PHTLS and Trauma
Review Exam
Questions and
Complete Solutions
Graded A+
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,How many people die from trauma annually? - Answer: Over 5 million
What is the leading cause of trauma deaths? - Answer: MVA
Where do over 90% of trauma deaths occur? - Answer: Low-middle income countries
What is the leading cause of death in people aged 1-44? - Answer: Trauma
What are the goals of PHTLS? - Answer: Reduce morbidity and mortality from trauma, and provide
appropriate care to the patient in the field
What is the PHTLS philosophy? - Answer: Deliver the patient to the right facility, utilizing the right mode
of transportation, in the right amount of time, as safely as possible
What are the components of scene assessment? - Answer: Safety, pre-arrival information, arrival on-
scene, MOI, and patients
What is paramount for scene assessment? - Answer: Personal and Personnel safety
What is the global view? - Answer: What you get before you get out of your vehicle
What is the goal of the Primary Survey? - Answer: To immediately identify life threatening situations and
manage them as they are identified
What are the components of the Primary Survey? - Answer: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability,
Exposure
When does assessment of the incident begin? - Answer: Before arriving at the patient's side
The findings of the scene assessment and primary survey help to determine what? - Answer: If the
patient is sick, not yet sick, or not sick
,When should the secondary survey be completed? - Answer: Only if time and situation permit
What are the components of the secondary survey? - Answer: Vital signs, History, Physical Examination,
Treatment, Level of Care, Transportation, and Communication
What are the components of a radio report? - Answer: Timely, Scene Description, Number of Patients,
Current Patient Status, Treatment Provided, ETA
What is a tracheal consideration with pediatric patients in regards to ET intubation? - Answer: Potential
for right main-stem intubation
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the trauma patient? - Answer: The tongue
When are basic maneuvers applied in regards to trauma airway management? - Answer: First
When are advanced airway maneuvers performed for trauma patients? - Answer: After basic, only if
needed
What is the goal of managing a patient's airway? - Answer: Maintain an open and patent airway that
allows for adequate breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation
What does airway management entail? - Answer: Anticipating difficulties and planning for alternate
methods of airway control
What is always the first airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - Answer: Trauma Jaw Thrust / Chin
Lift
What should be considered second for maintaining a patent airway in a trauma patient? - Answer: OPA
or NPA
, What adjunct should be considered third for airway management in the trauma patient? - Answer:
Supra-Glottic Airways
When should glottic airways be considered? - Answer: After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and Supra-Glottic
airways have failed
What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - Answer: Decreased LOC (GCS<8),
Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper airway burns, Signs of pending airway obstructions
Which type of airway management should be considered last? - Answer: Surgical
What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - Answer: One physiological and
mechanical method
When the patient's breathing draws your attention, you should: - Answer: Assume there is a problem
until proven otherwise
What are some signs and symptoms you are looking for in a trauma patient's breathing assessment? -
Answer: Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement, sucking chest
wound
What are some signs and symptoms you are feeling for in a trauma patient's breathing assessment? -
Answer: Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema
What is the biggest difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? - Answer: A tension
pneumothorax has a hemodynamic compromise
Which ribs are most at risk for rib fractures? - Answer: Ribs 4-8 laterally
What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - Answer: Fractures to ribs 4-8
What are common complaints of rib fractures? - Answer: Pain and Shortness of Breath
Review Exam
Questions and
Complete Solutions
Graded A+
Denning [Date] [Course title]
,How many people die from trauma annually? - Answer: Over 5 million
What is the leading cause of trauma deaths? - Answer: MVA
Where do over 90% of trauma deaths occur? - Answer: Low-middle income countries
What is the leading cause of death in people aged 1-44? - Answer: Trauma
What are the goals of PHTLS? - Answer: Reduce morbidity and mortality from trauma, and provide
appropriate care to the patient in the field
What is the PHTLS philosophy? - Answer: Deliver the patient to the right facility, utilizing the right mode
of transportation, in the right amount of time, as safely as possible
What are the components of scene assessment? - Answer: Safety, pre-arrival information, arrival on-
scene, MOI, and patients
What is paramount for scene assessment? - Answer: Personal and Personnel safety
What is the global view? - Answer: What you get before you get out of your vehicle
What is the goal of the Primary Survey? - Answer: To immediately identify life threatening situations and
manage them as they are identified
What are the components of the Primary Survey? - Answer: Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability,
Exposure
When does assessment of the incident begin? - Answer: Before arriving at the patient's side
The findings of the scene assessment and primary survey help to determine what? - Answer: If the
patient is sick, not yet sick, or not sick
,When should the secondary survey be completed? - Answer: Only if time and situation permit
What are the components of the secondary survey? - Answer: Vital signs, History, Physical Examination,
Treatment, Level of Care, Transportation, and Communication
What are the components of a radio report? - Answer: Timely, Scene Description, Number of Patients,
Current Patient Status, Treatment Provided, ETA
What is a tracheal consideration with pediatric patients in regards to ET intubation? - Answer: Potential
for right main-stem intubation
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the trauma patient? - Answer: The tongue
When are basic maneuvers applied in regards to trauma airway management? - Answer: First
When are advanced airway maneuvers performed for trauma patients? - Answer: After basic, only if
needed
What is the goal of managing a patient's airway? - Answer: Maintain an open and patent airway that
allows for adequate breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation
What does airway management entail? - Answer: Anticipating difficulties and planning for alternate
methods of airway control
What is always the first airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - Answer: Trauma Jaw Thrust / Chin
Lift
What should be considered second for maintaining a patent airway in a trauma patient? - Answer: OPA
or NPA
, What adjunct should be considered third for airway management in the trauma patient? - Answer:
Supra-Glottic Airways
When should glottic airways be considered? - Answer: After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and Supra-Glottic
airways have failed
What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - Answer: Decreased LOC (GCS<8),
Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper airway burns, Signs of pending airway obstructions
Which type of airway management should be considered last? - Answer: Surgical
What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - Answer: One physiological and
mechanical method
When the patient's breathing draws your attention, you should: - Answer: Assume there is a problem
until proven otherwise
What are some signs and symptoms you are looking for in a trauma patient's breathing assessment? -
Answer: Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement, sucking chest
wound
What are some signs and symptoms you are feeling for in a trauma patient's breathing assessment? -
Answer: Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema
What is the biggest difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? - Answer: A tension
pneumothorax has a hemodynamic compromise
Which ribs are most at risk for rib fractures? - Answer: Ribs 4-8 laterally
What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - Answer: Fractures to ribs 4-8
What are common complaints of rib fractures? - Answer: Pain and Shortness of Breath
