ATLS POST TEST MCQ WITH ANSWERS UPDATED
WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS RATED A+
"A traction splint may be used for which of the following injuries?
A. Knee dislocation
B. Pelvic fractures
C.Femur fractures
D. All of the above - CORRECT ANSWER C. Femur
fractures" "The preferred method of dressing burns in the
prehospital setting is:
A. Dry sterile dressing
B. Moist sterile dressing
C.Wet dressings
D. Petroleum gauze - CORRECT ANSWER A. Dry sterile dressing"
"In the elderly trauma patient a high index of suspicion for shock should occur beginning when the
systolic blood pressure is less than:
A. 90 mmHg
B. 150 mmHg
C.120 mmHg
D. 100 mmHg - CORRECT ANSWER C. 120 mmHg"
"Which is the preferred fluid for resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock in the prehospital setting?
A) 5% dextrose in water
B) 7.5% hypertonic saline
C) Hetastarch
D) Lactated Ringer's - CORRECT ANSWER D) Lactated Ringer's"
"Essential airway skills include manual clearing of the airway, manual maneuvers, suctioning and
which of the following?
A) Dual lumen airway
B) Endotracheal intubation
C) Laryngeal mask airway
D) Oropharyngeal airway - CORRECT ANSWER D) Oropharyngeal airway"
"Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result from which of the
following?
A) Blood loss
B) Cardiac tamponade
C) Spinal injury
,1|Page
,D) Tension pneumothorax - CORRECT ANSWER A) Blood loss"
"In the management of shock, isotonic crystalloid solutions, such as Ringer's, are preferred because:
A. The protein molecules in crystalloid solutions act as volume expanders
B. These fluids draw interstitial fluid into the vascular space to enhance volume
C.These solutions will stay in the vascular space longer than water solutions, such as D5W
D. Their pH enhance oxygen delivery to the tissues - CORRECT ANSWER C. These solutions will
stay in the vascular space longer than water solutions, such as D5W"
"With respect to the distance of a fall, which of the following is a guideline for determining a critical fall?
A. 3 times the height of the patient
B. 2 times the height of the patient
C.5 times the height of the patient
D. 1 ½ times the height of the patient - CORRECT ANSWER A. 3 times the height of the patient"
"During the primary survey and management of a trauma patient, the E in ABCDE stands for ?
A. Edema
B. Eyes & ears
C.Expose/Environment
D. Electrical therapy - CORRECT ANSWER C. Expose/Environment"
"The time in which surgical intervention can make a difference in patient outcome is the ?
A. Golden period
B. Golden time
C.Golden era
D. Golden minutes - CORRECT ANSWER A. Golden period (hour)"
"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 ?
A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C.15 minutes
D. 30 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER B. 10 minutes"
"In which of the following situations is the use of a short spinal immobilization device indicated?
A. 28 year old male, unrestrained driver in a frontal impact crash. Awake, asks repeatedly what
happened, complains of a headache, has a hematoma on his forehead. BP 122/84, HR 92, VR 20.
B. 40 year old female who was pushed down a flight of stairs and is lying prone on the landing
between two flights of stairs, complaining of back pain. BP 118/78, HR 100, VR 20.
2|Page
, C. 17 year old female, restrained driver in a frontal impact crash. Awake, pale and diaphoretic,
complains of upper right quadrant abdominal pain. BP 100/70, HR 108, VR 20. D. None of the above -
CORRECT ANSWER D. None of the above"
"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?
A. As soon as he is removed from the vehicle
B. Prior to being removed from the vehicle
C.As soon as he is immobilized on a long backboard
D. Enroute to the trauma center - CORRECT ANSWER B. Prior to being removed
from the vehicle" "Which of the following represents adequate spontaneous ventilation
in an adult?
A. Tidal volume 100 mL, ventilatory rate 40/minute
B. Tidal volume 500 mL, ventilatory rate 8/minute
C.Tidal volume 300 mL, ventilatory rate 16/minute
D. Tidal volume 600 mL, ventilatory rate 12/minute - CORRECT ANSWER D. Tidal volume 600 mL,
ventilatory rate 12/minute"
"When utilizing percutaneous transtracheal ventilation, the correct ration of lung inflation to lung
inflation time, in seconds, is:
A. 1:4
B. 1:5
C.1:2
D. 2:2 - CORRECT ANSWER A. 1:4"
"Which of the following is a possible complication of using a manually triggered oxygen powered device for
ventilation?
A. Gastric distention
B. Pneumothorax
C.Inability to feel lung compliance
D. All of the above - CORRECT ANSWER D. All of the above"
"Which of the following procedures is considered an essential airway skill?
A. Needle cricothyroidotomy
B. Endotracheal intubation
C.Insertion of an oropharyngeal airway
D. Retrograde endotracheal intubation - CORRECT ANSWER C. Insertion of an
oropharyngeal airway" "Pericardial tamponade is most likely to occur in which of the
following situations?
WITH VERIFIED SOLUTIONS RATED A+
"A traction splint may be used for which of the following injuries?
A. Knee dislocation
B. Pelvic fractures
C.Femur fractures
D. All of the above - CORRECT ANSWER C. Femur
fractures" "The preferred method of dressing burns in the
prehospital setting is:
A. Dry sterile dressing
B. Moist sterile dressing
C.Wet dressings
D. Petroleum gauze - CORRECT ANSWER A. Dry sterile dressing"
"In the elderly trauma patient a high index of suspicion for shock should occur beginning when the
systolic blood pressure is less than:
A. 90 mmHg
B. 150 mmHg
C.120 mmHg
D. 100 mmHg - CORRECT ANSWER C. 120 mmHg"
"Which is the preferred fluid for resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock in the prehospital setting?
A) 5% dextrose in water
B) 7.5% hypertonic saline
C) Hetastarch
D) Lactated Ringer's - CORRECT ANSWER D) Lactated Ringer's"
"Essential airway skills include manual clearing of the airway, manual maneuvers, suctioning and
which of the following?
A) Dual lumen airway
B) Endotracheal intubation
C) Laryngeal mask airway
D) Oropharyngeal airway - CORRECT ANSWER D) Oropharyngeal airway"
"Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result from which of the
following?
A) Blood loss
B) Cardiac tamponade
C) Spinal injury
,1|Page
,D) Tension pneumothorax - CORRECT ANSWER A) Blood loss"
"In the management of shock, isotonic crystalloid solutions, such as Ringer's, are preferred because:
A. The protein molecules in crystalloid solutions act as volume expanders
B. These fluids draw interstitial fluid into the vascular space to enhance volume
C.These solutions will stay in the vascular space longer than water solutions, such as D5W
D. Their pH enhance oxygen delivery to the tissues - CORRECT ANSWER C. These solutions will
stay in the vascular space longer than water solutions, such as D5W"
"With respect to the distance of a fall, which of the following is a guideline for determining a critical fall?
A. 3 times the height of the patient
B. 2 times the height of the patient
C.5 times the height of the patient
D. 1 ½ times the height of the patient - CORRECT ANSWER A. 3 times the height of the patient"
"During the primary survey and management of a trauma patient, the E in ABCDE stands for ?
A. Edema
B. Eyes & ears
C.Expose/Environment
D. Electrical therapy - CORRECT ANSWER C. Expose/Environment"
"The time in which surgical intervention can make a difference in patient outcome is the ?
A. Golden period
B. Golden time
C.Golden era
D. Golden minutes - CORRECT ANSWER A. Golden period (hour)"
"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 ?
A. 5 minutes
B. 10 minutes
C.15 minutes
D. 30 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER B. 10 minutes"
"In which of the following situations is the use of a short spinal immobilization device indicated?
A. 28 year old male, unrestrained driver in a frontal impact crash. Awake, asks repeatedly what
happened, complains of a headache, has a hematoma on his forehead. BP 122/84, HR 92, VR 20.
B. 40 year old female who was pushed down a flight of stairs and is lying prone on the landing
between two flights of stairs, complaining of back pain. BP 118/78, HR 100, VR 20.
2|Page
, C. 17 year old female, restrained driver in a frontal impact crash. Awake, pale and diaphoretic,
complains of upper right quadrant abdominal pain. BP 100/70, HR 108, VR 20. D. None of the above -
CORRECT ANSWER D. None of the above"
"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?
A. As soon as he is removed from the vehicle
B. Prior to being removed from the vehicle
C.As soon as he is immobilized on a long backboard
D. Enroute to the trauma center - CORRECT ANSWER B. Prior to being removed
from the vehicle" "Which of the following represents adequate spontaneous ventilation
in an adult?
A. Tidal volume 100 mL, ventilatory rate 40/minute
B. Tidal volume 500 mL, ventilatory rate 8/minute
C.Tidal volume 300 mL, ventilatory rate 16/minute
D. Tidal volume 600 mL, ventilatory rate 12/minute - CORRECT ANSWER D. Tidal volume 600 mL,
ventilatory rate 12/minute"
"When utilizing percutaneous transtracheal ventilation, the correct ration of lung inflation to lung
inflation time, in seconds, is:
A. 1:4
B. 1:5
C.1:2
D. 2:2 - CORRECT ANSWER A. 1:4"
"Which of the following is a possible complication of using a manually triggered oxygen powered device for
ventilation?
A. Gastric distention
B. Pneumothorax
C.Inability to feel lung compliance
D. All of the above - CORRECT ANSWER D. All of the above"
"Which of the following procedures is considered an essential airway skill?
A. Needle cricothyroidotomy
B. Endotracheal intubation
C.Insertion of an oropharyngeal airway
D. Retrograde endotracheal intubation - CORRECT ANSWER C. Insertion of an
oropharyngeal airway" "Pericardial tamponade is most likely to occur in which of the
following situations?
