Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) Pre Test and Post Test Practice

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Why should intubation decisions be carefully considered in suspected cervical spine injury?
• Which event most strongly correlates with the highest potential for death or serious injury in a motor vehicle crash?
• Why is it important to document pupil size and reactivity in trauma assessment?
• What is the recommended ventilation rate for a patient with severe head injury presenting decerebrate posturing?
• Which statement is true regarding indicators of intraabdominal injury in trauma?
• Under what condition should backboard immobilization be removed to minimize movement?
• Which statement about prehospital trauma report documentation is most accurate?
• Which adjunct device is preferred to verify endotracheal tube placement in a patient with a perfusing rhythm?
• In mass casualty incidents, which pediatric triage tool is used?
• An adult with an apparent cervical spine injury after mechanism of injury, which finding by itself does not mandate immobilization of the cervical spine?
• Which burn area estimation is commonly used for adults in field assessments?
• In START triage, what do the color codes represent?
• Pericardial tamponade is most likely to occur in which of the following situations?
• Which airway adjunct is contraindicated with suspected basal skull fracture?
• Which statement about signs of intraabdominal injury is NOT true?
• Of the following, which is the earliest indication of compartment syndrome?
• Which statement best describes Level I trauma centers?
• What is the recommended technique for moving a patient with suspected spinal injury?
• When is it appropriate to remove cervical immobilization in the field?
• Deterioration after inflation of a PASG in a patient with high‑pressure abdominal trauma most likely represents which injury?
• Which of the following is not considered a determinant of tissue oxygen delivery described by the Fick principle?
• Which scenario best describes when a tourniquet should be applied in field bleeding control?
• The term 'Golden period' in trauma care refers to which concept?
• In the absence of blood products, what is the recommended approach to resuscitation and transport?
• What is the recommended ventilation rate for an adult during bag-valve-mask ventilation?
• In trauma triage, what does a 'black' tag signify?
• What is the primary problem-solving framework used in PHTLS to guide trauma care?
• Which finding would raise suspicion for intra-abdominal bleeding in a trauma patient?
• Essential airway skills include suctioning and which adjunct?
• Which color code in START triage is assigned to a patient who requires immediate life-saving intervention?
• What FiO2 and oxygen delivery method is typically used initially for an adult trauma patient with adequate breathing in the field?
• In the normal child, which general statement is most accurate in comparison with the adult patient?
• The displacement of tissue away from the path of a projectile is known as what?
• What are key pediatric trauma assessment considerations?
• Beck's triad features raise suspicion for cardiac tamponade in trauma; which findings are part of the triad?
• Beck's triad consists of which three findings?
• Which statement best describes the washout phase of shock?
• What critical information should be recorded when a tourniquet is applied?
• Bilateral femur fractures are most often associated with which type of motorcycle crash?
• The target blood pressure for a trauma patient with suspected intraabdominal hemorrhage is which of the following?
• What is considered the hallmark of a thorough post-incident trauma handover to the receiving facility?
• Which elements should be documented on a prehospital trauma report?
• Which best explains the mechanism by which gas exchange is impaired in pulmonary contusion?
• During the primary survey, which action is appropriate to perform last among the listed options?
• What is the recommended approach to suspected cervical spine injury during movement and transport?
• In a penetrating limb injury with bright red spurting blood where direct pressure fails to control bleeding, what is the most appropriate next step?
• A traction splint may be used for which of the following injuries?
• The phase of an explosion, or blast, in which hollow organs are squeezed and may rupture is called the __________ phase.
• Which finding by itself mandates immobilization of the cervical spine?
• What is an important field consideration for electrical burn injuries?
• Which of the following is a key finding that differentiates cardiac tamponade from tension pneumothorax?
• Which behavior is the most reliable indication of confusion in the elderly trauma patient?
• Why is maintaining body temperature important in prehospital trauma care?
• Which combination best reflects the limitations of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock?
• Which of the following is 100% accurate in verifying endotracheal tube placement?
• What is the most immediate life-threatening condition resulting from injury to solid abdominal organs?
• What is the best ventilation rate to use when managing a 20 year old male head injury patient with decerebrate posturing and a low heart rate?
• In burn wound management for a large flame burn, which dressing is preferred for initial coverage in the field?
• What is the recommended splinting approach for suspected long bone fractures with bleeding?
• In an elderly trauma patient, a high index of suspicion for shock should begin when the systolic blood pressure is less than:**
• After establishing two large-bore IV lines in a young female trauma patient with GCS 7 and hypotension, the target blood pressure to achieve is at least?
• What MAP value generally indicates adequate perfusion in a trauma patient?
• In field management of hemorrhagic shock, what is the recommended approach regarding crystalloid fluids?
• In the normal child, which statement best describes how vital signs compare with those of an adult?
• Which factor is the most important determinant of injury potential in energy transfer during impact?
• Which statement best reflects current practice in backboard immobilization during trauma transport?
• Which maneuver should be avoided when a cervical spine injury is suspected?
• What is the first step in the PHTLS primary survey?
• What does the secondary survey in PHTLS involve?
• Which of the following best describes a direct transport decision to a trauma center?
• Which airway maneuver is considered best for opening the airway in a trauma patient with suspected cervical spine injury?
• In assessing the hypothermic patient in the prehospital setting, the most reliable indicator of the severity of hypothermia is:
• After applying a tourniquet, what should clinicians continuously reassess?
• Which structure is most commonly responsible for airway obstruction in an unconscious trauma patient?
• What is the recommended sequence for hemorrhage control in the field?
• The premise of PHTLS is that:**
• Which of the following is one of the earliest signs of hypovolemic shock?
• A trauma patient who fell 20 feet from a balcony is alert with warm, dry skin but hypotensive; the upper extremities are cool, pale, and diaphoretic. Which injury should be suspected?
• Delayed death after trauma is typically caused by which of the following?
• In patients with preexisting conditions taking beta blockers, what effect might occur during hemorrhagic blood loss?
• Which statement about confirming endotracheal tube placement is true?
• Survival of the fetus in a trauma situation is most dependent upon which of the following factors?
• In trauma airway management: which maneuver is recommended to open airway while maintaining cervical spine precautions?
• In a patient with an endotracheal tube in place, what end-tidal CO2 range indicates adequate ventilation?
• Which injury is most appropriately managed with a traction splint in prehospital care?
• Which combination represents adequate spontaneous ventilation in an adult?
• How should you manage a trauma patient who appears anxious or combative due to blood loss?
• In a trauma patient with suspected cervical spine injury, which airway management approach best protects the spine?
• What is the recommended action for a patient with suspected intra-abdominal bleeding when initial assessments are inconclusive?
• How has the practice of backboard immobilization evolved in PHTLS?
• The preferred method of dressing burns in the prehospital setting is:
• Medication used by trauma patients for pre-existing conditions may cause which of the following?
• In the absence of extenuating circumstances, the maximum amount of time it should take to identify and manage immediate threats to life, prepare the patient for transport and begin transport is _________?
• In JumpSTART triage, which tag indicates a patient requiring immediate lifesaving intervention for a child?
• Which physiologic response is activated first in response to acute blood loss?
• Which mechanism explains how pulmonary contusion interferes with oxygenation?
• What is the standard field needle decompression site for suspected tension pneumothorax in adults?
• Which fluid is a synthetic colloid historically used for resuscitation but now less favored due to potential coagulopathy and kidney injury?
• During the primary survey and management of a trauma patient, the E in ABCDE stands for _________?
• Your patient is a 32 year old man, restrained driver of a vehicle that has been involved in a frontal impact with a concrete bridge abutment. The patient is awake, but has difficulty answering questions due to shortness of breath. His ventilatory rate is 30 per minute. Of the following choices, when is the first time the patient's breath sounds should be checked?
• What overall fluid strategy is recommended for hemorrhagic shock in the field?
• In JumpSTART triage, what tag indicates an emergent trait requiring rapid lifesaving intervention for a child?
• Which procedure is considered an essential airway skill?
• In which of the following situations is the use of a short spinal immobilization device indicated?
• Which of the following is a possible complication of using a manually triggered oxygen powered device for ventilation?
• A patient who withdraws from painful stimuli, opens eyes on verbal command, and cannot speak because of intubation has a Glasgow Coma Scale of which of the following?
• Which is a limitation of prehospital fluid resuscitation in hemorrhagic shock?
• In which scenario is a nasopharyngeal airway contraindicated?
• Which is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction in the trauma patient?
• Which of the following presentations can indicate spinal cord injury?
• What is the goal of permissive hypotension in prehospital hemorrhagic shock management?
• What constitutes the hallmark of a thorough post-incident trauma handover to the receiving facility?
• During the primary survey, what is the primary reason for briefly exposing the patient?
• What does unilateral absent breath sounds suggest in a chest assessment?
• Which combination represents adequate spontaneous ventilation in an adult?
• What signs strongly suggest a tension pneumothorax in a prehospital patient?
• In blast injuries, primary blast injuries are most likely to affect which organs?
• Which statement correctly describes the optimal end-tidal CO2 target range for a patient with an endotracheal tube?
• How often should an unstable trauma patient be reassessed in the field?
• Which sign is a late indicator of a tension pneumothorax?
• Which assessment technique is least useful in the prehospital assessment of the patient with suspected intraabdominal trauma?
• Which of the following is the foundation of effective trauma care?
• Which assessment tool is used to gauge consciousness in trauma patients, and what are its components?
• A patient struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat may sustain a cerebral contusion to which area of the brain?
• In a motorcycle crash, bilateral femur fractures are most commonly associated with which crash type?
• During the primary survey, which finding indicates the need to secure the airway promptly to prevent hypoxia?
• What is the role of medical control in prehospital trauma care?
• With respect to the distance of a fall, which of the following is a guideline for determining a critical fall?
• For a patient with a large flame burn, what is the preferred initial wound management in the field?
• What SpO2 range should you target after initial oxygen therapy in a trauma patient?
• Define flail chest and its prehospital management priorities.
• In a patient with blunt chest trauma, isolated crepitus over the right ribs and unilateral decreased breath sounds, which injury is most likely?
• A patient has a deep laceration with significant bleeding from the antecubital fossa. What is the most appropriate initial action?
• Delayed death due to trauma is usually a result of:**
• What is a key consideration when applying a tourniquet in the field?
• A regional resource center with a full spectrum of trauma services that serves as the leader in trauma care for a geographical region is called what level of trauma center?
• In the field, how should an open abdominal wound with evisceration be managed?
• In the CABCDE framework, which component comes immediately after Airway?
• Which scenario justifies direct transport to a trauma center rather than a community hospital?
• Which parameter is most useful in differentiating hemorrhagic shock from neurogenic shock in the prehospital setting?
• What is the preferred site for needle decompression of a tension pneumothorax?
• What is a key element of tourniquet documentation and monitoring?
• If a patient with suspected airway obstruction becomes apneic while suctioning, what is the immediate action?
• In an adult patient, blood loss into the tissue from a fractured femur may be as much as which of the following?
• What is a critical field management step for major burns to prevent hypothermia?
• Which scenario meets the criteria for transport to a burn unit?
• When should you perform a jaw-thrust maneuver rather than a head-tilt chin-lift?
• In a trauma patient with suspected cervical spine injury, which technique best protects the spine during bag-valve-mask ventilation?
• Which statement best reflects the role of knowledge in PHTLS decision-making?
• Which of the following patients is not indicated for spinal immobilization?
• In the management of shock, isotonic crystalloid solutions, such as Ringer's, are preferred because:
• Pregnant trauma patients should be placed on the left side because:
• The time in which surgical intervention can make a difference in patient outcome is the __________?
• In a rapid trauma assessment, which finding signals the need to secure the airway immediately?
• Which statement best describes Level I trauma centers?
• Which of the following is NOT a component of the Fick principle?
• Which statement best describes the role of the secondary survey in trauma care?
• How does capnography assist prehospital airway management?
• In the prehospital management of burns, which dressing is preferred?
• When should hemostatic dressings be employed?
• In the hypothermic patient, which measurement most reliably indicates severity?
• Which finding by itself mandates immobilization of the cervical spine?
• In airway management with suspected cervical spine injury, which approach is preferred?
• Which assessment is most beneficial in differentiating hemorrhagic shock from neurogenic shock in the prehospital setting?
• Which of the following warrants classification of a patient as a critical trauma patient?
• Which airway procedure is considered an essential basic skill in prehospital trauma care?
• Which action best supports a patient who is anxious due to blood loss?
• Which best describes shock?
• A middle-aged male who is unresponsive after a motorcycle crash has respirations at 6 breaths per minute and diminished breath sounds on the left. What is the most appropriate next intervention?
• Which description meets the criteria for transport to a facility with a burn unit?
• In the context of caring for an adult patient with traumatic brain injury who is deteriorating and exhibiting signs of herniation, hyperventilation should be performed at a rate of how many breaths per minute?
• During the primary survey of a trauma patient who is agitated and confused, which of the following is the most appropriate first treatment priority?
• Which action is emphasized in pediatric trauma assessment to ensure accurate dosing and equipment usage?
• In percutaneous transtracheal ventilation, which ratio is used?
• What is the recommended tourniquet practice for uncontrolled limb bleeding when direct pressure fails and bleeding persists?
• Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result from which of the following?
• How does mechanism of injury (MOI) influence triage and transport decisions?
• In a trauma patient with suspected intraabdominal hemorrhage, what systolic blood pressure range is recommended to target during initial resuscitation?
• The earliest site for intraosseous infusion is the anterior tibia just below the tibial tuberosity.
• Which of the following is a potential complication of a manually triggered oxygen powered device?
• Which fluid is the preferred resuscitation fluid for hemorrhagic shock in the prehospital setting?
• When utilizing percutaneous transtracheal ventilation, which ratio of lung inflation to lung inflation time is correct?
• What device is used to stabilize the pelvis in suspected pelvic fractures?
• Which statement about the washout phase of shock is accurate?
• The single most important factor in determining the potential for injury due to energy exchange is:
• In blunt head trauma with a posterior impact, contusion is most likely located in which brain region?
• The body initially compensates for blood loss through activation of which of the following?
• Where is the earliest site for intraosseous infusion in emergency care?
• What is the most important reason to maintain an open airway in the trauma patient?
• When would you suspect a hemothorax as opposed to a pneumothorax in the field?