Aurora Health Care
EMS Continuing Education
1st Quarter 2017
Seizure Disorders Quiz
Name: ______E-mail: ______
Department: ______
This quiz must be completed and submitted to by March 31, 2017. You should rely on the reading packet, your protocols and pre-existing knowledge to answer these questions.
1. Seizures account for approximately 4% of EMS calls. Most seizures:
a. last longer than 5 minutes.
b. require medical intervention to cease.
c. resolve on their own in less than 2 minutes.
d. none of the above.
2. Prolonged seizures are more commonly known as:
a. epilepsy.
b. seizure disorder.
c. chronic seizures.
d. status epilepticus.
3. Seizures are generally classified as two types. Those two types are:
a. acute and chronic.
b. generalized and partial.
c. ictal and post-ictal.
d. neurologic and neurogenic.
4. Status epilepticus is a true medical emergency. The risk of death within one month of suffering an episode of status epilepticus is 20%. Complications of status epilepticus include:
a. cardiac dysrhythmias and neuronal injuries.
b. hypoxia and brain injury.
c. hyperthermia and pulmonary edema.
d. all of the above.
5. Seizures can be caused by a wide array of diseases, illnesses or injuries. As part of an assessment of a patient who has suffered or is suffering from a seizure, one must always consider the seizure to be a sign associated with an underlying cause that must be identified and treated.
a. true
b. false
6. Cushing’s Triad is a condition associated with an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). Findings associated with Cushing’s Triad include:
a. hypertension, bradycardia and normal respirations.
b. hypotension, tachycardia and abnormal respirations.
c. hypertension, bradycardia and abnormal respirations.
d. normotension, normal pulse rate and normal respirations.
7. It can be difficult to determine if a seizing patient has moved into the post-ictal period or is continuing to seize. It is necessary to accurately identify if the patient is continuing to seize as this patient requires:
a. aggressive treatment to terminate the seizure activity.
b. passive treatment to ONLY maintain ABC’s.
c. no major intervention is required.
d. none of the above.
8. Observations that would suggest a patient is in a post-ictal state rather than continuing to seize include:
a. abnormal respiratory pattern.
b. abnormal pupillary movements such as nystagmus
c. normal respiratory pattern and normal pupillary movement
d. all of the above
9. Medications are frequently needed to terminate seizures. These medications are limited to the Advanced Life Support (ALS) Scope of Practice. Recognizing that, it is important that we consider the use of ALS in managing a seizure patient.
a. true
b. false
10. While caring for a seizing patient, EMS should always attempt to insert an oropharyngeal airway (OPA) to maintain a patent airway.
a. true
b. false
11. The following patients should receive a blood glucose check:
a. any patient with an altered mental status
b. patient with suspected stroke
c. patient suffering from a seizure
d. all of the above
12. During an assessment of a patient you suspect has suffered a seizure, physical observations such as signs of incontinence or tongue biting/lacerations support the suspicion that a seizure has occurred. However, it does not confirm that a seizure has occurred and additional assessment is required.
a. true
b. false
13. Life threatening conditions may appear as a seizure. One of those is a patient going into cardiac arrest. Someone witnessing such an event and calling 9-1-1 may report it as a seizure that is how EMS may be dispatched. An important take-away for EMS is to consider any dispatch for a seizure as a possible life threatening emergency until an assessment has been completed.
a. true
b. false
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