PREHOSPITAL TRAUMA LIFE SUPPORT (PHTLS)
CERTIFICATION EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS: THE MOST RECENT AND COMPREHENSIVE
VERSION WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS; GUARANTEED
PASS WITH INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD.
Exam Overview
This 150-question comprehensive assessment covers all domains of Prehospital Trauma Life
Support (PHTLS) in accordance with current trauma standards and real-world prehospital
practice. The examination includes:
Trauma epidemiology and kinematics (10 questions)
Scene management, safety, and triage (10 questions)
Primary survey and trauma assessment (20 questions)
Airway and ventilation management (20 questions)
Shock and hemorrhage control (20 questions)
Traumatic brain injury and spinal trauma (15 questions)
Thoracic trauma (15 questions)
Abdominal and genitourinary trauma (10 questions)
Musculoskeletal trauma (10 questions)
Special populations (pediatric, geriatric, obstetric) (10 questions)
Burns, environmental trauma, and blast injuries (5 questions)
Ethical, legal, and professional standards in trauma care (5 questions)
1. The leading cause of death in trauma patients between ages 1–44 is:
A. Cardiovascular disease
B. Cancer
C. Unintentional injury
D. Infectious disease
Rationale: Trauma (unintentional injury) remains the leading cause of death in
this age group globally.
, 2. During scene size-up, the FIRST priority for EMS providers is:
A. Determining the number of patients
B. Ensuring scene safety
C. Establishing command
D. Assessing mechanism of injury
Rationale: Provider safety is the highest priority before patient contact.
3. A patient involved in a high-speed frontal MVC with steering wheel
deformity should raise suspicion for:
A. Isolated extremity fracture
B. Minor soft tissue injury
C. Thoracic and abdominal injuries
D. Cervical sprain only
Rationale: Steering wheel deformity suggests significant force transfer to
chest/abdomen.
4. In the primary survey, catastrophic external hemorrhage should be
controlled:
A. After airway management
B. Immediately upon identification
C. After circulation assessment
D. During secondary survey
,Rationale: Life-threatening hemorrhage takes priority and is managed
immediately.
5. A GCS of 8 indicates:
A. Mild TBI
B. Moderate TBI
C. Severe TBI
D. No brain injury
Rationale: GCS ≤8 defines severe traumatic brain injury.
6. The most common preventable cause of death in trauma is:
A. Brain herniation
B. Hemorrhage
C. Sepsis
D. Pulmonary embolism
Rationale: Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains the leading preventable cause of
trauma death.
7. An adult trauma patient with respiratory distress, absent breath sounds on
one side, hypotension, and JVD likely has:
A. Simple pneumothorax
B. Cardiac tamponade
, C. Tension pneumothorax
D. Pulmonary contusion
Rationale: Classic signs of tension pneumothorax include hypotension, absent
breath sounds, and JVD.
8. Needle decompression in adults is most appropriately performed at:
A. 2nd ICS midclavicular or 4th/5th ICS anterior axillary
B. 4th or 5th ICS anterior axillary line
C. 3rd ICS midaxillary
D. 6th ICS midclavicular
Rationale: Current trauma practice favors lateral placement at 4th/5th ICS
anterior axillary.
9. Permissive hypotension is MOST appropriate in:
A. Severe TBI
B. Penetrating torso trauma without TBI
C. Pediatric trauma
D. Geriatric falls
Rationale: Hypotension is avoided in TBI but may be tolerated temporarily in
penetrating trauma.
CERTIFICATION EXAM PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS: THE MOST RECENT AND COMPREHENSIVE
VERSION WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS; GUARANTEED
PASS WITH INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD.
Exam Overview
This 150-question comprehensive assessment covers all domains of Prehospital Trauma Life
Support (PHTLS) in accordance with current trauma standards and real-world prehospital
practice. The examination includes:
Trauma epidemiology and kinematics (10 questions)
Scene management, safety, and triage (10 questions)
Primary survey and trauma assessment (20 questions)
Airway and ventilation management (20 questions)
Shock and hemorrhage control (20 questions)
Traumatic brain injury and spinal trauma (15 questions)
Thoracic trauma (15 questions)
Abdominal and genitourinary trauma (10 questions)
Musculoskeletal trauma (10 questions)
Special populations (pediatric, geriatric, obstetric) (10 questions)
Burns, environmental trauma, and blast injuries (5 questions)
Ethical, legal, and professional standards in trauma care (5 questions)
1. The leading cause of death in trauma patients between ages 1–44 is:
A. Cardiovascular disease
B. Cancer
C. Unintentional injury
D. Infectious disease
Rationale: Trauma (unintentional injury) remains the leading cause of death in
this age group globally.
, 2. During scene size-up, the FIRST priority for EMS providers is:
A. Determining the number of patients
B. Ensuring scene safety
C. Establishing command
D. Assessing mechanism of injury
Rationale: Provider safety is the highest priority before patient contact.
3. A patient involved in a high-speed frontal MVC with steering wheel
deformity should raise suspicion for:
A. Isolated extremity fracture
B. Minor soft tissue injury
C. Thoracic and abdominal injuries
D. Cervical sprain only
Rationale: Steering wheel deformity suggests significant force transfer to
chest/abdomen.
4. In the primary survey, catastrophic external hemorrhage should be
controlled:
A. After airway management
B. Immediately upon identification
C. After circulation assessment
D. During secondary survey
,Rationale: Life-threatening hemorrhage takes priority and is managed
immediately.
5. A GCS of 8 indicates:
A. Mild TBI
B. Moderate TBI
C. Severe TBI
D. No brain injury
Rationale: GCS ≤8 defines severe traumatic brain injury.
6. The most common preventable cause of death in trauma is:
A. Brain herniation
B. Hemorrhage
C. Sepsis
D. Pulmonary embolism
Rationale: Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains the leading preventable cause of
trauma death.
7. An adult trauma patient with respiratory distress, absent breath sounds on
one side, hypotension, and JVD likely has:
A. Simple pneumothorax
B. Cardiac tamponade
, C. Tension pneumothorax
D. Pulmonary contusion
Rationale: Classic signs of tension pneumothorax include hypotension, absent
breath sounds, and JVD.
8. Needle decompression in adults is most appropriately performed at:
A. 2nd ICS midclavicular or 4th/5th ICS anterior axillary
B. 4th or 5th ICS anterior axillary line
C. 3rd ICS midaxillary
D. 6th ICS midclavicular
Rationale: Current trauma practice favors lateral placement at 4th/5th ICS
anterior axillary.
9. Permissive hypotension is MOST appropriate in:
A. Severe TBI
B. Penetrating torso trauma without TBI
C. Pediatric trauma
D. Geriatric falls
Rationale: Hypotension is avoided in TBI but may be tolerated temporarily in
penetrating trauma.
