New York State Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Exam

After assisting a patient with her prescribed MDI during an asthma attack, what should you do next?

1. Check the drug's expiration date.

2. Contact medical control to report the actions taken.

3. Reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.

4. Administer another treatment if she remains in distress.

The correct answer is: Reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.

After assisting a patient with her prescribed Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI) during an asthma attack, the most appropriate action is to reassess the patient and document her response to the medication. This is crucial for several reasons. First, reassessing the patient enables you to gather updated vital signs and assess the effectiveness of the medication administered. Monitoring the patient's respiratory rate, breath sounds, and overall comfort levels helps you determine whether the medication has relieved her symptoms or if her condition has worsened. This assessment is vital for guiding further treatment and interventions. Documentation of the patient's response is equally important in providing a clear record of the treatment provided and the patient's reaction. Good documentation can aid in continuity of care and facilitate communication with other healthcare providers if further intervention becomes necessary. While checking the drug's expiration date is important in ensuring the medication’s efficacy, it is more critical to assess how the patient is responding to the treatment after administration. Contacting medical control or administering another treatment should be based on the reassessment findings. If the patient continues to experience distress, the results of the reassessment will help inform the next steps, including deciding whether to notify medical control or administer additional treatments. In summary, reassessing the patient and documenting her response to