EMT FISDAP Trauma Exam - Complete Study Guide &
Scenario Practice Questions (Latest 2026)
Pass your FISDAP trauma assessment on your very first attempt with this
comprehensive, high-yield EMT study package. This emergency medicine resource
delivers a deep dive into the trauma assessment pathway, hemorrhagic shock
management, thoracic injuries, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) protocols. Eliminate
testing anxiety and master high-stakes clinical decision-making using realistic, field-
based situational vignettes modeled directly after the official FISDAP blueprint.
1. A 34-year-old male is ejected from a vehicle during a rollover crash. He is
unresponsive with snoring respirations. What is your immediate priority?
• A) Apply a cervical collar
• B) Perform a jaw-thrust maneuver
• C) Insert an oropharyngeal airway
• D) Administer high-flow oxygen
Correct Answer: B) Perform a jaw-thrust maneuver
Rationale: In an unresponsive trauma patient with a suspected spinal injury, the
immediate priority is to open the airway using the jaw-thrust maneuver without head
extension. This clears the airway while maintaining cervical spine precautions. Snoring
respirations indicate partial airway obstruction from the tongue.
2. A 42-year-old male has a gunshot wound to the right upper chest. He is
hypotensive with jugular vein distension and muffled heart sounds. What is the
most likely diagnosis?
• A) Tension pneumothorax
• B) Cardiac tamponade
• C) Hemothorax
• D) Aortic rupture
Correct Answer: B) Cardiac tamponade
,Rationale: This patient is presenting with Beck's Triad: muffled heart sounds, jugular
venous distension (JVD), and hypotension. Cardiac tamponade occurs when blood
accumulates in the pericardial sac, compressing the heart and reducing cardiac output.
This is a life-threatening emergency requiring rapid transport.
3. A 28-year-old female was attacked and has a knife wound to her left lower
abdomen. She has a loop of intestine protruding from the wound. How should you
manage this?
• A) Push the intestine back into the abdomen
• B) Cover it with a dry sterile dressing
• C) Cover it with a moist sterile dressing
• D) Apply direct pressure to the intestine
Correct Answer: C) Cover it with a moist sterile dressing
Rationale: An evisceration (protruding intestine) should never be pushed back in. It should
be covered with a sterile dressing moistened with sterile saline to prevent the tissue from
drying out and becoming necrotic. This is followed by a dry dressing and an occlusive
dressing to keep it warm and moist.
4. A 55-year-old male is involved in a head-on collision. He has bruising across his
chest in a seatbelt pattern and is complaining of severe chest pain. His respiratory
rate is 28 and shallow. Which injury should you suspect?
• A) Flail chest
• B) Pulmonary contusion
• C) Hemothorax
• D) Myocardial contusion
Correct Answer: B) Pulmonary contusion
Rationale: A pulmonary contusion is a bruise of the lung tissue, commonly caused by blunt
trauma to the chest (such as a steering wheel or seatbelt injury). It presents with chest
pain, tachypnea, and hypoxia. The bruising pattern and mechanism make this the most
likely injury.
,5. A 30-year-old male fell 20 feet from a scaffolding. He is complaining of severe
back pain and cannot move his legs. What is the most appropriate method to
immobilize this patient?
• A) Apply a cervical collar only
• B) Place him on a long spine board with a cervical collar
• C) Place him in a sitting position with a cervical collar
• D) Use a vacuum mattress without a cervical collar
Correct Answer: B) Place him on a long spine board with a cervical collar
Rationale: A patient with a suspected spinal injury and neurological deficit (inability to
move legs) requires full spinal immobilization. This includes a cervical collar and
placement on a long spine board to prevent any movement during transport.
6. A 22-year-old male has a deep laceration to his forearm that is spurting bright
red blood. You have applied direct pressure, but bleeding continues. What is your
next action?
• A) Apply a pressure point to the brachial artery
• B) Apply a tourniquet proximal to the wound
• C) Elevate the arm above the heart
• D) Apply a hemostatic dressing
Correct Answer: B) Apply a tourniquet proximal to the wound
Rationale: When direct pressure fails to control life-threatening arterial hemorrhage, a
tourniquet is the next definitive step. It should be applied 2-3 inches proximal to the
wound (or "high and tight") to occlude arterial flow. Time of application must be
documented.
7. A 48-year-old female has a burn on her right leg from a grease fire. The burn is
red, painful, and has blisters. What type of burn is this?
, • A) Superficial (1st degree)
• B) Partial-thickness (2nd degree)
• C) Full-thickness (3rd degree)
• D) Deep partial-thickness
Correct Answer: B) Partial-thickness (2nd degree)
Rationale: A partial-thickness (2nd degree) burn is characterized by redness, pain, swelling,
and blister formation. The blisters indicate damage to the epidermis and the upper layers
of the dermis. This is the most painful type of burn.
8. A 60-year-old male has a suspected basilar skull fracture after a fall. Which of
the following findings would support this diagnosis?
• A) Periorbital ecchymosis
• B) Battle's sign
• C) Hemotympanum
• D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D) All of the above
Rationale: All three are classic signs of a basilar skull fracture. Periorbital ecchymosis
(raccoon eyes) is bruising around the eyes. Battle's sign is bruising behind the ears.
Hemotympanum is blood behind the eardrum. These indicate a fracture at the base of the
skull.
9. A 32-year-old male is stabbed in the chest. You note a sucking sound coming
from the wound during inhalation. What is the most appropriate dressing for this
wound?
• A) Dry sterile gauze
• B) Occlusive dressing taped on three sides
• C) Occlusive dressing taped on all four sides
• D) Hemostatic dressing
Correct Answer: B) Occlusive dressing taped on three sides
Scenario Practice Questions (Latest 2026)
Pass your FISDAP trauma assessment on your very first attempt with this
comprehensive, high-yield EMT study package. This emergency medicine resource
delivers a deep dive into the trauma assessment pathway, hemorrhagic shock
management, thoracic injuries, and traumatic brain injury (TBI) protocols. Eliminate
testing anxiety and master high-stakes clinical decision-making using realistic, field-
based situational vignettes modeled directly after the official FISDAP blueprint.
1. A 34-year-old male is ejected from a vehicle during a rollover crash. He is
unresponsive with snoring respirations. What is your immediate priority?
• A) Apply a cervical collar
• B) Perform a jaw-thrust maneuver
• C) Insert an oropharyngeal airway
• D) Administer high-flow oxygen
Correct Answer: B) Perform a jaw-thrust maneuver
Rationale: In an unresponsive trauma patient with a suspected spinal injury, the
immediate priority is to open the airway using the jaw-thrust maneuver without head
extension. This clears the airway while maintaining cervical spine precautions. Snoring
respirations indicate partial airway obstruction from the tongue.
2. A 42-year-old male has a gunshot wound to the right upper chest. He is
hypotensive with jugular vein distension and muffled heart sounds. What is the
most likely diagnosis?
• A) Tension pneumothorax
• B) Cardiac tamponade
• C) Hemothorax
• D) Aortic rupture
Correct Answer: B) Cardiac tamponade
,Rationale: This patient is presenting with Beck's Triad: muffled heart sounds, jugular
venous distension (JVD), and hypotension. Cardiac tamponade occurs when blood
accumulates in the pericardial sac, compressing the heart and reducing cardiac output.
This is a life-threatening emergency requiring rapid transport.
3. A 28-year-old female was attacked and has a knife wound to her left lower
abdomen. She has a loop of intestine protruding from the wound. How should you
manage this?
• A) Push the intestine back into the abdomen
• B) Cover it with a dry sterile dressing
• C) Cover it with a moist sterile dressing
• D) Apply direct pressure to the intestine
Correct Answer: C) Cover it with a moist sterile dressing
Rationale: An evisceration (protruding intestine) should never be pushed back in. It should
be covered with a sterile dressing moistened with sterile saline to prevent the tissue from
drying out and becoming necrotic. This is followed by a dry dressing and an occlusive
dressing to keep it warm and moist.
4. A 55-year-old male is involved in a head-on collision. He has bruising across his
chest in a seatbelt pattern and is complaining of severe chest pain. His respiratory
rate is 28 and shallow. Which injury should you suspect?
• A) Flail chest
• B) Pulmonary contusion
• C) Hemothorax
• D) Myocardial contusion
Correct Answer: B) Pulmonary contusion
Rationale: A pulmonary contusion is a bruise of the lung tissue, commonly caused by blunt
trauma to the chest (such as a steering wheel or seatbelt injury). It presents with chest
pain, tachypnea, and hypoxia. The bruising pattern and mechanism make this the most
likely injury.
,5. A 30-year-old male fell 20 feet from a scaffolding. He is complaining of severe
back pain and cannot move his legs. What is the most appropriate method to
immobilize this patient?
• A) Apply a cervical collar only
• B) Place him on a long spine board with a cervical collar
• C) Place him in a sitting position with a cervical collar
• D) Use a vacuum mattress without a cervical collar
Correct Answer: B) Place him on a long spine board with a cervical collar
Rationale: A patient with a suspected spinal injury and neurological deficit (inability to
move legs) requires full spinal immobilization. This includes a cervical collar and
placement on a long spine board to prevent any movement during transport.
6. A 22-year-old male has a deep laceration to his forearm that is spurting bright
red blood. You have applied direct pressure, but bleeding continues. What is your
next action?
• A) Apply a pressure point to the brachial artery
• B) Apply a tourniquet proximal to the wound
• C) Elevate the arm above the heart
• D) Apply a hemostatic dressing
Correct Answer: B) Apply a tourniquet proximal to the wound
Rationale: When direct pressure fails to control life-threatening arterial hemorrhage, a
tourniquet is the next definitive step. It should be applied 2-3 inches proximal to the
wound (or "high and tight") to occlude arterial flow. Time of application must be
documented.
7. A 48-year-old female has a burn on her right leg from a grease fire. The burn is
red, painful, and has blisters. What type of burn is this?
, • A) Superficial (1st degree)
• B) Partial-thickness (2nd degree)
• C) Full-thickness (3rd degree)
• D) Deep partial-thickness
Correct Answer: B) Partial-thickness (2nd degree)
Rationale: A partial-thickness (2nd degree) burn is characterized by redness, pain, swelling,
and blister formation. The blisters indicate damage to the epidermis and the upper layers
of the dermis. This is the most painful type of burn.
8. A 60-year-old male has a suspected basilar skull fracture after a fall. Which of
the following findings would support this diagnosis?
• A) Periorbital ecchymosis
• B) Battle's sign
• C) Hemotympanum
• D) All of the above
Correct Answer: D) All of the above
Rationale: All three are classic signs of a basilar skull fracture. Periorbital ecchymosis
(raccoon eyes) is bruising around the eyes. Battle's sign is bruising behind the ears.
Hemotympanum is blood behind the eardrum. These indicate a fracture at the base of the
skull.
9. A 32-year-old male is stabbed in the chest. You note a sucking sound coming
from the wound during inhalation. What is the most appropriate dressing for this
wound?
• A) Dry sterile gauze
• B) Occlusive dressing taped on three sides
• C) Occlusive dressing taped on all four sides
• D) Hemostatic dressing
Correct Answer: B) Occlusive dressing taped on three sides
