Ontario Paramedic Practice Exam

When administering pain medication, what is considered not an active bleed?

1. External trauma that has been dressed and controlled

2. Trace blood in urine with suspected renal colic

3. Occult bleeding (hematuria/GI bleed)

4. Intracranial hemorrhage

The correct answer is: External trauma that has been dressed and controlled

When administering pain medication, external trauma that has been dressed and controlled is recognized as not an active bleed because it indicates that the bleeding has been successfully managed and the wound is stabilized. The dressing prevents further blood loss, and control measures indicate that the patient's condition has been addressed effectively. This allows paramedics to focus on pain management without the immediate concern of ongoing hemorrhage. In contrast, options like trace blood in urine with suspected renal colic, occult bleeding (such as hematuria or gastrointestinal bleeding), and intracranial hemorrhage represent scenarios where bleeding may still be active or concern for further complications exists. Each of these situations poses a risk that needs to be carefully monitored and may affect the patient's overall stability and pain management considerations.