Page 1 of 212
PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support) Exam
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS
LATEST UPDATED VERSION JUST RELEASED
RECENTLY
Question: Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result
from one of these:
A) Blood loss
B) Spinal injury
C) Cardiac tamponade
D) Tension pneumothorax - ANSWER✔✔A) Blood loss
Question: Bilateral femur fractures are most often associated with this type of motorcycle
crash? - ANSWER✔✔Head-on impact
Question: _____Medication used by trauma patients for preexisting conditions may _____?
A) Herbal preparations may enhance blood clotting.
B) Anti-inflammatory agents may enhance blood clotting.
C) Beta blockers may prevent tachycardia with blood loss.
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D) Calcium channel blockers may slow the onset of shock. - ANSWER✔✔C) Beta blockers may
prevent tachycardia with blood loss
Question: You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which a vehicle struck a tree.
This is the best indicator of potential injury?
A) Height of the tree
B) Mass of the vehicle
C) Speed of the vehicle
D) Circumference of the tree - ANSWER✔✔C) Speed of the vehicle
Q:Your EMS unit is en route to the scene of an assault. Dispatch information indicates law
enforcement has not yet arrived on the scene. This is the safest approach to this situation -
ANSWER✔✔staging at a safe location away from the scene until law enforcement advises the
scene is safe
Question: The most immediate life-threatening condition resulting from injury to solid
abdominal organs: - ANSWER✔✔Hemorrhaging
Question: The most important indicator of a serious injury in a victim of a shotgun wound.
A) The position of the victim when shot with the gun
B) The total weight of the projectile shot from the gun
C) Distance between the victim and the gun when shot
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D) Velocity of the projectile leaving the gun when shot - ANSWER✔✔C) Distance between the
victim and the gun when shot
Question: The most common cause of injury in pediatric patients less than 10 years of age: -
ANSWER✔✔Falls
Question: This best explains the mechanism by which gas exchange is impaired in pulmonary
contusion.
A) Blood in the alveoli
B) Collapse of the alveoli
C) Compression of the lung tissue
D) Partial occlusion of the bronchi - ANSWER✔✔A) Blood in the alveoli
Question: A sign of ventilatory inadequacy in a trauma patient?
A) Equal breath sounds
B) Ventilatory rate of 12
C) Speaking in short bursts
D) Sp02 of 95% on room air - ANSWER✔✔C) Speaking in short bursts
Question: The most common cause of upper airway obstruction in the trauma patient?
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A) Teeth
B) Blood
C) Tongue
D) Vomitus - ANSWER✔✔C) Tongue
Question: The most significant complication of prolonged suctioning of trauma patients?
A) Hypoxia
B) Bradypnea
C) Bradycardia
D) Hypercarbia - ANSWER✔✔A) Hypoxia
Question: Of these choices this is the most important reason to maintain an open airway in the
trauma patient?
A) To prevent snoring respirations
B) To prevent aspiration and pneumonia
C) To prevent hypoxemia and hypercarbia
D) To prevent the tongue from blocking the pharynx - ANSWER✔✔C) To prevent hypoxemia and
hypercarbia
Question: A specific signs of inhalation injury:
PHTLS (Prehospital Trauma Life Support) Exam
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED SOLUTIONS
LATEST UPDATED VERSION JUST RELEASED
RECENTLY
Question: Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result
from one of these:
A) Blood loss
B) Spinal injury
C) Cardiac tamponade
D) Tension pneumothorax - ANSWER✔✔A) Blood loss
Question: Bilateral femur fractures are most often associated with this type of motorcycle
crash? - ANSWER✔✔Head-on impact
Question: _____Medication used by trauma patients for preexisting conditions may _____?
A) Herbal preparations may enhance blood clotting.
B) Anti-inflammatory agents may enhance blood clotting.
C) Beta blockers may prevent tachycardia with blood loss.
, Page 2 of 212
D) Calcium channel blockers may slow the onset of shock. - ANSWER✔✔C) Beta blockers may
prevent tachycardia with blood loss
Question: You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which a vehicle struck a tree.
This is the best indicator of potential injury?
A) Height of the tree
B) Mass of the vehicle
C) Speed of the vehicle
D) Circumference of the tree - ANSWER✔✔C) Speed of the vehicle
Q:Your EMS unit is en route to the scene of an assault. Dispatch information indicates law
enforcement has not yet arrived on the scene. This is the safest approach to this situation -
ANSWER✔✔staging at a safe location away from the scene until law enforcement advises the
scene is safe
Question: The most immediate life-threatening condition resulting from injury to solid
abdominal organs: - ANSWER✔✔Hemorrhaging
Question: The most important indicator of a serious injury in a victim of a shotgun wound.
A) The position of the victim when shot with the gun
B) The total weight of the projectile shot from the gun
C) Distance between the victim and the gun when shot
, Page 3 of 212
D) Velocity of the projectile leaving the gun when shot - ANSWER✔✔C) Distance between the
victim and the gun when shot
Question: The most common cause of injury in pediatric patients less than 10 years of age: -
ANSWER✔✔Falls
Question: This best explains the mechanism by which gas exchange is impaired in pulmonary
contusion.
A) Blood in the alveoli
B) Collapse of the alveoli
C) Compression of the lung tissue
D) Partial occlusion of the bronchi - ANSWER✔✔A) Blood in the alveoli
Question: A sign of ventilatory inadequacy in a trauma patient?
A) Equal breath sounds
B) Ventilatory rate of 12
C) Speaking in short bursts
D) Sp02 of 95% on room air - ANSWER✔✔C) Speaking in short bursts
Question: The most common cause of upper airway obstruction in the trauma patient?
, Page 4 of 212
A) Teeth
B) Blood
C) Tongue
D) Vomitus - ANSWER✔✔C) Tongue
Question: The most significant complication of prolonged suctioning of trauma patients?
A) Hypoxia
B) Bradypnea
C) Bradycardia
D) Hypercarbia - ANSWER✔✔A) Hypoxia
Question: Of these choices this is the most important reason to maintain an open airway in the
trauma patient?
A) To prevent snoring respirations
B) To prevent aspiration and pneumonia
C) To prevent hypoxemia and hypercarbia
D) To prevent the tongue from blocking the pharynx - ANSWER✔✔C) To prevent hypoxemia and
hypercarbia
Question: A specific signs of inhalation injury:
