VTNE Emergency Medicine/Critical Care

Triage, CPR, controlling blood loss, shock and toxicities, and ongoing critical care such as fluids, oxygen and blood products.

10 of 150 scored items · about 7% of the exam

What this domain covers

How disease and trauma disrupt normal physiology in emergencies
Triage of shock, acute illness, trauma and toxicity
Emergency procedures such as CPR, controlling acute blood loss and stabilizing fractures
Critical care such as blood component therapy, fluid resuscitation and oxygen therapy
Ongoing evaluation of critically ill patients

Paraphrased from the task statements in the VTNE content outline (AAVSB VTNE Candidate Information Handbook).

Why it matters

In an emergency the technician is often the first to assess the patient and the one keeping it stable while the team works. Recognizing which problem kills first is the skill this domain tests.

3 sample Emergency & Critical Care questions

Try each one before opening the answer. These come straight from the VetTech Pro question bank.

Question 1. Which treatment provides the fastest cardioprotection in severe hyperkalemia?

ARegular insulin with dextrose
BSodium bicarbonate given slowly IV
CFluid therapy alone with 0.9% saline
DIntravenous calcium gluconate

Show answer and rationale

Answer: D. Intravenous calcium gluconate

Calcium antagonizes the effect of potassium on the myocardium within minutes but does not reduce the concentration. Insulin with dextrose and fluid therapy then shift and excrete the potassium.

Question 2. Which arrest rhythms are treated with defibrillation?

APulseless electrical activity and asystole
BAll arrest rhythms, once compressions start
CVentricular fibrillation and pulseless VT
DAsystole and severe sinus bradycardia

Show answer and rationale

Answer: C. Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless VT

Defibrillation depolarizes the myocardium so an organized rhythm can resume, which only helps with disorganized electrical activity. Shocking asystole causes harm without benefit.

Question 3. Why may thoracocentesis be performed before radiography in a severely dyspneic patient?

ARadiographs cannot show pleural fluid reliably
BIt is diagnostic and therapeutic, without positioning stress
CRadiography is contraindicated in any dyspneic patient
DThoracocentesis is technically easier than radiography

Show answer and rationale

Answer: B. It is diagnostic and therapeutic, without positioning stress

A patient too unstable for radiographs may tolerate a needle in the chest wall while sitting in oxygen. Removing the fluid frequently transforms the patient within minutes.

Practice all 330 Emergency & Critical Care questions

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