Dumb question on NREMT

[Jeremy M]

I recently tested and failed the State PM test, only bc I have used up the chances for the NREMT. I had a question that stated the folowing. 

Pulseless, male patient, with a bp 120/80 and R 18. Which drug is most appropriate. 

Choices:

Vasopressin, Adenosine, Epineprhine, atropine. 

Now I was taught in all of my classes that you cant have a bp with out a pulse. There was no rhythm strip, and other information given. I ooked at this question for over 10 mins during my test. Any ideas as to what it could have been for an answer?

[Just Plain Ruff]

Well take out the thought process of you cannot have a patient with a bp without a pulse and if those 4 meds were the 4 answers you had to work with, the what would your answer be? 

It's my understanding that they want you to answer the question with what you have.  Take away all the extraneous stuff and just answer the question - you have a patient without a pulse.  What's the most appropriate drug to give to someone without a pulse and the only 4 answers are the meds listed?  

Get away from the thought process of thinking - he has a BP and RR of 18 so I wouldn't give him any drugs,  they want you to give him a drug for being pulseless so which one would you give??  

Now answer the question with that thought process!!!

Which one would you give.  

[Off Label]

2 hours ago, Ruffmeister Paramedic said:

Well take out the thought process of you cannot have a patient with a bp without a pulse and if those 4 meds were the 4 answers you had to work with, the what would your answer be? 

It's my understanding that they want you to answer the question with what you have.  Take away all the extraneous stuff and just answer the question - you have a patient without a pulse.  What's the most appropriate drug to give to someone without a pulse and the only 4 answers are the meds listed?  

Get away from the thought process of thinking - he has a BP and RR of 18 so I wouldn't give him any drugs,  they want you to give him a drug for being pulseless so which one would you give??  

Now answer the question with that thought process!!!

Which one would you give.  

Good advice about getting into the multiple choice question frame of mind... taking these tests is a skill over and above mastering the subject matter.

I do feel the OP's pain though... if a question like that were a deliberate curve ball and not just an error (they do happen), you'd really have to question the quality of the question writers. Can't have a pulse pressure of 40 without a pulse. Questions that contradict themselves don't muster a lot of confidence in the rest of the exam.

I suspect, though, it was a typo...

[Just Plain Ruff]

Offlabel, I hate to say it but I bet it wasn't a typo, I'll bet it was a question to make him critically think.  I am seeing a lot of these types of questions on test banks of my project management practice exams.  they are wanting me to take out the extraneous crap and just get the meat of the matter and answer the base underlying question.  When you do just that, the question is simple, to the point and the answer is right there staring you right in the face.  

So how many times on scene do you have someone telling you they don't have a pulse but they have a BP or they don't have a pulse nor a BP but the patient is breathing?  I've had it happen more than once and you have to go back to the beginning and start over.  Take out all the distracting items and pull in the things that make sense or most correct.  So in this instance,  you take out the BP and Respiratory rate and answer the question.  What medication would you give to a patient who did not have a pulse???  Answer that question and you have the correct answer?  

[ERDoc]

LVAD?

[Off Label]

15 hours ago, ERDoc said:

LVAD?

That'd be some kinda lvad

Edited February 11, 2017 by Off Label

[Off Label]

16 hours ago, Off Label said:

That'd be some kinda lvad

Whoops...I got it. Was referring to OP of 120/80 blood pressure, not Ruff's post. Good point. LVADs are becoming so much more common around larger metro areas, not so much in "flyover" towns. Worth paying attention to, though, as people with LVAD's get into cars and drive to places far, far away from the centers that place them.

[ERDoc]

And some of the unhealthiest people live in those flyover towns and don't have any medical care until they are at the point of needing an LVAD.