ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST 2/18/2026
ATLS TEST 1 TEST 2025/2026 ACTUAL
EXAM REAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left shoulder. His blood
pressure is initially 80/40 mm Hg. After initial fluid resuscitation his blood pressure increases to 122/84
mm Hg. His heart rate is now 100 beats per minute and his respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute. A
tube thoracostomy is performed for decreased left chest breath sounds with the return of a small
amount of blood and no air leak. After chest tube insertion, the most appropriate next step is:
Select one:
a.
reexamine the chest
b.
perform an aortogram
c.
obtain a CT scan of the chest
d.
obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e.
perform transesophageal echocardiography
A) Reexamine the chest
A construction worker falls two stories from a building and sustains bilateral calcaneal fractures. In the
emergency department, he is alert, vital signs are normal, and he is complaining of severe pain in both
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heels and his lower back. Lower extremity pulses are strong and there is no other deformity. The
suspected diagnosis is most likely to be confirmed by:
Select one:
a.
angiography
b.
compartment pressures
c.
retrograde urethrogram
d.
Doppler ultrasound studies
e.
complete spine x-ray series
e) Complete spine x-ray series
Which of the following is true regarding the initial resuscitation of a trauma patient?
Select one:
a.
A patient that presents with a torso gunshot wound and is hypotensive should receive crystalloid fluid
resuscitation until the blood pressure is normal
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in Glasgow coma
scale score on reevaluation
c.
Massive transfusion is defined as transfusion of more than >10 of packed red blood cells and plasma in
24 hours
d.
When tranexamic acid is administered by pre-hospital providers a second dose is required within 24
hours
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e.
Fluid resuscitation is far more important than bleeding control in trauma patients
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in Glasgow coma
scale score on reevaluation
In managing a patient with a severe traumatic brain injury, the most important initial step is to:
Select one:
a.
Secure the airway
b.
obtain a c-spine film
c.
support the circulation
d.
control scalp hemorrhage
e.
determine the GCS score
Feedback
Your answer is corr
a.
Secure the airway
A previously healthy, 70-kg (154-pound) man suffers an estimated acute blood loss of 2 liters.
Which one of the following statements applies to this patient?
Select one:
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, ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST 2/18/2026
a.
His pulse pressure will be widened.
b.
His urinary output will be at the lower limits of normal.
c.
He will have tachycardia, but no change in his systolic blood pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
e.
His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated diastolic pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
The physiologic hypervolemia of pregnancy has clinical significance in the management of the severely
injured, gravid woman by:
Select one:
a.
reducing the need for blood transfusion
b.
resulting in an elevated hematocrit
c.
complicating the management of closed head injury
d.
reducing the volume of crystalloid required for resuscitation
e.
increasing the volume of blood loss to produce maternal hypotension
e.
increasing the volume of blood loss to produce maternal hypotension
Page 4 ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST.pdf
ATLS TEST 1 TEST 2025/2026 ACTUAL
EXAM REAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH
RATIONALES
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left shoulder. His blood
pressure is initially 80/40 mm Hg. After initial fluid resuscitation his blood pressure increases to 122/84
mm Hg. His heart rate is now 100 beats per minute and his respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute. A
tube thoracostomy is performed for decreased left chest breath sounds with the return of a small
amount of blood and no air leak. After chest tube insertion, the most appropriate next step is:
Select one:
a.
reexamine the chest
b.
perform an aortogram
c.
obtain a CT scan of the chest
d.
obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e.
perform transesophageal echocardiography
A) Reexamine the chest
A construction worker falls two stories from a building and sustains bilateral calcaneal fractures. In the
emergency department, he is alert, vital signs are normal, and he is complaining of severe pain in both
Page 1 ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST.pdf
,ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST 2/18/2026
heels and his lower back. Lower extremity pulses are strong and there is no other deformity. The
suspected diagnosis is most likely to be confirmed by:
Select one:
a.
angiography
b.
compartment pressures
c.
retrograde urethrogram
d.
Doppler ultrasound studies
e.
complete spine x-ray series
e) Complete spine x-ray series
Which of the following is true regarding the initial resuscitation of a trauma patient?
Select one:
a.
A patient that presents with a torso gunshot wound and is hypotensive should receive crystalloid fluid
resuscitation until the blood pressure is normal
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in Glasgow coma
scale score on reevaluation
c.
Massive transfusion is defined as transfusion of more than >10 of packed red blood cells and plasma in
24 hours
d.
When tranexamic acid is administered by pre-hospital providers a second dose is required within 24
hours
Page 2 ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST.pdf
,ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST 2/18/2026
e.
Fluid resuscitation is far more important than bleeding control in trauma patients
b.
Evidence of improved perfusion after fluid resuscitation could include improvement in Glasgow coma
scale score on reevaluation
In managing a patient with a severe traumatic brain injury, the most important initial step is to:
Select one:
a.
Secure the airway
b.
obtain a c-spine film
c.
support the circulation
d.
control scalp hemorrhage
e.
determine the GCS score
Feedback
Your answer is corr
a.
Secure the airway
A previously healthy, 70-kg (154-pound) man suffers an estimated acute blood loss of 2 liters.
Which one of the following statements applies to this patient?
Select one:
Page 3 ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST.pdf
, ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST 2/18/2026
a.
His pulse pressure will be widened.
b.
His urinary output will be at the lower limits of normal.
c.
He will have tachycardia, but no change in his systolic blood pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
e.
His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated diastolic pressure.
d.
An ABG would demonstrate a base deficit between -6 and -10 mEq/L
The physiologic hypervolemia of pregnancy has clinical significance in the management of the severely
injured, gravid woman by:
Select one:
a.
reducing the need for blood transfusion
b.
resulting in an elevated hematocrit
c.
complicating the management of closed head injury
d.
reducing the volume of crystalloid required for resuscitation
e.
increasing the volume of blood loss to produce maternal hypotension
e.
increasing the volume of blood loss to produce maternal hypotension
Page 4 ATLS EXAM, ATLS POST & PRE TEST.pdf
