NUR 265: Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing - Week 9 Study Guide
(Emergency, Trauma, Shock, and Burns) 2026 |Galen College
1. In a mass casualty incident, which color tag is assigned to a patient with a
sucking chest wound and a respiratory rate of 28?
A. Green
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Red
Answer: D
Rationale: A sucking chest wound is an immediate life-threat that requires rapid
intervention, placing it in the ‘Red’ (immediate) category.
2. Which assessment is the priority during the ‘C’ phase of the primary trauma
survey?
A. Checking level of consciousness
B. Checking airway patency
C. Assessing for external hemorrhage and pulses
D. Inspecting the back for injuries
Answer: C
Rationale: C stands for Circulation. The priority is identifying and controlling hemorrhage
and assessing pulse and skin color.
,3. A patient in the compensatory stage of shock would likely exhibit which of
the following clinical manifestations?
A. Bradypnea and hypotension
B. Tachycardia and cool, clammy skin
C. Confusion and lethargy
D. Anuria and metabolic acidosis
Answer: B
Rationale: During the compensatory stage, the body uses the sympathetic nervous system
to maintain cardiac output, resulting in increased heart rate and peripheral
vasoconstriction.
4. What is the primary hemodynamic difference between neurogenic shock and
other types of shock?
A. Increased systemic vascular resistance
B. Tachycardia
C. Bradycardia
D. Hyperthermia
Answer: C
Rationale: Neurogenic shock involves a loss of sympathetic tone, leading to bradycardia
and massive vasodilation, unlike the compensatory tachycardia seen in other shocks.
5. Which laboratory value is most critical to monitor when assessing the severity
of tissue hypoxia in a patient with septic shock?
A. Serum lactate
B. White blood cell count
C. Blood urea nitrogen
D. Hemoglobin
Answer: A
, Rationale: Serum lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism and serves as a key
indicator of tissue hypoperfusion and hypoxia.
6. A patient with cardiogenic shock is receiving an intra-aortic balloon pump
(IABP). What is the primary goal of this therapy?
A. Increase peripheral resistance
B. Improve coronary perfusion and reduce afterload
C. Increase afterload
D. Decrease coronary artery perfusion
Answer: B
Rationale: The IABP inflates during diastole to increase coronary perfusion and deflates
just before systole to reduce afterload (workload of the heart).
7. Which medication is the first-line treatment for a patient experiencing
anaphylactic shock?
A. Epinephrine
B. Diphenhydramine
C. Hydrocortisone
D. Albuterol
Answer: A
Rationale: Epinephrine is the drug of choice because it causes vasoconstriction (to raise
BP) and bronchodilation (to open airways).
8. Using the Rule of Nines, calculate the Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) for an
adult with burns to the entire right arm and the entire anterior chest.
A. 27%
B. 18%
C. 13.5%
D. 36%
Answer: B
(Emergency, Trauma, Shock, and Burns) 2026 |Galen College
1. In a mass casualty incident, which color tag is assigned to a patient with a
sucking chest wound and a respiratory rate of 28?
A. Green
B. Yellow
C. Black
D. Red
Answer: D
Rationale: A sucking chest wound is an immediate life-threat that requires rapid
intervention, placing it in the ‘Red’ (immediate) category.
2. Which assessment is the priority during the ‘C’ phase of the primary trauma
survey?
A. Checking level of consciousness
B. Checking airway patency
C. Assessing for external hemorrhage and pulses
D. Inspecting the back for injuries
Answer: C
Rationale: C stands for Circulation. The priority is identifying and controlling hemorrhage
and assessing pulse and skin color.
,3. A patient in the compensatory stage of shock would likely exhibit which of
the following clinical manifestations?
A. Bradypnea and hypotension
B. Tachycardia and cool, clammy skin
C. Confusion and lethargy
D. Anuria and metabolic acidosis
Answer: B
Rationale: During the compensatory stage, the body uses the sympathetic nervous system
to maintain cardiac output, resulting in increased heart rate and peripheral
vasoconstriction.
4. What is the primary hemodynamic difference between neurogenic shock and
other types of shock?
A. Increased systemic vascular resistance
B. Tachycardia
C. Bradycardia
D. Hyperthermia
Answer: C
Rationale: Neurogenic shock involves a loss of sympathetic tone, leading to bradycardia
and massive vasodilation, unlike the compensatory tachycardia seen in other shocks.
5. Which laboratory value is most critical to monitor when assessing the severity
of tissue hypoxia in a patient with septic shock?
A. Serum lactate
B. White blood cell count
C. Blood urea nitrogen
D. Hemoglobin
Answer: A
, Rationale: Serum lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism and serves as a key
indicator of tissue hypoperfusion and hypoxia.
6. A patient with cardiogenic shock is receiving an intra-aortic balloon pump
(IABP). What is the primary goal of this therapy?
A. Increase peripheral resistance
B. Improve coronary perfusion and reduce afterload
C. Increase afterload
D. Decrease coronary artery perfusion
Answer: B
Rationale: The IABP inflates during diastole to increase coronary perfusion and deflates
just before systole to reduce afterload (workload of the heart).
7. Which medication is the first-line treatment for a patient experiencing
anaphylactic shock?
A. Epinephrine
B. Diphenhydramine
C. Hydrocortisone
D. Albuterol
Answer: A
Rationale: Epinephrine is the drug of choice because it causes vasoconstriction (to raise
BP) and bronchodilation (to open airways).
8. Using the Rule of Nines, calculate the Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) for an
adult with burns to the entire right arm and the entire anterior chest.
A. 27%
B. 18%
C. 13.5%
D. 36%
Answer: B
