TNCC Pre course study guide | Questions with 100%
Verified Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: Why is it important to understand biomechanics as it relates to
types of energy forces and MOI?
Answer: Understanding how energy forces affect the human body is useful for better
anticipating
effects of trauma on a person
Question: What are common MOIs that result in trauma
Answer: blunt, penetrating, blast
Question: What injuries are expected in each stage of a blast (explosion)
Answer: Primary (direct blast effects) - pulmonary barotrauma, tympanic membrane rupture,
abdominal hemorrhage/perforation, globe rupture, mild TBI
Secondary (projectiles) - penetrating or blunt injuries, eye penetration
Tertiary (propulsion of body onto hard surface) - blunt/penetrating injury, fracture,
traumatic amputation, closed/open TBI
Quaternary (heat/fume/combustion) - burns, crush injury, asthma, COPD, angina,
hyperglycemia, hypertension
Quinary (hazardous materials) - depends on agent (bacteria, radiation, chemical etc)
Question: Why is it important to use a systemic approach to the initial
assessment of a trauma patient?
Answer: To maximize outcomes and reduce the risk of undiscovered injuries.
Question: What is included in the preparation for a trauma patient?
Answer: Activate the Trauma Team and assign roles
Prepare the room/equipment
Don PPE
Consider safety threats
Decontamination
Question: What information is obtained in the general impression
Answer: overall status and identification of hemorrhage; identify all life threatening injuries;
APVU
,Question: What does the A-J mnemonic stand for?
Answer: A - airway/alertness
B - breathing/ventilation
C - circulation, control of hemorrhage
D - disability (neuro status)
E - exposure and environmental control
F - full set of vitals/family presence
G - get adjusts/give comfort
L - labs
M - monitor cardiac status
N - nasogastric/orogastric
O - oxygenation
P - pain
H - history/head to toe
I - inspect posterior
J - just keep reevaluating
Question: What does alertness include in airway assessment?
Answer: APVU
Question: When an intervention is taken during the primary survey, what
must the nurse do after the intervention?
Answer: reassess
Question: What are componants of secondary survey?
Answer: history
head to toe assessment
inspect posterior surfaces
reassessment
Question: What should nurse reevaluate?
Answer: all aspects of the primary and secondary assessments
V - vitals
I - injuries/interventions
P - primary survey
P - pain
Question: What are the differences in ventilation, diffusion and
perfusion?
Answer: ventilation - mechanical process of breathing
diffusion - movement of gases (higher to lower concentration)
perfusion - movement of blood through circulatory system
, Question: What are possible causes of airway obstruction in the trauma
patient?
Answer: altered consciousness - tongue falling posteriorly into oropharynx, blood/vomit/fluids
unable to be cleared
maxillofacial trauma - edema, secretions, bleeding, dislodeged teeth/dentures
neck/larangeal trauma - vascular injuries resulting in hematomas
obese patients - increased fat deposition
Question: What interventions address airway obstruction?
Answer: suction
jaw thrust
insert airway
Question: What is the difference between an airway adjunct and a
definitive airway?
Answer: airway adjunct - work by stenting open the upper airway
- nasopharyngeal
- oropharyngeal (unresponsive/no gag reflex)
- extraglottic (Supra or Retro "king tube")
definitve airway - tube securely placed in the trachea with cuff inflated below vocal cords
-ett tube
Question: What is the difference between normoxia and hyperoxia? Why
does it matter?
Answer: normoxia - normal o2 in blood - Pa02 60-120
Hyperoxia -high o2 level in blood - Pa02 >120
too much o2 can contribute to poor outcomes
-lung damage
-↓ CO/↑ vascular resistance
-CNS toxicity - twitching, blurred vision, convulsions etc
-increased mortality - especially in TBI, cardiac arrest, stroke, sepsis
Question: What is the most common type of shock in trauma patients?
What are possible interventions to manage uncontrolled
external hemorrhage?
Answer: hypovolemic shock
- hemorrhage control (internal, external, burns)
- restore circulating volume
Question: What are causes of obstructive shock?
Answer: hypoperfusion due to obstruction in either of the great vessels of the heart resulting in
↓
CO
-cardiac tamponade
-tension hemothorax
-tension pneumothorax
-venous air embolism
Verified Answers | Latest Update 2026/2027
Question: Why is it important to understand biomechanics as it relates to
types of energy forces and MOI?
Answer: Understanding how energy forces affect the human body is useful for better
anticipating
effects of trauma on a person
Question: What are common MOIs that result in trauma
Answer: blunt, penetrating, blast
Question: What injuries are expected in each stage of a blast (explosion)
Answer: Primary (direct blast effects) - pulmonary barotrauma, tympanic membrane rupture,
abdominal hemorrhage/perforation, globe rupture, mild TBI
Secondary (projectiles) - penetrating or blunt injuries, eye penetration
Tertiary (propulsion of body onto hard surface) - blunt/penetrating injury, fracture,
traumatic amputation, closed/open TBI
Quaternary (heat/fume/combustion) - burns, crush injury, asthma, COPD, angina,
hyperglycemia, hypertension
Quinary (hazardous materials) - depends on agent (bacteria, radiation, chemical etc)
Question: Why is it important to use a systemic approach to the initial
assessment of a trauma patient?
Answer: To maximize outcomes and reduce the risk of undiscovered injuries.
Question: What is included in the preparation for a trauma patient?
Answer: Activate the Trauma Team and assign roles
Prepare the room/equipment
Don PPE
Consider safety threats
Decontamination
Question: What information is obtained in the general impression
Answer: overall status and identification of hemorrhage; identify all life threatening injuries;
APVU
,Question: What does the A-J mnemonic stand for?
Answer: A - airway/alertness
B - breathing/ventilation
C - circulation, control of hemorrhage
D - disability (neuro status)
E - exposure and environmental control
F - full set of vitals/family presence
G - get adjusts/give comfort
L - labs
M - monitor cardiac status
N - nasogastric/orogastric
O - oxygenation
P - pain
H - history/head to toe
I - inspect posterior
J - just keep reevaluating
Question: What does alertness include in airway assessment?
Answer: APVU
Question: When an intervention is taken during the primary survey, what
must the nurse do after the intervention?
Answer: reassess
Question: What are componants of secondary survey?
Answer: history
head to toe assessment
inspect posterior surfaces
reassessment
Question: What should nurse reevaluate?
Answer: all aspects of the primary and secondary assessments
V - vitals
I - injuries/interventions
P - primary survey
P - pain
Question: What are the differences in ventilation, diffusion and
perfusion?
Answer: ventilation - mechanical process of breathing
diffusion - movement of gases (higher to lower concentration)
perfusion - movement of blood through circulatory system
, Question: What are possible causes of airway obstruction in the trauma
patient?
Answer: altered consciousness - tongue falling posteriorly into oropharynx, blood/vomit/fluids
unable to be cleared
maxillofacial trauma - edema, secretions, bleeding, dislodeged teeth/dentures
neck/larangeal trauma - vascular injuries resulting in hematomas
obese patients - increased fat deposition
Question: What interventions address airway obstruction?
Answer: suction
jaw thrust
insert airway
Question: What is the difference between an airway adjunct and a
definitive airway?
Answer: airway adjunct - work by stenting open the upper airway
- nasopharyngeal
- oropharyngeal (unresponsive/no gag reflex)
- extraglottic (Supra or Retro "king tube")
definitve airway - tube securely placed in the trachea with cuff inflated below vocal cords
-ett tube
Question: What is the difference between normoxia and hyperoxia? Why
does it matter?
Answer: normoxia - normal o2 in blood - Pa02 60-120
Hyperoxia -high o2 level in blood - Pa02 >120
too much o2 can contribute to poor outcomes
-lung damage
-↓ CO/↑ vascular resistance
-CNS toxicity - twitching, blurred vision, convulsions etc
-increased mortality - especially in TBI, cardiac arrest, stroke, sepsis
Question: What is the most common type of shock in trauma patients?
What are possible interventions to manage uncontrolled
external hemorrhage?
Answer: hypovolemic shock
- hemorrhage control (internal, external, burns)
- restore circulating volume
Question: What are causes of obstructive shock?
Answer: hypoperfusion due to obstruction in either of the great vessels of the heart resulting in
↓
CO
-cardiac tamponade
-tension hemothorax
-tension pneumothorax
-venous air embolism
