PHTLS Pre & Post Test ATLS exam
Questions and Answers Latest 2026
Top Rated A+
Deterioration of ventilation and oxygenation after inflation of a PASG
in a patient who has sustained a high-pressure compression injury of
the abdomen, such as a sudden deceleration with the lap belt placed
across the abdomen, most likely represents which of the following
injuries?
A. Abdominal aortic aneurysm
B. Ruptured diaphragm
C. Ruptured esophagus
D. "Paper bag" syndrome of the lungs
B. Ruptured diaphragm
Which of the following is NOT a component of the Fick Principle?
A. Adequate number of platelets in the blood
B. Oxygenation of red blood cells
C. Transportation of red blood cells to the tissues of the body
D. Off-loading oxygen from the red blood cells to the tissues
A. Adequate number of platelets in the blood
One of the earliest signs of hypovolemic shock is:
A. Hypotension
B. Bradycardia
C. Anxiety
D. Reduced urine output
C. Anxiety
Which of the following characterizes the washout phase of shock?
A. Systemic acidosis
B. Localized tissue acidosis
,C. Edema
D. Reduced capillary blood flow
A. Systemic acidosis
A trauma patient who has fallen 20 feet from an apartment balcony is
alert with warm, dry, pink skin, with normal capillary refilling time to
the lower extremities, and is hypotensive. The upper extremities are
cool, pale and diaphoretic. Which of the following injuries should be
suspected?
A. Aortic dissection
B. Liver laceration
C. Fractured pelvis
D. Spinal cord injury
D. Spinal cord injury
Which of the following is a limitation of prehospital fluid resuscitation
of the patient in hemorrhagic shock?
A. Inability of fluids to carry oxygen
B. Pulmonary edema
C. Increased hemorrhage
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Which of the following statements regarding signs of intraabdominal
injury is NOT true?
A. Fresh blood in the abdominal cavity does not cause signs of
peritonitis
B. A significant amount of blood loss occurs before abdominal
distention can be noticed
C. Substantial intraabdominal hemorrhage always causes tenderness
and abdominal rigidity
D. Signs and symptoms of shock greater than can be explained by
other injuries is a reliable indicator of intraabdominal injury
C. Substantial intraabdominal hemorrhage always causes tenderness and
abdominal rigidity
Which of the following assessment techniques is least useful in the
prehospital assessment of the patient with suspected intraabdominal
, trauma?
A. Palpation
B. Auscultation
C. Inspection
D. Scene assessment
B. Auscultation
Pregnant trauma patients should be placed on the left side because:
A. This prevents seizures due to eclampsia
B. This prevents abruption of the placenta
C. This prevents compression of the vena cava
D. This is the best way to auscultate fetal heart tones
C. This prevents compression of the vena cava
Survival of the fetus in a trauma situation is most dependent upon
which of the following factors?
A. Gestational age of the fetus
B. Prenatal care
C. Immediate cesarean section
D. Good resuscitation of the mother
D. Good resuscitation of the mother
A patient struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat may
sustain a cerebral contusion to which area of the brain?
A. Frontal and occipital
B. Occipital
C. Parietal
D. Frontal
B. Occipital
(probably too low velocity for Coup & Contre Coup)
In the context of the caring for an adult patient with traumatic brain
injury who is deteriorating and exhibiting signs of herniation,
hyperventilation means ventilating with a BVM and 100% oxygen at a
rate of:
A. 12 to 16 per minute
Questions and Answers Latest 2026
Top Rated A+
Deterioration of ventilation and oxygenation after inflation of a PASG
in a patient who has sustained a high-pressure compression injury of
the abdomen, such as a sudden deceleration with the lap belt placed
across the abdomen, most likely represents which of the following
injuries?
A. Abdominal aortic aneurysm
B. Ruptured diaphragm
C. Ruptured esophagus
D. "Paper bag" syndrome of the lungs
B. Ruptured diaphragm
Which of the following is NOT a component of the Fick Principle?
A. Adequate number of platelets in the blood
B. Oxygenation of red blood cells
C. Transportation of red blood cells to the tissues of the body
D. Off-loading oxygen from the red blood cells to the tissues
A. Adequate number of platelets in the blood
One of the earliest signs of hypovolemic shock is:
A. Hypotension
B. Bradycardia
C. Anxiety
D. Reduced urine output
C. Anxiety
Which of the following characterizes the washout phase of shock?
A. Systemic acidosis
B. Localized tissue acidosis
,C. Edema
D. Reduced capillary blood flow
A. Systemic acidosis
A trauma patient who has fallen 20 feet from an apartment balcony is
alert with warm, dry, pink skin, with normal capillary refilling time to
the lower extremities, and is hypotensive. The upper extremities are
cool, pale and diaphoretic. Which of the following injuries should be
suspected?
A. Aortic dissection
B. Liver laceration
C. Fractured pelvis
D. Spinal cord injury
D. Spinal cord injury
Which of the following is a limitation of prehospital fluid resuscitation
of the patient in hemorrhagic shock?
A. Inability of fluids to carry oxygen
B. Pulmonary edema
C. Increased hemorrhage
D. All of the above
D. All of the above
Which of the following statements regarding signs of intraabdominal
injury is NOT true?
A. Fresh blood in the abdominal cavity does not cause signs of
peritonitis
B. A significant amount of blood loss occurs before abdominal
distention can be noticed
C. Substantial intraabdominal hemorrhage always causes tenderness
and abdominal rigidity
D. Signs and symptoms of shock greater than can be explained by
other injuries is a reliable indicator of intraabdominal injury
C. Substantial intraabdominal hemorrhage always causes tenderness and
abdominal rigidity
Which of the following assessment techniques is least useful in the
prehospital assessment of the patient with suspected intraabdominal
, trauma?
A. Palpation
B. Auscultation
C. Inspection
D. Scene assessment
B. Auscultation
Pregnant trauma patients should be placed on the left side because:
A. This prevents seizures due to eclampsia
B. This prevents abruption of the placenta
C. This prevents compression of the vena cava
D. This is the best way to auscultate fetal heart tones
C. This prevents compression of the vena cava
Survival of the fetus in a trauma situation is most dependent upon
which of the following factors?
A. Gestational age of the fetus
B. Prenatal care
C. Immediate cesarean section
D. Good resuscitation of the mother
D. Good resuscitation of the mother
A patient struck in the back of the head with a baseball bat may
sustain a cerebral contusion to which area of the brain?
A. Frontal and occipital
B. Occipital
C. Parietal
D. Frontal
B. Occipital
(probably too low velocity for Coup & Contre Coup)
In the context of the caring for an adult patient with traumatic brain
injury who is deteriorating and exhibiting signs of herniation,
hyperventilation means ventilating with a BVM and 100% oxygen at a
rate of:
A. 12 to 16 per minute
