North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

What is the primary action when a patient presents with altered mental status?

1. Perform a CT scan

2. Check the blood glucose level (BGL)

3. Prescribe medication immediately

4. Monitor their vital signs only

The correct answer is: Check the blood glucose level (BGL)

The primary action when a patient presents with altered mental status is to check the blood glucose level (BGL) because hypoglycemia is a common and easily treatable cause of altered mental status. Rapidly assessing the blood glucose allows medical responders to quickly identify if the patient is experiencing low blood sugar, which could be immediately corrected by administering glucose if necessary. This swift intervention can significantly improve the patient's condition and prevent potential complications. The other options, while they may play a role later in the patient's overall assessment or treatment, do not address the immediate need to rule out or treat conditions that can cause altered mental status. Imaging such as a CT scan may be necessary in certain scenarios, but it is not the first step in the pre-hospital setting. Prescribing medication on the spot is outside the scope of EMT practice in the initial assessment phase, and simply monitoring vital signs without addressing the altered status does not provide a solution to the potential underlying problem affecting the patient's consciousness.