Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Practice Test

What do you focus on during the secondary assessment of the abdomen?

1. Pain and rigidity

2. Check vital signs and review chief complaint

3. Focus on medical devices and scars

4. Focus on distentions and scars

The correct answer is: Focus on distentions and scars

During the secondary assessment of the abdomen, focusing on distension and scars is critical because it provides valuable information about the underlying conditions affecting the patient. Distension can indicate several issues such as internal bleeding, organ enlargement, or fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity, which can be life-threatening if not addressed promptly. Scars on the abdomen can offer insights into the patient's medical history, including past surgeries or trauma that could influence the current presentation, the type of treatment previously undergone, and potential complications that might arise from those surgeries. Understanding the significance of distension and scars helps EMTs assess for possible causes of the patient’s condition and informs the decisions on subsequent care and transport. The other options, while relevant in the overall assessment process, do not specifically target the abdomen's condition as directly as focusing on distension and scars does. Pain and rigidity are certainly important but are often assessed in conjunction with distension. Vital signs and the chief complaint are part of the primary assessment, while the focus on medical devices is more pertinent in specific contexts and does not provide as direct an examination of abdominal issues.