PHTLS COMPREHENSIVE 300-QUESTION PRACTICE EXAM
LATEST UPDATED VERSION QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS.
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SECTION 1: SCENE SIZE-UP AND SAFETY (Questions 1-25)
1. You are called to the scene of a possible mass casualty motor vehicle collision
on the highway. Once you arrive on scene, what is your first priority?
- A) Immediately begin triaging patients.
- B) Treat the patient with the most visible blood loss.
- C) Determine the need for additional resources.
- D) Assess the scene and ensure it is safe.
Answer: D
Rationale: The first consideration when approaching any scene is the safety of all
emergency responders. When EMS personnel become victims, they can no longer
assist others and add to the number of patients.
2. The pre-hospital assessment of the trauma patient begins with which of the
following?
,- A) Assessment of scene safety and situation
- B) Information provided by the dispatcher
- C) The initial assessment
- D) The primary survey
Answer: B
Rationale: The pre-hospital assessment actually begins with information provided
by the dispatcher, which helps prepare the responding team for what they may
encounter and allows for appropriate resource allocation.
3. Which of the following requires you to develop a plan of action, initiate the
plan, reassess the plan as care progresses, and adjust the plan as conditions
change?
- A) Principles of PHTLS
- B) The Golden Period
- C) The XABCDE assessment
- D) Critical thinking process
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking in medicine is a process where the practitioner
assesses the situation, patient, and available resources, then uses this information
to decide on and provide the best care. This dynamic process requires ongoing
reassessment and adjustment.
4. Upon arrival at a scene, which of the following represents the correct order of
initial actions?
,- A) Primary survey, scene size-up, secondary survey
- B) Scene size-up, primary survey, secondary survey
- C) Secondary survey, primary survey, scene size-up
- D) Primary survey, secondary survey, scene size-up
Answer: B
Rationale: The correct sequence is scene size-up first to ensure safety, followed by
the primary survey to identify immediate life threats, and then the secondary
survey when time and conditions allow.
5. What is the maximum recommended on-scene time for a critically injured
trauma patient in the absence of extenuating circumstances?
- A) 5 minutes
- B) 10 minutes
- C) 15 minutes
- D) 30 minutes
Answer: B
Rationale: The "platinum 10 minutes" concept emphasizes that the maximum
amount of time to identify and manage immediate threats, prepare the patient for
transport, and begin transport is 10 minutes.
6. You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which a vehicle struck a
tree. What is the best indicator of potential injury?
- A) Speed of the vehicle
, - B) Patient's complaints
- C) Visible external injuries
- D) Airbag deployment
Answer: A
Rationale: The speed of the vehicle at impact is the best indicator of potential
injury severity. Higher speeds result in greater energy transfer and more severe
injuries.
7. The potential for death or serious injury is greatest in which of the following
motor vehicle collisions?
- A) Frontal impact
- B) Rear impact
- C) Lateral impact
- D) Ejection from vehicle
Answer: D
Rationale: Ejection from a vehicle carries the greatest potential for death or
serious injury due to the extreme forces involved and the potential for impact
with objects outside the vehicle.
8. Which of the following is NOT a component of scene size-up?
- A) Establishing scene safety
- B) Identifying the mechanism of injury
- C) Performing a head-to-toe assessment
LATEST UPDATED VERSION QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS.
---
SECTION 1: SCENE SIZE-UP AND SAFETY (Questions 1-25)
1. You are called to the scene of a possible mass casualty motor vehicle collision
on the highway. Once you arrive on scene, what is your first priority?
- A) Immediately begin triaging patients.
- B) Treat the patient with the most visible blood loss.
- C) Determine the need for additional resources.
- D) Assess the scene and ensure it is safe.
Answer: D
Rationale: The first consideration when approaching any scene is the safety of all
emergency responders. When EMS personnel become victims, they can no longer
assist others and add to the number of patients.
2. The pre-hospital assessment of the trauma patient begins with which of the
following?
,- A) Assessment of scene safety and situation
- B) Information provided by the dispatcher
- C) The initial assessment
- D) The primary survey
Answer: B
Rationale: The pre-hospital assessment actually begins with information provided
by the dispatcher, which helps prepare the responding team for what they may
encounter and allows for appropriate resource allocation.
3. Which of the following requires you to develop a plan of action, initiate the
plan, reassess the plan as care progresses, and adjust the plan as conditions
change?
- A) Principles of PHTLS
- B) The Golden Period
- C) The XABCDE assessment
- D) Critical thinking process
Answer: D
Rationale: Critical thinking in medicine is a process where the practitioner
assesses the situation, patient, and available resources, then uses this information
to decide on and provide the best care. This dynamic process requires ongoing
reassessment and adjustment.
4. Upon arrival at a scene, which of the following represents the correct order of
initial actions?
,- A) Primary survey, scene size-up, secondary survey
- B) Scene size-up, primary survey, secondary survey
- C) Secondary survey, primary survey, scene size-up
- D) Primary survey, secondary survey, scene size-up
Answer: B
Rationale: The correct sequence is scene size-up first to ensure safety, followed by
the primary survey to identify immediate life threats, and then the secondary
survey when time and conditions allow.
5. What is the maximum recommended on-scene time for a critically injured
trauma patient in the absence of extenuating circumstances?
- A) 5 minutes
- B) 10 minutes
- C) 15 minutes
- D) 30 minutes
Answer: B
Rationale: The "platinum 10 minutes" concept emphasizes that the maximum
amount of time to identify and manage immediate threats, prepare the patient for
transport, and begin transport is 10 minutes.
6. You arrive at the scene of a motor vehicle collision in which a vehicle struck a
tree. What is the best indicator of potential injury?
- A) Speed of the vehicle
, - B) Patient's complaints
- C) Visible external injuries
- D) Airbag deployment
Answer: A
Rationale: The speed of the vehicle at impact is the best indicator of potential
injury severity. Higher speeds result in greater energy transfer and more severe
injuries.
7. The potential for death or serious injury is greatest in which of the following
motor vehicle collisions?
- A) Frontal impact
- B) Rear impact
- C) Lateral impact
- D) Ejection from vehicle
Answer: D
Rationale: Ejection from a vehicle carries the greatest potential for death or
serious injury due to the extreme forces involved and the potential for impact
with objects outside the vehicle.
8. Which of the following is NOT a component of scene size-up?
- A) Establishing scene safety
- B) Identifying the mechanism of injury
- C) Performing a head-to-toe assessment
