Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

You should be most suspicious for serious bleeding when a patient:

1. Is conscious but disoriented

2. Has a poor general appearance

3. Shows signs of minor injuries

4. Has stable vital signs

The correct answer is: Has a poor general appearance

A poor general appearance in a patient can indicate a range of serious medical issues, including significant blood loss. When assessing a patient for potential serious bleeding, visual cues are crucial, and a poor general appearance suggests that the patient's condition is compromised. This could encompass signs of shock, pallor, and lethargy, which may arise due to inadequate perfusion resulting from internal or external bleeding. In contrast, factors such as being conscious but disoriented can also hint at serious issues but may not directly indicate blood loss. Signs of minor injuries typically do not correlate with severe bleeding, as they imply less severe impact on the patient's condition. Stable vital signs, while they can reflect some level of medical stability, do not negate the possibility of serious bleeding; however, a poor general appearance is a stronger indicator that warrants immediate attention.