PHTLS Pre-Test Questions &
Answers14
An adult pt has an open angulated injury to the left lower leg. Distal pulses are absent. Why
should you attempt to realign the extremity? - ANSWERS-Restore blood flow
A 42 year old female has been pulled from a smoke- filled apartment. Her mouth and nose are
covered in soot. She has a weak hoarse cry with inspiratory strider. What should you do? -
ANSWERS-Prepare for a difficult intubation
A 29 year old male falls 17ft (5m) to the ground from a tree. He complains of pain with
movement and pain on the right side of his chest when he breathes. You note accessory muscle
use, focal tenderness, bony crepitus and absent breath sounds on his right side. What should
you suspect? - ANSWERS-Simple pneumothorax
A 29 year old male was injured in a high speed motor vehicle collision with lateral impact and
intrusion into the side of a sedan. He has pale and diaphoretic skin, appears anxious, and is
coughing up blood- tinged sputum. He complains of chest pain, has decreased breath sounds on
the left lateral side, has crepitus on palpation of his ribs, and his jugular veins are flat. Vital signs
are; BP 88/56 P 120 RR24 SPO 92%. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Hemothorax
Which is an early finding in compartment syndrome - ANSWERS-Pain
A 20 year old male was hit in the chest with a baseball bat. He complains of severe pain and
tenderness on the left side. He is unable to take a deep breath. Vital signs are BP 112/76 P 98 RR
20 SPO 98 ETCO2 38 mmHg. What should you do? - ANSWERS-Administer 100mcg Fentanyl
, A 26 y.o. M is supine on the ground. He was assaulted and has obvious head and facial trauma.
He has snoring respirations at a rate of 8 per minute. What should you do? - ANSWERS-Perform
a modified jaw thrust
A 28 year old female suffered a head injury after falling from a horse. Her Glasgow coma scale is
6 (E1, V1, M4) and she has snoring respirations at 8 per minute. Which should you do first? -
ANSWERS-Place an OPA
A 41 year old male was stabbed in the chest immediately below the sternum. He complains of
shortness of breath and has engorged jugular veins. Vital signs BP 108/84 P 130 RR 26. What
should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Cardiac tamponade
A 24 year old construction worker amputated his thumb. How should you manage the
amputation? - ANSWERS-Wrap it in moistened gauze
An 80 y.o. F fell down a flight of stairs 3 days ago. Today the family reports she has a headache
and is " going in and out of consciousness " Vital signs BP 170/72 RR 26 and irregular P 62 BGL
150 mg/dL. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Subdural hematoma
A 23-year-old male was skateboarding down a ramp when he flipped over and landed on his
head. He is clenching his jaw, and you are unable to insert an oral airway. He thrashes his head
when you attempt to provide BVM. His oxygen saturation is decreasing and his ET CO2 is
increasing. What is the best option to secure his airway and provide effective ventilations? -
ANSWERS-Pharmacologically assisted intubation
A 3 y.o. Female was involved in a car crash with 2 ft of intrusion into the passenger
compartment. She is crying and has an obvious deformed right humerus. Her car seat has a
crack on the side of impact. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Significant energy has been
distributed to this patient
A 27 y.o. F has multi system trauma. Which life threat is your first priority? - ANSWERS-
Significant external hemorrhage
Answers14
An adult pt has an open angulated injury to the left lower leg. Distal pulses are absent. Why
should you attempt to realign the extremity? - ANSWERS-Restore blood flow
A 42 year old female has been pulled from a smoke- filled apartment. Her mouth and nose are
covered in soot. She has a weak hoarse cry with inspiratory strider. What should you do? -
ANSWERS-Prepare for a difficult intubation
A 29 year old male falls 17ft (5m) to the ground from a tree. He complains of pain with
movement and pain on the right side of his chest when he breathes. You note accessory muscle
use, focal tenderness, bony crepitus and absent breath sounds on his right side. What should
you suspect? - ANSWERS-Simple pneumothorax
A 29 year old male was injured in a high speed motor vehicle collision with lateral impact and
intrusion into the side of a sedan. He has pale and diaphoretic skin, appears anxious, and is
coughing up blood- tinged sputum. He complains of chest pain, has decreased breath sounds on
the left lateral side, has crepitus on palpation of his ribs, and his jugular veins are flat. Vital signs
are; BP 88/56 P 120 RR24 SPO 92%. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Hemothorax
Which is an early finding in compartment syndrome - ANSWERS-Pain
A 20 year old male was hit in the chest with a baseball bat. He complains of severe pain and
tenderness on the left side. He is unable to take a deep breath. Vital signs are BP 112/76 P 98 RR
20 SPO 98 ETCO2 38 mmHg. What should you do? - ANSWERS-Administer 100mcg Fentanyl
, A 26 y.o. M is supine on the ground. He was assaulted and has obvious head and facial trauma.
He has snoring respirations at a rate of 8 per minute. What should you do? - ANSWERS-Perform
a modified jaw thrust
A 28 year old female suffered a head injury after falling from a horse. Her Glasgow coma scale is
6 (E1, V1, M4) and she has snoring respirations at 8 per minute. Which should you do first? -
ANSWERS-Place an OPA
A 41 year old male was stabbed in the chest immediately below the sternum. He complains of
shortness of breath and has engorged jugular veins. Vital signs BP 108/84 P 130 RR 26. What
should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Cardiac tamponade
A 24 year old construction worker amputated his thumb. How should you manage the
amputation? - ANSWERS-Wrap it in moistened gauze
An 80 y.o. F fell down a flight of stairs 3 days ago. Today the family reports she has a headache
and is " going in and out of consciousness " Vital signs BP 170/72 RR 26 and irregular P 62 BGL
150 mg/dL. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Subdural hematoma
A 23-year-old male was skateboarding down a ramp when he flipped over and landed on his
head. He is clenching his jaw, and you are unable to insert an oral airway. He thrashes his head
when you attempt to provide BVM. His oxygen saturation is decreasing and his ET CO2 is
increasing. What is the best option to secure his airway and provide effective ventilations? -
ANSWERS-Pharmacologically assisted intubation
A 3 y.o. Female was involved in a car crash with 2 ft of intrusion into the passenger
compartment. She is crying and has an obvious deformed right humerus. Her car seat has a
crack on the side of impact. What should you suspect? - ANSWERS-Significant energy has been
distributed to this patient
A 27 y.o. F has multi system trauma. Which life threat is your first priority? - ANSWERS-
Significant external hemorrhage
