ATLS Post Test questions with correct
answers
A b22 byear bold bmale bis bbrought bby bambulance bto ba bsmall bcommunity bhospital
bafter bfalling bfrom bthe btop bof ban b8 bfoot bladder. bInitially, bhe bwas bfound bto bhave ba
blarge bright bpneumothorax. bA bchest btube bwas binserted band bconnected bto ban
bunderwater bseal bdrainage bcollection bsystem bwith bnegative bpressure. bA brepeat
bCXR bdemonstrates ba bresidual, blarge bright bpneumothorax. bAfter btransferring bthe
bpatient bto ba bverified btrauma bcenter, ba bthird bchest bx-ray breveals ba bpersistent bright
bpneumothorax. bThe bchest btube bappears bto bbe bfunctioning band bin bgood bposition.
bHe bremains bhemodynamically bnormal bwith bno bsigns bof brespiratory bdistress. bThe
bmost blikely bcause bfor bthe bpersistent bright bpneumothorax bis:
A. bFlail bchest
B. bDiaphragmatic binjury
C. bPulmonary bcontusion
D. bEsophageal bperforation
E. bTracheobronchial binjury b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bTracheobronchial binjury
Which bof bthe bfollowing bis bLEAST breliable bfor bdiagnosing bESOPHAGEAL
bintubation?
A. bsymmetrical bchest bwall bmovement
B. bend-tidal bCO2
C. bbilateral bbreath bsounds
D. boxygen bsaturation b>92%
E. bETT babove bcarina bon bchest bx-ray b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. boxygen bsaturation
b>92%
-> bif bit bsays bESOPHAGEAL, bgo bwith bthis banswer
Which bof bthe bfollowing bsigns bnecessitates bthe bneed bfor ba bdefinitive bairway bin
bsevere btrauma bpatient?
A. bfacial blacerations
B. brepeated bvomiting
C. bsevere bmaxillofacial btrauma
D. bsternal bfracture
E. bGCS b12 b- bcorrect banswer✔✔C. bSevere bmaxillofacial btrauma
Twenty bseven bpeople bare bseverely binjured bin ban baircraft bcrash bat ba blocal bairport.
bThe bprinciples bof btriage binclude:
,A. bestablish ba btriage bsite bwithin bthe binternal bperimeter bof bthe bcrash bsite
B. btreat bonly bthe bmost bseverely binjured bpatients bfirst
C. bimmediately btransport ball bpatients bto bthe bnearest bhospital
D. btreat bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bpatients bin bthe bshortest bperiod bof btime
E. bproduce bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bsurvivors bbased bon bavailable bresources b-
bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bProduce bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bsurvivors bbased bon
bavailable bresources
Which bof bthe bfollowing bstatements bare bcorrect?
A. bCerebral bcontusions bmay bcoalesce bto bform ban bintracerebral bhematoma
B. bEpidural bhematomas bare busually bseen bin bthe bfrontal bregion
C. bSubdural bhematomas bare bcaused bby binjury bto bthe bmiddle bmeningeal bartery
D. bSubdural bhematomas btypically bhave ba blenticular bshape bon bCT
E. bThe bassociated bbrain bdamage bis bmore bsevere bin bepidural bhematomas b- bcorrect
banswer✔✔A. bCerebral bcontusions bmay bcoalesce bto bform ban bintracerebral
bhematoma
EM: bEpidural, bmiddle bmeningeal
SuB: bSubdural, bBridging bveins
An b18 byear bold bmale bis bbrought bto bthe bED bafter bbeing bshot. bHe bhas bone bbullet
bwound bjust bbelow bthe bright bclavicle band banother bjust bbelow bthe bcostal bmargin bin
bthe bright bposterior baxillary bline. bHis bblood bpressure bis b110/60, bheart brate bof b90,
band brespiratory brate bof b34. bAfter bensuring ba bpatent bairway band binserting b2 blarge
bcaliber bIV blines, bthe bnext bmost bappropriate bstep bis bto:
A. bObtain ba bportable bchest bx-ray
B. bAdminister ba bbolus bof badditional bIV bfluid
C. bPerform ba blaparatomy
D. bObtain ban babdominal bCT bscan
E. bPerform bdiagnostic bperitoneal blavage b- bcorrect banswer✔✔A. bObtain ba bportable
bchest bx-ray
need bmore binfo bon bchest, bnot babdomen
Which bof bthe bfollowing bshould bbe bperformed bFIRST bin bany bpatient bwhose binjuries
bmay binclude bmultiple bclosed bextremity bfractures?
A. bA bthorough bassessment bof bfour blimb bperfusion
B. bManuevers bto bprevent bnecrosis bof bthe bskin
C. bExtremity bcompartment bsyndrome brelease
D. bEnsuring badequate boxygenation band bventilation
E. bEvaluation bfor boccult bcrush bsyndrome b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. bEnsuring
badequate boxygenation band bventilation
(ABC's)
A b22 byear bold bmale bsustains ba bshotgun bwound bto bthe bshoulder band bchest bat
bclose brange. bHis bBP bis b80/40 band bHR b130. bAfter b2 bL bof bcrystalloid bsolution bare
brapidly binfused, bhis bBP bincreases bto b122/84 band bHR bdecreases bto b100. bHe bis
btachypneic bwith bRR bof b28. bOn bPE, bhis bbreath bsounds bare bdecreased bat bthe bleft
, bupper bchest bwith bdullness bon bpercussion. bA blarge bcaliber btube bthoracostomy bis
binserted binto bthe bfifth bintercostal bspace bwith bthe breturn bof b200 bmL bof bblood band
bno bair bleak. bThe bmost bappropriate bnext bstep bis:
A. bInsert ba bfoley bcatheter
B. bBegin bto btransfuse bO bnegative bblood
C. bPerform bthoracotomy
D. bObtain ba bCT bChest/Abd
E. bRepeat bthe bphysical bexam bof bthe bchest b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bRepeat bthe
bphysical bexam bof bthe bchest
decreased bbreath bsounds bw/dullness b-> bhemothorax, bneed btube bto bdrain
vs.
decreased/absent bbreath bsounds bw/hyperresonance b-> btension bpneumonia, bneed
bneedle bdecompression bfollowed bby btube
Which bone bof bthe bfollowing bstatements bconcerning bspine band bspinal bcord btrauma
bis bTRUE?
A. bA bnormal blateral bC bspine bfilm bexcludes binjury
B. bA bvertebral binjury bis bunlikely bin bthe babsence bof bphysical bfindings bof ba bcord
binjury
C. bA bpatient bwith ba bsuspected bspine binjury brequires bimmobilization bon ba bshort
bspine
D. bDiaphragmatic bbreathing bin ban bunconscious bpatient bwho bhas bfallen bis ba bsign
bof bspine binjury
E. bDetermination bof bwhether ba bspinal bcord blesion bis bcomplete bor bincomplete bmust
bbe bmade bin bthe bprimary bsurvey b- bcorrect banswer✔✔B. bA bvertebral binjury bis
bunlikely bin bthe babsence bof bphysical bfindings bof ba bcord binjury
A b17 byear bold bfemale bis bbrought bto bthe bED bfollowing ba b6 bfeet bfall bonto bconcrete.
bShe bis bunresponsive band bfound bto bhave ba bRR bof b32, bBP bof b90/60, band bHR bof
b68. bThe bFIRST bstep bin btreatment bis:
A. bAdministering bvasopressors
B. bEstablishing bIV baccess bfor bdrug-assisted bintubation
C. bSeeking bthe bcause bof bher bdecreased blevel bof bconsciousness
D. bApplying boxygen band bmaintaining bairway
E. bExcluding bhemorrhage bas ba bcause bof bshock b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. bApplying
boxygen band bmaintaining bairway
First b= bABCs
Signs band bsymptoms bof bairway bcompromise binclude ball bof bthe bfollowing bexcept:
A. bChange bin bvoice
B. bStridor
C. bTachypea
D. bDyspnea band bagitation
E. bDecreased bpulse bpressure b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bDecreased bpulse bpressure
answers
A b22 byear bold bmale bis bbrought bby bambulance bto ba bsmall bcommunity bhospital
bafter bfalling bfrom bthe btop bof ban b8 bfoot bladder. bInitially, bhe bwas bfound bto bhave ba
blarge bright bpneumothorax. bA bchest btube bwas binserted band bconnected bto ban
bunderwater bseal bdrainage bcollection bsystem bwith bnegative bpressure. bA brepeat
bCXR bdemonstrates ba bresidual, blarge bright bpneumothorax. bAfter btransferring bthe
bpatient bto ba bverified btrauma bcenter, ba bthird bchest bx-ray breveals ba bpersistent bright
bpneumothorax. bThe bchest btube bappears bto bbe bfunctioning band bin bgood bposition.
bHe bremains bhemodynamically bnormal bwith bno bsigns bof brespiratory bdistress. bThe
bmost blikely bcause bfor bthe bpersistent bright bpneumothorax bis:
A. bFlail bchest
B. bDiaphragmatic binjury
C. bPulmonary bcontusion
D. bEsophageal bperforation
E. bTracheobronchial binjury b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bTracheobronchial binjury
Which bof bthe bfollowing bis bLEAST breliable bfor bdiagnosing bESOPHAGEAL
bintubation?
A. bsymmetrical bchest bwall bmovement
B. bend-tidal bCO2
C. bbilateral bbreath bsounds
D. boxygen bsaturation b>92%
E. bETT babove bcarina bon bchest bx-ray b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. boxygen bsaturation
b>92%
-> bif bit bsays bESOPHAGEAL, bgo bwith bthis banswer
Which bof bthe bfollowing bsigns bnecessitates bthe bneed bfor ba bdefinitive bairway bin
bsevere btrauma bpatient?
A. bfacial blacerations
B. brepeated bvomiting
C. bsevere bmaxillofacial btrauma
D. bsternal bfracture
E. bGCS b12 b- bcorrect banswer✔✔C. bSevere bmaxillofacial btrauma
Twenty bseven bpeople bare bseverely binjured bin ban baircraft bcrash bat ba blocal bairport.
bThe bprinciples bof btriage binclude:
,A. bestablish ba btriage bsite bwithin bthe binternal bperimeter bof bthe bcrash bsite
B. btreat bonly bthe bmost bseverely binjured bpatients bfirst
C. bimmediately btransport ball bpatients bto bthe bnearest bhospital
D. btreat bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bpatients bin bthe bshortest bperiod bof btime
E. bproduce bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bsurvivors bbased bon bavailable bresources b-
bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bProduce bthe bgreatest bnumber bof bsurvivors bbased bon
bavailable bresources
Which bof bthe bfollowing bstatements bare bcorrect?
A. bCerebral bcontusions bmay bcoalesce bto bform ban bintracerebral bhematoma
B. bEpidural bhematomas bare busually bseen bin bthe bfrontal bregion
C. bSubdural bhematomas bare bcaused bby binjury bto bthe bmiddle bmeningeal bartery
D. bSubdural bhematomas btypically bhave ba blenticular bshape bon bCT
E. bThe bassociated bbrain bdamage bis bmore bsevere bin bepidural bhematomas b- bcorrect
banswer✔✔A. bCerebral bcontusions bmay bcoalesce bto bform ban bintracerebral
bhematoma
EM: bEpidural, bmiddle bmeningeal
SuB: bSubdural, bBridging bveins
An b18 byear bold bmale bis bbrought bto bthe bED bafter bbeing bshot. bHe bhas bone bbullet
bwound bjust bbelow bthe bright bclavicle band banother bjust bbelow bthe bcostal bmargin bin
bthe bright bposterior baxillary bline. bHis bblood bpressure bis b110/60, bheart brate bof b90,
band brespiratory brate bof b34. bAfter bensuring ba bpatent bairway band binserting b2 blarge
bcaliber bIV blines, bthe bnext bmost bappropriate bstep bis bto:
A. bObtain ba bportable bchest bx-ray
B. bAdminister ba bbolus bof badditional bIV bfluid
C. bPerform ba blaparatomy
D. bObtain ban babdominal bCT bscan
E. bPerform bdiagnostic bperitoneal blavage b- bcorrect banswer✔✔A. bObtain ba bportable
bchest bx-ray
need bmore binfo bon bchest, bnot babdomen
Which bof bthe bfollowing bshould bbe bperformed bFIRST bin bany bpatient bwhose binjuries
bmay binclude bmultiple bclosed bextremity bfractures?
A. bA bthorough bassessment bof bfour blimb bperfusion
B. bManuevers bto bprevent bnecrosis bof bthe bskin
C. bExtremity bcompartment bsyndrome brelease
D. bEnsuring badequate boxygenation band bventilation
E. bEvaluation bfor boccult bcrush bsyndrome b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. bEnsuring
badequate boxygenation band bventilation
(ABC's)
A b22 byear bold bmale bsustains ba bshotgun bwound bto bthe bshoulder band bchest bat
bclose brange. bHis bBP bis b80/40 band bHR b130. bAfter b2 bL bof bcrystalloid bsolution bare
brapidly binfused, bhis bBP bincreases bto b122/84 band bHR bdecreases bto b100. bHe bis
btachypneic bwith bRR bof b28. bOn bPE, bhis bbreath bsounds bare bdecreased bat bthe bleft
, bupper bchest bwith bdullness bon bpercussion. bA blarge bcaliber btube bthoracostomy bis
binserted binto bthe bfifth bintercostal bspace bwith bthe breturn bof b200 bmL bof bblood band
bno bair bleak. bThe bmost bappropriate bnext bstep bis:
A. bInsert ba bfoley bcatheter
B. bBegin bto btransfuse bO bnegative bblood
C. bPerform bthoracotomy
D. bObtain ba bCT bChest/Abd
E. bRepeat bthe bphysical bexam bof bthe bchest b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bRepeat bthe
bphysical bexam bof bthe bchest
decreased bbreath bsounds bw/dullness b-> bhemothorax, bneed btube bto bdrain
vs.
decreased/absent bbreath bsounds bw/hyperresonance b-> btension bpneumonia, bneed
bneedle bdecompression bfollowed bby btube
Which bone bof bthe bfollowing bstatements bconcerning bspine band bspinal bcord btrauma
bis bTRUE?
A. bA bnormal blateral bC bspine bfilm bexcludes binjury
B. bA bvertebral binjury bis bunlikely bin bthe babsence bof bphysical bfindings bof ba bcord
binjury
C. bA bpatient bwith ba bsuspected bspine binjury brequires bimmobilization bon ba bshort
bspine
D. bDiaphragmatic bbreathing bin ban bunconscious bpatient bwho bhas bfallen bis ba bsign
bof bspine binjury
E. bDetermination bof bwhether ba bspinal bcord blesion bis bcomplete bor bincomplete bmust
bbe bmade bin bthe bprimary bsurvey b- bcorrect banswer✔✔B. bA bvertebral binjury bis
bunlikely bin bthe babsence bof bphysical bfindings bof ba bcord binjury
A b17 byear bold bfemale bis bbrought bto bthe bED bfollowing ba b6 bfeet bfall bonto bconcrete.
bShe bis bunresponsive band bfound bto bhave ba bRR bof b32, bBP bof b90/60, band bHR bof
b68. bThe bFIRST bstep bin btreatment bis:
A. bAdministering bvasopressors
B. bEstablishing bIV baccess bfor bdrug-assisted bintubation
C. bSeeking bthe bcause bof bher bdecreased blevel bof bconsciousness
D. bApplying boxygen band bmaintaining bairway
E. bExcluding bhemorrhage bas ba bcause bof bshock b- bcorrect banswer✔✔D. bApplying
boxygen band bmaintaining bairway
First b= bABCs
Signs band bsymptoms bof bairway bcompromise binclude ball bof bthe bfollowing bexcept:
A. bChange bin bvoice
B. bStridor
C. bTachypea
D. bDyspnea band bagitation
E. bDecreased bpulse bpressure b- bcorrect banswer✔✔E. bDecreased bpulse bpressure
