ignores the change.

3. 3.

   Over 15 minutes, a 40-year-old crash victim's pulse rises from 88 to 104 to 122 while BP stays 124/80. This trend suggests:

   • A.

     Compensated shock

   • B.

     Decompensated shock

   • C.

     Rising intracranial pressure

   • D.

     Stable condition

   Answer: A.

   A climbing pulse with a maintained blood pressure is the trend of compensated shock, and it calls for rapid transport. Decompensated shock adds hypotension, and rising intracranial pressure causes bradycardia, not tachycardia.

4. 4.

   A 45-year-old woman twisted her ankle stepping off a curb. She is alert with no other complaints. Your physical exam should be:

   • A.

     A focused exam of the injured ankle

   • B.

     A rapid head-to-toe trauma exam

   • C.

     A detailed exam deferred to the hospital

   • D.

     Vital signs only, with no hands-on exam

   Answer: A.

   With an isolated injury and no significant mechanism, a focused exam of the complaint area is appropriate. A rapid full-body trauma exam is reserved for significant mechanisms or unresponsive patients.

5. 5.

   A 28-year-old unrestrained driver hit a tree at 50 mph and responds only to pain. After the primary assessment, you should perform:

   • A.

     A focused exam of his chief complaint

   • B.

     An exam limited to the head and neck

   • C.

     A rapid full-body exam for hidden injuries

   • D.

     A detailed OPQRST interview with the patient

   Answer: C.

   A significant mechanism with altered mental status calls for a rapid head-to-toe exam to find hidden life threats. A focused exam or OPQRST interview is not possible or adequate for a patient who responds only to pain.

6. 6.

   Family found an 80-year-old woman unresponsive in bed, and no history is available. After the primary assessment, your exam should be:

   • A.

     A focused exam of the region family points to

   • B.

     A rapid full-body medical assessment

   • C.

     Deferred until her family returns

   • D.

     A stroke scale exam only

   Answer: B.

   An unresponsive medical patient cannot tell you what hurts, so a rapid full-body medical assessment comes first, then vitals and history from bystanders. A focused exam requires a responsive patient who can localize a complaint.

7. 7.

   A 62-year-old woman describes her abdominal pain as tearing and says it moves into her back. These answers describe:

   • A.

     Onset and time

   • B.

     Quality and radiation

   • C.

     Provocation and severity

   • D.

     Severity and time

   Answer: B.

   Tearing describes the quality of the pain and moving into the back describes radiation, a pattern that should raise concern for an aortic aneurysm. Severity is the 1-10 rating, not the description.

8. 8.

   A 24-year-old man with diabetes is confused and sweaty. Asking when he last ate addresses which SAMPLE element?

   • A.

     Last oral intake

   • B.

     Pertinent past history

   • C.

     Events leading up

   • D.

     Signs and symptoms

   Answer: A.

   The L in SAMPLE is last oral intake, which is key for suspected hypoglycemia. His diabetes is pertinent past history, but the question about his last meal is the L element.