HIGH ACUITY NURSING STUDY GUIDE
SUMMARY WITH SOLVED QUESTIONS
EXAM READY 2026
• prehospital management of a trauma patient . Answer: -maintain
airway
-ensure adequate ventilation
-control external bleeding and prevent shock
-maintain spine immobilization
-transport to closest appropriate facility
• primary survey . Answer: -airway, breathing, ventilation, and life
threatening injuries identified
• secondary survey . Answer: detailed head to toe, plan for appropriate
diagnostic tests
• tertiary survey . Answer: -done on admission to ICU
-another head to toe, assess response to interventions, labs and x-rays
reviewed
• crystalloids . Answer: -expand volume status
-isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic
,-typically at least 2L of isotonic (NS and LR)
• colloids . Answer: -rapid volume expander
-albumin, dextran, hetastarch
• when do we give blood products in a trauma pt? . Answer: when
hemodynamically unstable or are showing signs of tissue hypoxia
despite crystalloid infusion
• stage 1 of damage control . Answer: -stop hemorrhage
-control contamination
-closure methods to close wounds temporarily
• stage 2 of damage control . Answer: correct physiologic abnormalities
in the ICU by warming and ensuring adequate resuscitation; correcting
coagulopathy
• stage 3 of damage control . Answer: -definitive operative management
-final stage
• priority for thoracic trauma . Answer: airway management
• examples of life threatening injuries that would be addressed during
primary survey (thoracic trauma) . Answer: -airway obstruction
-pneumothorax
, -cardiac tamponade
-flail chest
• what is flail chest? . Answer:
• examples of injuries addressed during secondary survey (thoracic
trauma) . Answer: -aortic disruption
-tracheobronchial disruption
-myocardial contusion
-diaphragm tear
-esophageal disruption
-pulmonary contusion
• true or false. pelvic fractures are low priority. . Answer: false
• most common cause of abdominal trauma is... . Answer: MVC
-followed by assaults, falls, pedestrian-MVC, and industrial accidents
• indications of visceral damage to the abdomen . Answer: -abdominal
tenderness or guarding
-hemodynamic instability
-lumbar spine injury
-pelvic fracture
-retroperitoneal or intraperitoneal air
SUMMARY WITH SOLVED QUESTIONS
EXAM READY 2026
• prehospital management of a trauma patient . Answer: -maintain
airway
-ensure adequate ventilation
-control external bleeding and prevent shock
-maintain spine immobilization
-transport to closest appropriate facility
• primary survey . Answer: -airway, breathing, ventilation, and life
threatening injuries identified
• secondary survey . Answer: detailed head to toe, plan for appropriate
diagnostic tests
• tertiary survey . Answer: -done on admission to ICU
-another head to toe, assess response to interventions, labs and x-rays
reviewed
• crystalloids . Answer: -expand volume status
-isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic
,-typically at least 2L of isotonic (NS and LR)
• colloids . Answer: -rapid volume expander
-albumin, dextran, hetastarch
• when do we give blood products in a trauma pt? . Answer: when
hemodynamically unstable or are showing signs of tissue hypoxia
despite crystalloid infusion
• stage 1 of damage control . Answer: -stop hemorrhage
-control contamination
-closure methods to close wounds temporarily
• stage 2 of damage control . Answer: correct physiologic abnormalities
in the ICU by warming and ensuring adequate resuscitation; correcting
coagulopathy
• stage 3 of damage control . Answer: -definitive operative management
-final stage
• priority for thoracic trauma . Answer: airway management
• examples of life threatening injuries that would be addressed during
primary survey (thoracic trauma) . Answer: -airway obstruction
-pneumothorax
, -cardiac tamponade
-flail chest
• what is flail chest? . Answer:
• examples of injuries addressed during secondary survey (thoracic
trauma) . Answer: -aortic disruption
-tracheobronchial disruption
-myocardial contusion
-diaphragm tear
-esophageal disruption
-pulmonary contusion
• true or false. pelvic fractures are low priority. . Answer: false
• most common cause of abdominal trauma is... . Answer: MVC
-followed by assaults, falls, pedestrian-MVC, and industrial accidents
• indications of visceral damage to the abdomen . Answer: -abdominal
tenderness or guarding
-hemodynamic instability
-lumbar spine injury
-pelvic fracture
-retroperitoneal or intraperitoneal air
