PHTLS 10TH EDITION WITH QUESTIONS,
ANSWERS AND DETAILED RATIONALES
2025-2026
1. You're called out to an assisted living facility for a 72-
year-old woman complaining of a severe headache and
experiencing increased confusion. Staff reports she fell out
of her wheelchair earlier in the week but didn't appear to be
hurt; however, she's become increasingly disoriented over
the last day or so. Vital signs show: BP 110/90; heartrate
118 and irregularly regular; ventilation rate 20 and slightly
labored; SpO2 93% on room air. She is taking warfarin for a
clotting issue. Which of the following should you suspect?
A. Cerebral contusion
B. Epidural hematoma
C. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
D. Subdural hematoma - correct answer✔✔ Question 1: D
The patient's age, use of a blood thinner, and the fact she
fell recently point to a subdural hematoma.
1. You have been performing ongoing management on a 35-
year-old female patient who sustained thoracic trauma
when a car hit her as she crossed the street. Originally, your
electronic monitoring devices all produce results consistent
with your patient's clinical condition. However, en route the
trauma center, the monitors start to differ from your
,patient's current clinical condition each time you reassess.
How should you handle this situation?
A. Treat the patient's condition, not the monitor results.
B. Continue to reassess the patient and record the results for
the trauma center.
C. Treat your patient based on the test results.
D. Stop testing and wait until you arrive at the trauma center
for them to perform an assessment. - correct answer✔✔
Question 1: A
If there are inconsistent data from electronic monitoring
devices, reassess to be sure the monitor matches the
patient's current clinical condition. However, it is most
important to treat the patient, not the monitor, so use other
signs and symptoms of potential patient deterioration.
2. You have determined that you are going to need to
perform orotracheal intubation on a 50-year-old male motor
vehicle crash (MVC) critically injured trauma patient due to
prolonged transport time. What do you need to do first?
A. Preoxygenate to maximize oxygen saturation.
B. Place the patient in a "sniffing"position.
C. Clear the mouth of any obstructions.
D. Prepare the patient for immediate transport. - correct
answer✔✔ Question 2: A
Before insertion of any invasive airway, the patient is
preoxygenated with a high concentration of oxygen using a
simple airway adjunct or manual airway procedure.
, 3. You are oxygenating a pediatric patient using a properly
fitted oxygen mask and the "squeeze-releaserelease" timing
technique. As you watch for the rise and fall of the chest,
you check end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) monitoring aiming to
maintain what level?
A. Between 40 and 45 mm Hg
B. Between 30 and 35 mm Hg
C. Between 35 and 40 mm Hg
D. The level is irrelevant because capnography is inaccurate
in pediatric patients. - correct answer✔✔ Question 3: C
The proper level to maintain is between 35 and 40 mm Hg.
4. What is one reason to use capnography as part of your
patient reassessment?
A. To get accurate readings for blood pressure
B. To assure proper ET tube placement
C. To measure arterial blood saturation
D. To ensure proper placement for needle decompression -
correct answer✔✔ Question 4: B
Capnography can monitor proper endotracheal tube
placement. It doesn't read blood pressure, so it cannot
beused to determine if a patient is hypotensive. Pulse
oximetry, not capnography, measures arterial blood
saturation. Capnography is not useful in needle
decompression.
ANSWERS AND DETAILED RATIONALES
2025-2026
1. You're called out to an assisted living facility for a 72-
year-old woman complaining of a severe headache and
experiencing increased confusion. Staff reports she fell out
of her wheelchair earlier in the week but didn't appear to be
hurt; however, she's become increasingly disoriented over
the last day or so. Vital signs show: BP 110/90; heartrate
118 and irregularly regular; ventilation rate 20 and slightly
labored; SpO2 93% on room air. She is taking warfarin for a
clotting issue. Which of the following should you suspect?
A. Cerebral contusion
B. Epidural hematoma
C. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
D. Subdural hematoma - correct answer✔✔ Question 1: D
The patient's age, use of a blood thinner, and the fact she
fell recently point to a subdural hematoma.
1. You have been performing ongoing management on a 35-
year-old female patient who sustained thoracic trauma
when a car hit her as she crossed the street. Originally, your
electronic monitoring devices all produce results consistent
with your patient's clinical condition. However, en route the
trauma center, the monitors start to differ from your
,patient's current clinical condition each time you reassess.
How should you handle this situation?
A. Treat the patient's condition, not the monitor results.
B. Continue to reassess the patient and record the results for
the trauma center.
C. Treat your patient based on the test results.
D. Stop testing and wait until you arrive at the trauma center
for them to perform an assessment. - correct answer✔✔
Question 1: A
If there are inconsistent data from electronic monitoring
devices, reassess to be sure the monitor matches the
patient's current clinical condition. However, it is most
important to treat the patient, not the monitor, so use other
signs and symptoms of potential patient deterioration.
2. You have determined that you are going to need to
perform orotracheal intubation on a 50-year-old male motor
vehicle crash (MVC) critically injured trauma patient due to
prolonged transport time. What do you need to do first?
A. Preoxygenate to maximize oxygen saturation.
B. Place the patient in a "sniffing"position.
C. Clear the mouth of any obstructions.
D. Prepare the patient for immediate transport. - correct
answer✔✔ Question 2: A
Before insertion of any invasive airway, the patient is
preoxygenated with a high concentration of oxygen using a
simple airway adjunct or manual airway procedure.
, 3. You are oxygenating a pediatric patient using a properly
fitted oxygen mask and the "squeeze-releaserelease" timing
technique. As you watch for the rise and fall of the chest,
you check end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) monitoring aiming to
maintain what level?
A. Between 40 and 45 mm Hg
B. Between 30 and 35 mm Hg
C. Between 35 and 40 mm Hg
D. The level is irrelevant because capnography is inaccurate
in pediatric patients. - correct answer✔✔ Question 3: C
The proper level to maintain is between 35 and 40 mm Hg.
4. What is one reason to use capnography as part of your
patient reassessment?
A. To get accurate readings for blood pressure
B. To assure proper ET tube placement
C. To measure arterial blood saturation
D. To ensure proper placement for needle decompression -
correct answer✔✔ Question 4: B
Capnography can monitor proper endotracheal tube
placement. It doesn't read blood pressure, so it cannot
beused to determine if a patient is hypotensive. Pulse
oximetry, not capnography, measures arterial blood
saturation. Capnography is not useful in needle
decompression.
