ATLS Exam Study Set – With Complete
Questions & Answers 2025 (Graded A+)
A 17-year-old helmeted motorcyclist is struck broadside by an automobile at an
intersection. He is unconscious at the scene with a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg,
heart rate of 90 beats per minute, and respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute. His
respirations are sonorous and deep. His GCS score is 6. Immobilization of the entire
family may include the use of all the following EXCEPT:
A. Air splints
B. Bolstering devices
C. A long spine board
D. A scoop style stretcher
E. A semirigid cervical c - ANSWER - A
Which one of the following statements is FALSE concerning Rh isoimmunization in the
pregnant trauma patient?
A. It occurs in blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma
B. Minor degrees of fetomaternal hemorrhage produce it
C. A negative Kleihauer-Betke test excludes Rh isoimmunization
D. This is not a problem in the traumatized Rh-positive pregnant patient
E. Initiation of Rh immunoglobulin therapy does not require proof of fetomaternal
hemorrhage - ANSWER - C
A crosstable, lateral x-ray of the cervical spinal
A. must precede endotracheal intubation
B. Excludes serious cervical spine injury
C. Is an essential part of the primary survey
D. Is not necessary for unconscious patients with penetrating cervical injuries
E. Is unacceptable unless 7 cervical vertebrae and the C7 to T1 relationship are
visualized - ANSWER - E
Which of the following physical findings suggest a cause of hypotension other than
spinal cord injury?
A. Priapism
B. Bradycardia
C. Diaphragmatic breathing
D. Presence of deep tendon reflexes
E. Ability to flex forearms but not extend them - ANSWER - D
The primary indication for transferring a patient to a higher level trauma center is:
A. Unavailability of surgeon or operating staff
B. Multiple system injuries, including severe head injury
C. Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor
,D. Resource limitations as determined by the hospital administration
E. Widened mediastinum on chest x-ray following blunt trauma - ANSWER - C
A young man sustains a rifle would to the mid abdomen. He is brought promptly to the
ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and his systolic blood
pressure is 58 mmHg. Warmed crystalloid fluids are initiated without improvement in his
vital signs. The next, most appropriate, step is to perform:
A. A laparotomy
B. An abdominal CT scan
C. Diagnostic laparoscopy
D. Abdominal ultrasonography
E. A diagnostic peritoneal lavage - ANSWER - A
A young man sustains a gunshot wound to the abdomen and is brought promptly to the
ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and he is confused. His
pulse is thready and his femoral pulse is only weakly palpable. The definitive treatment
in managing this patient is to:
A. Administer O-negative blood
B. Apply external warming devices
C. Control internal hemorrhage operatively
D. Apply a pneumatic antishock garment (PASG)
E. Infuse large volumes of intravenous crystalloid solu - ANSWER - C
Regarding shock in the child, which of the following is FALSE?
A. Vital signs are age-related
B. Children have greater physiologic reserves than do adults
C. Tachycardia is the primary physiologic response to hypovolemia
D. The absolute volume of blood loss required to produce shock is the same as in
adults
E. An initial fluid bolus for resuscitation should approximate 20ml/kg Ringers Lactate -
ANSWER - D
A 30-year-old man sustains a severely comminuted, open, distal right femur fracture in
a motorcycle crash. The wound is actively bleeding. Normal sensation is present over
the lateral aspect of the foot but decreased over the medial foot and great toe. Normal
motion of the foot is observed. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses are easily
palpable on the left, but heard only by Doppler on the right. Immediate efforts to improve
circulation to the injured extremity should involve:
A. Immedia - ANSWER - D
An 18-year-old, unhelmeted motorcyclist is brought by ambulance to the ED following a
crash. He had decreased level of consciousness at the scene, but then was alert and
conversational during transportation. Now his GCS is only 11. Which of the following
statements is TRUE?
A. Cerebral perfusion is intact
B. Intravascular volume status is normal
, C. The patient is in a postictal state
D. Intra-abdominal visceral injury is unlikely
E. The patient probably has an acute epidural hematoma - ANSWER – E
A 42-year-old man is trapped from the waist down beneath his overturned tractor for
several hours before medical assistance arrives. He is awake and alert until just before
arriving in the emergency department. He is now unconscious and responds only to
painful stimuli by moaning. His pupils are 3 mm in diameter and symmetrically reactive
to light. Prehospital personnel indicate that they have not seen the patient move either
of his lower extremities. On examination in the emergency department, - ANSWER - A
Twenty-seven patients are seriously injured in an aircraft accident at a local airport. The
basic principle of triage should be to:
A. Treat the most severely injured patients first
B. Establish a field triage area directed by a doctor
C. Rapidly transport all patients to the nearest appropriate hospital
D. Treat the greatest number of patients in the shortest period of time
E. Produce the greatest number of survivors based on available resources - ANSWER -
E
The response to catecholamines in an injured, hypovolemic pregnant woman can be
expected to result in:
A. Placental abruption
B. Fetal hypoxia and distress
C. Fetal/maternal dysrhytmia
D. Improved uterine blood flow
E. Increased maternal renal blood flow - ANSWER - B
A 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious
fractures of the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic area, and severe dyspnea. His
heart rate is 180 beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48 breaths per minute with
no breath sounds heard in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is relieved by
immediate by immediate needle decompression and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently,
his heart rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his respiratory rate dec - ANSWER -
E
A 32-year-old man is brought to the hospital unconscious with severe facial injuries
noisy respirations after an automobile collision. In the emergency department, he has
no apparent injury to the anterior aspect of his neck. He suddenly becomes apneic, and
attempted ventilation with a face mask is unsuccessful. Examination of his mouth
reveals a large hematoma of the pharynx with loss of normal anatomic landmarks. Initial
management of his airway should consist of:
A. Inserting an oropharyngeal - ANSWER - C
Absence of breath sounds and dullness to percussion over the left hemithorax are
findings best explained by:
Questions & Answers 2025 (Graded A+)
A 17-year-old helmeted motorcyclist is struck broadside by an automobile at an
intersection. He is unconscious at the scene with a blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg,
heart rate of 90 beats per minute, and respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute. His
respirations are sonorous and deep. His GCS score is 6. Immobilization of the entire
family may include the use of all the following EXCEPT:
A. Air splints
B. Bolstering devices
C. A long spine board
D. A scoop style stretcher
E. A semirigid cervical c - ANSWER - A
Which one of the following statements is FALSE concerning Rh isoimmunization in the
pregnant trauma patient?
A. It occurs in blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma
B. Minor degrees of fetomaternal hemorrhage produce it
C. A negative Kleihauer-Betke test excludes Rh isoimmunization
D. This is not a problem in the traumatized Rh-positive pregnant patient
E. Initiation of Rh immunoglobulin therapy does not require proof of fetomaternal
hemorrhage - ANSWER - C
A crosstable, lateral x-ray of the cervical spinal
A. must precede endotracheal intubation
B. Excludes serious cervical spine injury
C. Is an essential part of the primary survey
D. Is not necessary for unconscious patients with penetrating cervical injuries
E. Is unacceptable unless 7 cervical vertebrae and the C7 to T1 relationship are
visualized - ANSWER - E
Which of the following physical findings suggest a cause of hypotension other than
spinal cord injury?
A. Priapism
B. Bradycardia
C. Diaphragmatic breathing
D. Presence of deep tendon reflexes
E. Ability to flex forearms but not extend them - ANSWER - D
The primary indication for transferring a patient to a higher level trauma center is:
A. Unavailability of surgeon or operating staff
B. Multiple system injuries, including severe head injury
C. Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor
,D. Resource limitations as determined by the hospital administration
E. Widened mediastinum on chest x-ray following blunt trauma - ANSWER - C
A young man sustains a rifle would to the mid abdomen. He is brought promptly to the
ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and his systolic blood
pressure is 58 mmHg. Warmed crystalloid fluids are initiated without improvement in his
vital signs. The next, most appropriate, step is to perform:
A. A laparotomy
B. An abdominal CT scan
C. Diagnostic laparoscopy
D. Abdominal ultrasonography
E. A diagnostic peritoneal lavage - ANSWER - A
A young man sustains a gunshot wound to the abdomen and is brought promptly to the
ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and he is confused. His
pulse is thready and his femoral pulse is only weakly palpable. The definitive treatment
in managing this patient is to:
A. Administer O-negative blood
B. Apply external warming devices
C. Control internal hemorrhage operatively
D. Apply a pneumatic antishock garment (PASG)
E. Infuse large volumes of intravenous crystalloid solu - ANSWER - C
Regarding shock in the child, which of the following is FALSE?
A. Vital signs are age-related
B. Children have greater physiologic reserves than do adults
C. Tachycardia is the primary physiologic response to hypovolemia
D. The absolute volume of blood loss required to produce shock is the same as in
adults
E. An initial fluid bolus for resuscitation should approximate 20ml/kg Ringers Lactate -
ANSWER - D
A 30-year-old man sustains a severely comminuted, open, distal right femur fracture in
a motorcycle crash. The wound is actively bleeding. Normal sensation is present over
the lateral aspect of the foot but decreased over the medial foot and great toe. Normal
motion of the foot is observed. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses are easily
palpable on the left, but heard only by Doppler on the right. Immediate efforts to improve
circulation to the injured extremity should involve:
A. Immedia - ANSWER - D
An 18-year-old, unhelmeted motorcyclist is brought by ambulance to the ED following a
crash. He had decreased level of consciousness at the scene, but then was alert and
conversational during transportation. Now his GCS is only 11. Which of the following
statements is TRUE?
A. Cerebral perfusion is intact
B. Intravascular volume status is normal
, C. The patient is in a postictal state
D. Intra-abdominal visceral injury is unlikely
E. The patient probably has an acute epidural hematoma - ANSWER – E
A 42-year-old man is trapped from the waist down beneath his overturned tractor for
several hours before medical assistance arrives. He is awake and alert until just before
arriving in the emergency department. He is now unconscious and responds only to
painful stimuli by moaning. His pupils are 3 mm in diameter and symmetrically reactive
to light. Prehospital personnel indicate that they have not seen the patient move either
of his lower extremities. On examination in the emergency department, - ANSWER - A
Twenty-seven patients are seriously injured in an aircraft accident at a local airport. The
basic principle of triage should be to:
A. Treat the most severely injured patients first
B. Establish a field triage area directed by a doctor
C. Rapidly transport all patients to the nearest appropriate hospital
D. Treat the greatest number of patients in the shortest period of time
E. Produce the greatest number of survivors based on available resources - ANSWER -
E
The response to catecholamines in an injured, hypovolemic pregnant woman can be
expected to result in:
A. Placental abruption
B. Fetal hypoxia and distress
C. Fetal/maternal dysrhytmia
D. Improved uterine blood flow
E. Increased maternal renal blood flow - ANSWER - B
A 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious
fractures of the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic area, and severe dyspnea. His
heart rate is 180 beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48 breaths per minute with
no breath sounds heard in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is relieved by
immediate by immediate needle decompression and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently,
his heart rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his respiratory rate dec - ANSWER -
E
A 32-year-old man is brought to the hospital unconscious with severe facial injuries
noisy respirations after an automobile collision. In the emergency department, he has
no apparent injury to the anterior aspect of his neck. He suddenly becomes apneic, and
attempted ventilation with a face mask is unsuccessful. Examination of his mouth
reveals a large hematoma of the pharynx with loss of normal anatomic landmarks. Initial
management of his airway should consist of:
A. Inserting an oropharyngeal - ANSWER - C
Absence of breath sounds and dullness to percussion over the left hemithorax are
findings best explained by:
