ATLS PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS 2023
Patients with a GSC of less than ___ usually require intubation. - Answer-8
The "A" in ABCD stands for _______. - Answer-Airway maintenance with CERVICAL
SPINE PROTECTION
You should assume that any patient in a multisystem trauma with an altered level of
consciousness or blunt injury above the clavicle has what type of injury? - Answer-
Cervical spine injury
Flail chest is invariably accompanied by ______ which can interfere with blood
oxygenation. - Answer-pulmonary contusion - do NOT over fluid resuscitate these
patients!
Hypotension is caused by _____ until proven otherwise. - Answer-hypovolemia
When you don't have/can't get a blood pressure, what are three things to look for when
evaluating perfusion. - Answer-1. Level of consciousness (brain perfusion), 2. Skin color
(ashen face/grey extremities) 3. Pulse (bilateral femoral - thready/tachy)
Elderly patients have a limited ability to ______ to compensate for blood loss. - Answer-
increase heart rate
Resuscitation fluids should be warmed 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 F). Can you use a
microwave to do this? - Answer-YES - for CRYSTALLOID ONLY (but NOT for blood
products).
Urinary catheters are good for assessing renal perfusion and volume status. List 5 signs
of urethral injury that might prevent you from inserting one. - Answer-Blood at urethral
meatus, perineal ecchymosis, blood in scrotum, high-riding/non-palpable prostate,
pelvic fracture
Which arm should you NOT put a pulse-ox on? - Answer-The arm with a blood pressure
cuff on it
Name two anatomical things that can interfere with doing a FAST scan. - Answer-
Obesity & intraluminal bowel gas
When should radiographs be obtained? - Answer-During the SECONDARY survey.
How do you get an ample patient history? - Answer-A=Allergies, M=Medications,
P=PMH/Pregnancy, L=Last meal, E=Events/Environment of injury
,Why might you want a Bair Hugger for a patient who smells of alcohol? - Answer-
Vasodilation can lead to hypothermia
What things are you looking for when you do a DRE in a trauma? - Answer-Blood, high-
riding prostate (in males), and sphincter tone
What should you do for every female patient? - Answer-Pregnancy test (females of
childbearing age)
Adult patients should maintain UOP of at least ___ mL/kg/hr. Kids should have at least
___ mL/kg/hr. - Answer-Adults 0.5 mL/kg/hr, Kids 1.0 ml/kg/hr
Preventing hypercarbia is critical in patients who have sustained a _____ injury. -
Answer-head
What two places would you LOOK at a patient if you suspect hypoxemia? - Answer-Lips
and fingernail beds
Patients may be abusive and belligerent because of _____, so don't just assume it's
due to drugs, alcohol, or the fact that they are just inherently a jerk. - Answer-hypoxia
Can a patient breathe on their own after complete cervical cord transection? - Answer-
Yes, if the phrenic nerves (C3-C5) are spared. This will result in "abdominal" breathing.
The intercostal muscles will be paralyzed though.
Can you use an OPA (Guedel) in a conscious patient? - Answer-No, it could make them
vomit. An NPA (trumpet) would be okay.
Bougies are typically inserted blindly, how do you know you are in the trachea and not
the esophagus? - Answer-You can feel the "clicks" as the distal tip rubs against the
cartilaginous tracheal rings, or it will deviate right or left when entering either bronchus
(usually at 50 cm).
What do you NOT want to hear if you ascultate a patient after placement of an ET tube?
- Answer-Borborygmi - rumbling or gurgling noises suggesting esophageal insertion.
What is the RSI dose for etomidate? - Answer-0.3 mg/kg (usually 20 mg)
What is the RSI dose for sux? - Answer-1-2 mg/kg (usually 100 mg)
How does etomidate affect blood pressure? - Answer-It doesn't - at least it SHOULDN'T
have any significant effect on BP. Ketamine will increase BP, and propofol and
thiopental will both drop BP.
A RSI dose of sux usually lasts about ___ minutes. - Answer-5
, What hypnotic/sedative/induction agent do you NOT want to use for a severely burned
patient? - Answer-SUX - patients with severe burns, crush injuries, hyperkalemia, or
chronic paralytic/neuromuscular diseases should NOT get sux because of hyperkalemia
risk.
Oxygen should flow at 15L for needle cricothyroidotomy, and have a Y-connector for
insufflation if possible. What size needle do you use for adults? Kids? - Answer-Adults
12-14 gauge, kids 16-18 gauge
Cricoid cartilage is the only circumferential support for the upper trachea in kids,
therefore surgical cricothyroidotomy is not recommended in kids under the age of ___. -
Answer-12
In a "normal" patient without significant chest wall injury or lung disease, needle
cricothyroidotomy can provide adequate oxygenation for approximately ____ minutes. -
Answer-30-45
For a patient with difficulty breathing, what things might you try before you provide a
surgical airway? - Answer-Chin-lift, jaw-thrust (NOT head-tilt while maintaining c-spine
precautions), OPA (guedel), NPA (trumpet), LMA, Combitube, ET tube +/- bougie
How do you know if an OPA/Guedel is the correct size for the patient? - Answer-A
correctly sized OPA will extend from the corner of the patient's mouth to the external
auditory canal.
What should do with the balloon on an ET tube/LMA/foley before you insert it? -
Answer-Inflate it to make sure it doesn't leak - then deflate and insert.
What size LMA do you use for kid, woman/small man, large woman/man? - Answer-Kid:
3, Woman/small man: 4, Large woman/man: 5 (C3,4,5 keep the diaphragm alive)
The proper size ET tube for an infant is ______. - Answer-The same size as the infant's
nostril or little finger. (Usually size 3 for neonates, 3.5 for infants)
What size cuffed endotracheal tube do you use for an emergency cricothyroidotomy? -
Answer-5 or 6
Use size 3 ET tubes for neonates, 3.5 for infants 0-6 months, and size 4 for infants 6-12
months. How do you calculate what size ET tube to use for toddlers and kids? - Answer-
Age/4 + 4 mm = internal diameter
Shock is defined as an abnormality of the circulatory system that results in inadequate
organ perfusion and tissue oxygenation. What are the 4 different types? - Answer-
Neurogenic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic, septic
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS 2023
Patients with a GSC of less than ___ usually require intubation. - Answer-8
The "A" in ABCD stands for _______. - Answer-Airway maintenance with CERVICAL
SPINE PROTECTION
You should assume that any patient in a multisystem trauma with an altered level of
consciousness or blunt injury above the clavicle has what type of injury? - Answer-
Cervical spine injury
Flail chest is invariably accompanied by ______ which can interfere with blood
oxygenation. - Answer-pulmonary contusion - do NOT over fluid resuscitate these
patients!
Hypotension is caused by _____ until proven otherwise. - Answer-hypovolemia
When you don't have/can't get a blood pressure, what are three things to look for when
evaluating perfusion. - Answer-1. Level of consciousness (brain perfusion), 2. Skin color
(ashen face/grey extremities) 3. Pulse (bilateral femoral - thready/tachy)
Elderly patients have a limited ability to ______ to compensate for blood loss. - Answer-
increase heart rate
Resuscitation fluids should be warmed 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 F). Can you use a
microwave to do this? - Answer-YES - for CRYSTALLOID ONLY (but NOT for blood
products).
Urinary catheters are good for assessing renal perfusion and volume status. List 5 signs
of urethral injury that might prevent you from inserting one. - Answer-Blood at urethral
meatus, perineal ecchymosis, blood in scrotum, high-riding/non-palpable prostate,
pelvic fracture
Which arm should you NOT put a pulse-ox on? - Answer-The arm with a blood pressure
cuff on it
Name two anatomical things that can interfere with doing a FAST scan. - Answer-
Obesity & intraluminal bowel gas
When should radiographs be obtained? - Answer-During the SECONDARY survey.
How do you get an ample patient history? - Answer-A=Allergies, M=Medications,
P=PMH/Pregnancy, L=Last meal, E=Events/Environment of injury
,Why might you want a Bair Hugger for a patient who smells of alcohol? - Answer-
Vasodilation can lead to hypothermia
What things are you looking for when you do a DRE in a trauma? - Answer-Blood, high-
riding prostate (in males), and sphincter tone
What should you do for every female patient? - Answer-Pregnancy test (females of
childbearing age)
Adult patients should maintain UOP of at least ___ mL/kg/hr. Kids should have at least
___ mL/kg/hr. - Answer-Adults 0.5 mL/kg/hr, Kids 1.0 ml/kg/hr
Preventing hypercarbia is critical in patients who have sustained a _____ injury. -
Answer-head
What two places would you LOOK at a patient if you suspect hypoxemia? - Answer-Lips
and fingernail beds
Patients may be abusive and belligerent because of _____, so don't just assume it's
due to drugs, alcohol, or the fact that they are just inherently a jerk. - Answer-hypoxia
Can a patient breathe on their own after complete cervical cord transection? - Answer-
Yes, if the phrenic nerves (C3-C5) are spared. This will result in "abdominal" breathing.
The intercostal muscles will be paralyzed though.
Can you use an OPA (Guedel) in a conscious patient? - Answer-No, it could make them
vomit. An NPA (trumpet) would be okay.
Bougies are typically inserted blindly, how do you know you are in the trachea and not
the esophagus? - Answer-You can feel the "clicks" as the distal tip rubs against the
cartilaginous tracheal rings, or it will deviate right or left when entering either bronchus
(usually at 50 cm).
What do you NOT want to hear if you ascultate a patient after placement of an ET tube?
- Answer-Borborygmi - rumbling or gurgling noises suggesting esophageal insertion.
What is the RSI dose for etomidate? - Answer-0.3 mg/kg (usually 20 mg)
What is the RSI dose for sux? - Answer-1-2 mg/kg (usually 100 mg)
How does etomidate affect blood pressure? - Answer-It doesn't - at least it SHOULDN'T
have any significant effect on BP. Ketamine will increase BP, and propofol and
thiopental will both drop BP.
A RSI dose of sux usually lasts about ___ minutes. - Answer-5
, What hypnotic/sedative/induction agent do you NOT want to use for a severely burned
patient? - Answer-SUX - patients with severe burns, crush injuries, hyperkalemia, or
chronic paralytic/neuromuscular diseases should NOT get sux because of hyperkalemia
risk.
Oxygen should flow at 15L for needle cricothyroidotomy, and have a Y-connector for
insufflation if possible. What size needle do you use for adults? Kids? - Answer-Adults
12-14 gauge, kids 16-18 gauge
Cricoid cartilage is the only circumferential support for the upper trachea in kids,
therefore surgical cricothyroidotomy is not recommended in kids under the age of ___. -
Answer-12
In a "normal" patient without significant chest wall injury or lung disease, needle
cricothyroidotomy can provide adequate oxygenation for approximately ____ minutes. -
Answer-30-45
For a patient with difficulty breathing, what things might you try before you provide a
surgical airway? - Answer-Chin-lift, jaw-thrust (NOT head-tilt while maintaining c-spine
precautions), OPA (guedel), NPA (trumpet), LMA, Combitube, ET tube +/- bougie
How do you know if an OPA/Guedel is the correct size for the patient? - Answer-A
correctly sized OPA will extend from the corner of the patient's mouth to the external
auditory canal.
What should do with the balloon on an ET tube/LMA/foley before you insert it? -
Answer-Inflate it to make sure it doesn't leak - then deflate and insert.
What size LMA do you use for kid, woman/small man, large woman/man? - Answer-Kid:
3, Woman/small man: 4, Large woman/man: 5 (C3,4,5 keep the diaphragm alive)
The proper size ET tube for an infant is ______. - Answer-The same size as the infant's
nostril or little finger. (Usually size 3 for neonates, 3.5 for infants)
What size cuffed endotracheal tube do you use for an emergency cricothyroidotomy? -
Answer-5 or 6
Use size 3 ET tubes for neonates, 3.5 for infants 0-6 months, and size 4 for infants 6-12
months. How do you calculate what size ET tube to use for toddlers and kids? - Answer-
Age/4 + 4 mm = internal diameter
Shock is defined as an abnormality of the circulatory system that results in inadequate
organ perfusion and tissue oxygenation. What are the 4 different types? - Answer-
Neurogenic, cardiogenic, hypovolemic, septic
