Which of the following is a vital sign an EMT would assess?

Heart rate is considered one of the core vital signs that EMTs assess during their evaluations of patients. Vital signs are critical indicators of a person's physiological status and can help identify life-threatening conditions. The heart rate provides information about the cardiovascular system's function and the overall health of the patient. By measuring the heart rate, EMTs can determine whether the patient is experiencing normal cardiovascular function or if there might be disturbances, such as tachycardia (elevated heart rate) or bradycardia (decreased heart rate), which may indicate underlying medical issues.

In contrast, while blood sugar levels can be important in specific situations, they are not categorized as vital signs. Patient history, although crucial for understanding the context of the patient's condition, is not a vital sign; it provides information about past and present health but doesn't directly measure physiological parameters. Skin condition may provide insights into a patient's current status (such as signs of pallor, cyanosis, or moisture), but it is not officially classified as a vital sign on its own. Therefore, heart rate stands out as a key metric in assessing a patient's immediate health during emergencies.