ATLS10 || ATLS Post Tests || ATLS Practice 2026/2027 || ATLS PRE
TEST || ATLS Written Review {BUNDLE 2026/2027}
EXAM
1. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has a suspected cervical spine injury; which handling principle is most appropriate?
A. rotate the neck repeatedly
B. remove all precautions immediately
✓ C. maintain spinal motion restriction while airway and other life threats are addressed
D. force the neck into flexion
Rationale: Spinal motion restriction helps limit secondary injury while life-threatening problems are managed.
2. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient has
abdominal tenderness and shock after blunt injury; what should be assumed until proven
otherwise?
A. the abdomen is definitely uninjured
✓ B. significant internal hemorrhage is possible
C. bleeding can be excluded by inspection alone
D. pain must be musculoskeletal
Rationale: Blunt abdominal trauma with shock can represent internal bleeding even when external findings are
limited.
3. During a high-priority assessment, a patient with chest trauma has severe respiratory
distress and hypotension; which bedside assessment is most immediately useful?
A. detailed vaccination history before resuscitation
B. elective outpatient laboratory testing
C. complete dietary history
✓ D. rapid assessment of breath sounds, chest movement, and circulation
,Rationale: Rapid bedside assessment identifies immediately reversible chest and circulatory threats during
trauma resuscitation.
4. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient becomes hypotensive with pelvic instability after a high-energy collision; which
intervention is most appropriate while definitive management is arranged?
A. encourage walking
B. repeatedly manipulate the pelvis to test instability
✓ C. apply a pelvic binder when indicated and continue hemorrhage-focused resuscitation
D. delay stabilization until discharge
Rationale: Pelvic stabilization can reduce pelvic volume and movement and may help limit hemorrhage while
definitive care is arranged.
5. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A patient with major
trauma is cold, acidotic, and coagulopathic; which concept is most important?
✓ A. prevent and correct hypothermia while controlling hemorrhage and supporting coagulation
B. ignore temperature during resuscitation
C. intentionally induce severe hypothermia
D. withhold all hemorrhage control
Rationale: Hypothermia worsens trauma-associated coagulopathy, so temperature control is part of
damage-control resuscitation.
6. During a high-priority assessment, a patient with severe head trauma has declining
consciousness; which finding most strongly suggests increased intracranial pressure?
✓ A. progressive decrease in level of consciousness
B. isolated superficial abrasion
C. mild localized bruising
D. normal neurologic examination
Rationale: A declining level of consciousness is an important warning sign of intracranial pathology and rising
intracranial pressure.
,7. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has hypotension, distended neck veins, and markedly decreased breath sounds on one
side; which condition should be suspected?
A. isolated wrist fracture
✓ B. tension pneumothorax
C. simple concussion
D. uncomplicated dehydration
Rationale: The combination of shock physiology, unilateral absent breath sounds, and obstructive signs is
classic for tension pneumothorax.
8. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient requires
transfer to a higher-level trauma center; which principle should guide the decision?
A. delay transfer until all minor injuries are treated
✓ B. transfer when definitive care needs exceed the current facility's capabilities
C. transfer every patient regardless of stability
D. transfer only after symptoms resolve
Rationale: Trauma systems prioritize timely transfer when the patient's injuries require resources or expertise
unavailable locally.
9. During a high-priority assessment, a severely injured patient arrives with airway compromise
and facial trauma; which initial priority best follows trauma resuscitation principles?
A. delay airway management until imaging is complete
B. treat minor extremity wounds first
✓ C. secure and assess the airway while protecting the cervical spine
D. obtain a detailed family history first
Rationale: Airway and cervical-spine protection are immediate priorities because failure to oxygenate can rapidly
become fatal.
10. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has external hemorrhage from a limb; which intervention should occur rapidly when
, direct pressure is insufficient?
A. encourage ambulation
B. delay bleeding control until laboratory results return
✓ C. apply an appropriate tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding
D. remove the dressing repeatedly to inspect the wound
Rationale: Life-threatening extremity hemorrhage requires rapid hemorrhage control, including tourniquet use
when indicated.
11. A clinician is reviewing a new case when careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient
has external hemorrhage from a limb; which intervention should occur rapidly when direct
pressure is insufficient?
A. delay bleeding control until laboratory results return
B. remove the dressing repeatedly to inspect the wound
C. encourage ambulation
✓ D. apply an appropriate tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding
Rationale: Life-threatening extremity hemorrhage requires rapid hemorrhage control, including tourniquet use
when indicated.
12. A clinician is reviewing a new case when a trauma patient has hypotension, distended neck
veins, and markedly decreased breath sounds on one side; which condition should be
suspected?
A. isolated wrist fracture
B. simple concussion
✓ C. tension pneumothorax
D. uncomplicated dehydration
Rationale: The combination of shock physiology, unilateral absent breath sounds, and obstructive signs is
classic for tension pneumothorax.
13. A clinician is reviewing a new case when the practitioner must select the best answer. A
trauma patient has a suspected cervical spine injury; which handling principle is most
TEST || ATLS Written Review {BUNDLE 2026/2027}
EXAM
1. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has a suspected cervical spine injury; which handling principle is most appropriate?
A. rotate the neck repeatedly
B. remove all precautions immediately
✓ C. maintain spinal motion restriction while airway and other life threats are addressed
D. force the neck into flexion
Rationale: Spinal motion restriction helps limit secondary injury while life-threatening problems are managed.
2. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient has
abdominal tenderness and shock after blunt injury; what should be assumed until proven
otherwise?
A. the abdomen is definitely uninjured
✓ B. significant internal hemorrhage is possible
C. bleeding can be excluded by inspection alone
D. pain must be musculoskeletal
Rationale: Blunt abdominal trauma with shock can represent internal bleeding even when external findings are
limited.
3. During a high-priority assessment, a patient with chest trauma has severe respiratory
distress and hypotension; which bedside assessment is most immediately useful?
A. detailed vaccination history before resuscitation
B. elective outpatient laboratory testing
C. complete dietary history
✓ D. rapid assessment of breath sounds, chest movement, and circulation
,Rationale: Rapid bedside assessment identifies immediately reversible chest and circulatory threats during
trauma resuscitation.
4. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient becomes hypotensive with pelvic instability after a high-energy collision; which
intervention is most appropriate while definitive management is arranged?
A. encourage walking
B. repeatedly manipulate the pelvis to test instability
✓ C. apply a pelvic binder when indicated and continue hemorrhage-focused resuscitation
D. delay stabilization until discharge
Rationale: Pelvic stabilization can reduce pelvic volume and movement and may help limit hemorrhage while
definitive care is arranged.
5. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A patient with major
trauma is cold, acidotic, and coagulopathic; which concept is most important?
✓ A. prevent and correct hypothermia while controlling hemorrhage and supporting coagulation
B. ignore temperature during resuscitation
C. intentionally induce severe hypothermia
D. withhold all hemorrhage control
Rationale: Hypothermia worsens trauma-associated coagulopathy, so temperature control is part of
damage-control resuscitation.
6. During a high-priority assessment, a patient with severe head trauma has declining
consciousness; which finding most strongly suggests increased intracranial pressure?
✓ A. progressive decrease in level of consciousness
B. isolated superficial abrasion
C. mild localized bruising
D. normal neurologic examination
Rationale: A declining level of consciousness is an important warning sign of intracranial pathology and rising
intracranial pressure.
,7. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has hypotension, distended neck veins, and markedly decreased breath sounds on one
side; which condition should be suspected?
A. isolated wrist fracture
✓ B. tension pneumothorax
C. simple concussion
D. uncomplicated dehydration
Rationale: The combination of shock physiology, unilateral absent breath sounds, and obstructive signs is
classic for tension pneumothorax.
8. During a high-priority assessment, careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient requires
transfer to a higher-level trauma center; which principle should guide the decision?
A. delay transfer until all minor injuries are treated
✓ B. transfer when definitive care needs exceed the current facility's capabilities
C. transfer every patient regardless of stability
D. transfer only after symptoms resolve
Rationale: Trauma systems prioritize timely transfer when the patient's injuries require resources or expertise
unavailable locally.
9. During a high-priority assessment, a severely injured patient arrives with airway compromise
and facial trauma; which initial priority best follows trauma resuscitation principles?
A. delay airway management until imaging is complete
B. treat minor extremity wounds first
✓ C. secure and assess the airway while protecting the cervical spine
D. obtain a detailed family history first
Rationale: Airway and cervical-spine protection are immediate priorities because failure to oxygenate can rapidly
become fatal.
10. During a high-priority assessment, the practitioner must select the best answer. A trauma
patient has external hemorrhage from a limb; which intervention should occur rapidly when
, direct pressure is insufficient?
A. encourage ambulation
B. delay bleeding control until laboratory results return
✓ C. apply an appropriate tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding
D. remove the dressing repeatedly to inspect the wound
Rationale: Life-threatening extremity hemorrhage requires rapid hemorrhage control, including tourniquet use
when indicated.
11. A clinician is reviewing a new case when careful prioritization is required. A trauma patient
has external hemorrhage from a limb; which intervention should occur rapidly when direct
pressure is insufficient?
A. delay bleeding control until laboratory results return
B. remove the dressing repeatedly to inspect the wound
C. encourage ambulation
✓ D. apply an appropriate tourniquet for life-threatening extremity bleeding
Rationale: Life-threatening extremity hemorrhage requires rapid hemorrhage control, including tourniquet use
when indicated.
12. A clinician is reviewing a new case when a trauma patient has hypotension, distended neck
veins, and markedly decreased breath sounds on one side; which condition should be
suspected?
A. isolated wrist fracture
B. simple concussion
✓ C. tension pneumothorax
D. uncomplicated dehydration
Rationale: The combination of shock physiology, unilateral absent breath sounds, and obstructive signs is
classic for tension pneumothorax.
13. A clinician is reviewing a new case when the practitioner must select the best answer. A
trauma patient has a suspected cervical spine injury; which handling principle is most
