North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the North Carolina EMT State Exam with interactive quizzes and comprehensive explanations. Master your skills and gain confidence by reviewing key topics before test day!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What is the first step in the START Triage process?

Assess the patient's pulse
Ask patients to get up and walk
Check the mental status
Assess respirations

The correct answer is: Ask patients to get up and walk

In the START Triage process, the first step is to quickly sort patients based on the urgency of their medical needs during a mass casualty incident. The approach is to prioritize patients with the most critical needs to ensure that care is directed to those who require it most urgently. Asking patients to get up and walk serves a vital purpose in this scenario. It helps to identify individuals who are able to walk, indicating they are likely less severely injured or stable and can be categorized as "Green" or "Minor" patients. This quick assessment allows responders to focus their efforts on those who are unable to walk, as those individuals may be in a more critical state and need immediate attention. This method reduces the overall time spent assessing each patient, enabling the medical team to triage efficiently in a chaotic situation. Other assessments, such as checking mental status or assessing vital signs, are essential but come after this initial sorting step, which is designed to quickly establish a hierarchy of care based on ability to move, breathing status, and responsiveness.