,QUESTION: Which of the following requires you to develop a plan of action, initiate the plan,
reassess the plan as care for the patient moves forward, and adjust the plan as the patient's
condition or circumstances change?
A. Principles of PHTLS
B. The Golden Period
C. The XABCDE assessment
D. Critical thinking process
ANSWER – D. Critical thinking process
Rationale:
Critical thinking involves ongoing assessment, planning, implementation, reassessment, and
adjustment of patient care based on changing conditions.
QUESTION: When using the XABCDE assessment, which of the following takes precedence
over all other actions?
A. Controlling severe bleeding from a limb or other compressible site
B. Airway stabilization and assessing circulatory status
C. Exposing the body to allow a thorough evaluation
D. Ensuring adequate breathing
ANSWER – A. Controlling severe bleeding from a limb or other compressible site
Rationale:
The “X” in XABCDE refers to exsanguinating hemorrhage, which must be controlled
immediately to prevent rapid death.
QUESTION: Which of the following is the basis on which a patient's chance of survival is
maximized?
A. Preferences
B. Phases
C. Principles
D. Transport
ANSWER – C. Principles
,Rationale:
Medical principles guide care decisions and define actions that optimize survival and patient
outcomes.
QUESTION: Which of the following is a goal of the Golden Period?
A. Provide written documentation from field care to receiving hospital
B. Expedite the field care and transport of the patient
C. Use a team approach for optimal patient care
D. Use the XABCDE approach to patient assessment
ANSWER – B. Expedite the field care and transport of the patient
Rationale:
The Golden Period emphasizes minimizing scene time and rapidly transporting patients to
definitive care to improve survival.
QUESTION: You are called to the scene of a possible mass casualty motor vehicle collision on
the highway. Once you arrive on scene, what is your first priority?
A. Immediately begin triaging patients
B. Treat the patient with the most visible blood loss
C. Determine the need for additional resources
D. Assess the scene and ensure it is safe
ANSWER – D. Assess the scene and ensure it is safe
Rationale:
Scene safety is always the first priority to protect responders, bystanders, and patients.
QUESTION: A trauma patient from the highway incident is holding her right arm, and you note
a significant amount of blood steadily flowing from a long gash. This is an example of what type
of hemorrhage?
A. Capillary bleeding
B. Venous bleeding
C. Arterial bleeding
D. Road rash
ANSWER – B. Venous bleeding
Rationale:
Venous bleeding presents as a steady flow of dark red blood.
, QUESTION: What is the best way to control the bleeding?
A. Direct pressure
B. Elevation of the arm above the heart
C. Tourniquet
D. Occlusive dressing
ANSWER – A. Direct pressure
Rationale:
Direct pressure is the first-line treatment for controlling venous bleeding.
QUESTION: The patient is wearing long sleeves, and you are having trouble visualizing the wound. What
should you do?
A. Cut the cloth away from the site until the entire wound site is visible
B. Leave the clothing in place and put gauze over the wound
C. Remove the patient’s shirt
D. Cut through the slash on the sleeve and use the material as a makeshift tourniquet
ANSWER – A. Cut the cloth away from the site until the entire wound site is visible
Rationale:
You cannot properly assess or treat a wound that you cannot see. Clothing should be cut away
quickly to expose injuries.
QUESTION: You are called to the scene of an explosion and fire at a chemical plant with
multiple casualties. A 40-year-old man near the source of the explosion is unconscious with
gurgling respirations. Why should you use the trauma jaw thrust maneuver first?
A. It is an easy technique that always works
B. It allows airway opening with little or no head and cervical spine movement
C. Other airway techniques are ineffective
D. It relieves most anatomic airway obstructions
ANSWER – B. It allows airway opening with little or no head and cervical spine movement
Rationale:
The trauma jaw thrust opens the airway while maintaining cervical spine alignment in patients
with suspected spinal injury.
QUESTION: The patient becomes apneic and you suspect a cervical spine injury. Which airway
should you use?
reassess the plan as care for the patient moves forward, and adjust the plan as the patient's
condition or circumstances change?
A. Principles of PHTLS
B. The Golden Period
C. The XABCDE assessment
D. Critical thinking process
ANSWER – D. Critical thinking process
Rationale:
Critical thinking involves ongoing assessment, planning, implementation, reassessment, and
adjustment of patient care based on changing conditions.
QUESTION: When using the XABCDE assessment, which of the following takes precedence
over all other actions?
A. Controlling severe bleeding from a limb or other compressible site
B. Airway stabilization and assessing circulatory status
C. Exposing the body to allow a thorough evaluation
D. Ensuring adequate breathing
ANSWER – A. Controlling severe bleeding from a limb or other compressible site
Rationale:
The “X” in XABCDE refers to exsanguinating hemorrhage, which must be controlled
immediately to prevent rapid death.
QUESTION: Which of the following is the basis on which a patient's chance of survival is
maximized?
A. Preferences
B. Phases
C. Principles
D. Transport
ANSWER – C. Principles
,Rationale:
Medical principles guide care decisions and define actions that optimize survival and patient
outcomes.
QUESTION: Which of the following is a goal of the Golden Period?
A. Provide written documentation from field care to receiving hospital
B. Expedite the field care and transport of the patient
C. Use a team approach for optimal patient care
D. Use the XABCDE approach to patient assessment
ANSWER – B. Expedite the field care and transport of the patient
Rationale:
The Golden Period emphasizes minimizing scene time and rapidly transporting patients to
definitive care to improve survival.
QUESTION: You are called to the scene of a possible mass casualty motor vehicle collision on
the highway. Once you arrive on scene, what is your first priority?
A. Immediately begin triaging patients
B. Treat the patient with the most visible blood loss
C. Determine the need for additional resources
D. Assess the scene and ensure it is safe
ANSWER – D. Assess the scene and ensure it is safe
Rationale:
Scene safety is always the first priority to protect responders, bystanders, and patients.
QUESTION: A trauma patient from the highway incident is holding her right arm, and you note
a significant amount of blood steadily flowing from a long gash. This is an example of what type
of hemorrhage?
A. Capillary bleeding
B. Venous bleeding
C. Arterial bleeding
D. Road rash
ANSWER – B. Venous bleeding
Rationale:
Venous bleeding presents as a steady flow of dark red blood.
, QUESTION: What is the best way to control the bleeding?
A. Direct pressure
B. Elevation of the arm above the heart
C. Tourniquet
D. Occlusive dressing
ANSWER – A. Direct pressure
Rationale:
Direct pressure is the first-line treatment for controlling venous bleeding.
QUESTION: The patient is wearing long sleeves, and you are having trouble visualizing the wound. What
should you do?
A. Cut the cloth away from the site until the entire wound site is visible
B. Leave the clothing in place and put gauze over the wound
C. Remove the patient’s shirt
D. Cut through the slash on the sleeve and use the material as a makeshift tourniquet
ANSWER – A. Cut the cloth away from the site until the entire wound site is visible
Rationale:
You cannot properly assess or treat a wound that you cannot see. Clothing should be cut away
quickly to expose injuries.
QUESTION: You are called to the scene of an explosion and fire at a chemical plant with
multiple casualties. A 40-year-old man near the source of the explosion is unconscious with
gurgling respirations. Why should you use the trauma jaw thrust maneuver first?
A. It is an easy technique that always works
B. It allows airway opening with little or no head and cervical spine movement
C. Other airway techniques are ineffective
D. It relieves most anatomic airway obstructions
ANSWER – B. It allows airway opening with little or no head and cervical spine movement
Rationale:
The trauma jaw thrust opens the airway while maintaining cervical spine alignment in patients
with suspected spinal injury.
QUESTION: The patient becomes apneic and you suspect a cervical spine injury. Which airway
should you use?
