PHTLS 10th Edition Exam Questions
and Complete Detailed Answers
A 27 year old female has multi system trauma. Which life threat is your first priority? - Answer:
Significant external hemorrhage
Which type of skull fracture will cause leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the ears and nose? -
Answer: Basilar
A 78 year old female was involved in a minor car crash. She is shivering and exhibits repetitive
questioning. She is a type II diabetic and takes a daily anticoagulant. What should your initial
treatment be? - Answer: Move patient to a warm environment
A 14 year old male suffered from helmet-to-helmet contact during a football game followed by a 30
second period of unconsciousness. Initial exam shows that he is awake but slow to respond. He is
nauseated and has a headache. He becomes unresponsive during transport. Examination of the
pupils reveals a left pupil that is dilated and not reactive. What type of hemorrhage should you
suspect? - Answer: Epidural
An 80 year old female fell down a flight of stairs 3 days ago. Today the family reports she has a
headache and is "going in and out of consciousness." Vital signs are BP 170/72, R 26 and irregular,
HR 62, BGL 150 mg/dL (8.3 mol/L). What should you suspect? - Answer: Subdural hematoma
An adult patient was involved in a motorcycle accident. Why should you remove his or her helmet? -
Answer: To manage the airway
A 28 year old male fell from his motorcycle during a low speed accident. He removed his own helmet
after the accident. He has an open left femur fracture with severe external bleeding from the wound.
What should you do? - Answer: Apply direct pressure to the wound
An adult patient has an open angulated injury to the left lower leg. Distal pulses are absent. Why
would you attempt to realign the extremity? - Answer: Restore blood flow
A 20 year old male was hit in the chest with a baseball bat. He4 complains of severe pain and
tenderness to the left side. He is unable to take a deep breath. Vital signs are BP 112/76, P 98, R 20
regular, and ETCO2 38mmHg. What should you do? - Answer: Administer 100 mcg of Fentanyl
, A 13 year old male was riding on an all-terrain vehicle when he drove into a wire fence. He's sitting
on the ground with a towel over his lower face. He has an open jaw fracture. What is your primary
concern? - Answer: Obstruction of the airway
An adult patient has partial thickness burns to his or. her anterior chest and abdomen, the entire
right arm, and the palm of the left hand. What percent of the total body surface area is affected? -
Answer: 28%
An 8 year old female is being treated in the red treatment area after a housing complex fire. Vital
signs are P 140, R 12 with noted stridor. Her eyebrows and hair are burnt. Suddenly, she becomes
apenic. What should you do? - Answer: Insert an oropharyngeal airway and assist ventilations
What type of burn should be treated as a life or limb threatening injury due to constriction of the
injured tissues? - Answer: Circumferential
A 26 year old female was the unrestrained driver of a head on collision. Her Glascow Coma Scale
score is 4 (E1, V1, M2). Vital signs are BP 156/78, P 66, R 12 and irregular, and her pupils are
unequal. What should you do? - Answer: Assist ventilations at a rate of 20 breaths per minute
Which of the following presents the greatest risk for EMS provider fatalities? - Answer: Motor
vehicle collision either in an EMS unit or on-scene
A 50 year old male fell from a 6th story balcony. Intubation attempts have been unsuccessful. His
Glasgow Coma Scale score is 6 (E1, V1, M4). You note agonal respirations. What should you do first?
- Answer: Insert a superglottic airway device
A 22 year old male was involved in a car crash and hit a tree head-on. The patient is on the ground
outside the vehicle and is unconscious. His forearm is avulsed and you note a large pool of blood
with active bleeding. His breathing is deep and labored. What should you do? - Answer: Apply a
tourniquet
A 46 year old male is trapped in his vehicle after a high speed front-end collision. He is slow to
respond to questions. You note blood pooling on his seat. Vital signs are P 130, R 8. How should you
remove this patient from the vehicle? - Answer: Rapidly extricate the patient
and Complete Detailed Answers
A 27 year old female has multi system trauma. Which life threat is your first priority? - Answer:
Significant external hemorrhage
Which type of skull fracture will cause leakage of cerebrospinal fluid from the ears and nose? -
Answer: Basilar
A 78 year old female was involved in a minor car crash. She is shivering and exhibits repetitive
questioning. She is a type II diabetic and takes a daily anticoagulant. What should your initial
treatment be? - Answer: Move patient to a warm environment
A 14 year old male suffered from helmet-to-helmet contact during a football game followed by a 30
second period of unconsciousness. Initial exam shows that he is awake but slow to respond. He is
nauseated and has a headache. He becomes unresponsive during transport. Examination of the
pupils reveals a left pupil that is dilated and not reactive. What type of hemorrhage should you
suspect? - Answer: Epidural
An 80 year old female fell down a flight of stairs 3 days ago. Today the family reports she has a
headache and is "going in and out of consciousness." Vital signs are BP 170/72, R 26 and irregular,
HR 62, BGL 150 mg/dL (8.3 mol/L). What should you suspect? - Answer: Subdural hematoma
An adult patient was involved in a motorcycle accident. Why should you remove his or her helmet? -
Answer: To manage the airway
A 28 year old male fell from his motorcycle during a low speed accident. He removed his own helmet
after the accident. He has an open left femur fracture with severe external bleeding from the wound.
What should you do? - Answer: Apply direct pressure to the wound
An adult patient has an open angulated injury to the left lower leg. Distal pulses are absent. Why
would you attempt to realign the extremity? - Answer: Restore blood flow
A 20 year old male was hit in the chest with a baseball bat. He4 complains of severe pain and
tenderness to the left side. He is unable to take a deep breath. Vital signs are BP 112/76, P 98, R 20
regular, and ETCO2 38mmHg. What should you do? - Answer: Administer 100 mcg of Fentanyl
, A 13 year old male was riding on an all-terrain vehicle when he drove into a wire fence. He's sitting
on the ground with a towel over his lower face. He has an open jaw fracture. What is your primary
concern? - Answer: Obstruction of the airway
An adult patient has partial thickness burns to his or. her anterior chest and abdomen, the entire
right arm, and the palm of the left hand. What percent of the total body surface area is affected? -
Answer: 28%
An 8 year old female is being treated in the red treatment area after a housing complex fire. Vital
signs are P 140, R 12 with noted stridor. Her eyebrows and hair are burnt. Suddenly, she becomes
apenic. What should you do? - Answer: Insert an oropharyngeal airway and assist ventilations
What type of burn should be treated as a life or limb threatening injury due to constriction of the
injured tissues? - Answer: Circumferential
A 26 year old female was the unrestrained driver of a head on collision. Her Glascow Coma Scale
score is 4 (E1, V1, M2). Vital signs are BP 156/78, P 66, R 12 and irregular, and her pupils are
unequal. What should you do? - Answer: Assist ventilations at a rate of 20 breaths per minute
Which of the following presents the greatest risk for EMS provider fatalities? - Answer: Motor
vehicle collision either in an EMS unit or on-scene
A 50 year old male fell from a 6th story balcony. Intubation attempts have been unsuccessful. His
Glasgow Coma Scale score is 6 (E1, V1, M4). You note agonal respirations. What should you do first?
- Answer: Insert a superglottic airway device
A 22 year old male was involved in a car crash and hit a tree head-on. The patient is on the ground
outside the vehicle and is unconscious. His forearm is avulsed and you note a large pool of blood
with active bleeding. His breathing is deep and labored. What should you do? - Answer: Apply a
tourniquet
A 46 year old male is trapped in his vehicle after a high speed front-end collision. He is slow to
respond to questions. You note blood pooling on his seat. Vital signs are P 130, R 8. How should you
remove this patient from the vehicle? - Answer: Rapidly extricate the patient
