PHTLS ACTUAL 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
✔✔What does airway management entail? - ✔✔Anticipating difficulties and planning for
alternate methods of airway control.
✔✔What is ALWAYS the FIRST airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - ✔✔Trauma
Jaw Thrust/Chin Lift
✔✔What should be considered SECOND for maintaining a patent airway in the trauma
patient? - ✔✔OPA or NPA
✔✔What adjunct should be considered THIRD for airway management in the trauma
patient? - ✔✔Supra-Glottic Airways
✔✔When should glottic airways be considered? - ✔✔After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and
Supra Glottic airways have failed.
✔✔What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - ✔✔Decreased
LOC (GCS<8), Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper Airway Burns, Signs of
pending airway obstructions.
✔✔Which type of airway management should be considered last? - ✔✔Surgical.
✔✔What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - ✔✔One
physiological and one mechanical method.
✔✔When the patients breathing draws your attention you should...? - ✔✔Assume there
is a problem until proven otherwise.
✔✔What are some s/s you are looking for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? -
✔✔Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement,
sucking chest wound.
✔✔What are some s/s you are feeling for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? -
✔✔Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema.
✔✔What is the BIGGEST difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? -
✔✔A TENSION has hemodynamic compromise.
✔✔Which ribs are most at risk for rib fracture? - ✔✔Ribs 4-8 laterally
✔✔What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - ✔✔Fractures to ribs 4-8
, ✔✔What are common complaints of rib fractures? - ✔✔Pain and SOB
✔✔Under what circumstances should you withhold oxygen from a patient? - ✔✔Never
withhold oxygen from a patient in respiratory distress.
✔✔When should you assist ventilations? - ✔✔When the RR is above 28 or less than 10.
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for adults? - ✔✔10-12 bpm for 500-800cc
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for Children? - ✔✔16-20 bpm for 100-500 cc or good
chest rise
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for infants? - ✔✔25bpm for 6-8ml/kg
✔✔What end tidal CO2 reading should you maintain? - ✔✔35-45 mmHg
✔✔Where should a needle decompression be placed? - ✔✔2nd intercostal space mid
clavicular line, over the 3rd rib.
✔✔What is shock? - ✔✔A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
✔✔What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔4-6 minutes.
✔✔What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔45-90 minutes.
✔✔What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔4-6 hours.
✔✔What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? - ✔✔Hypovolemia
due to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
✔✔What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? -
✔✔Spinal Cord injury.
✔✔What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? - ✔✔An effective pump,
intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
✔✔What is cardiac output? - ✔✔Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
✔✔What is blood pressure? - ✔✔Cardiac Output x Systemic Vascular Resistance.
✔✔Vasocontriction leads to which phase of shock? - ✔✔The ischemic phase.
GRADED A+
✔✔What does airway management entail? - ✔✔Anticipating difficulties and planning for
alternate methods of airway control.
✔✔What is ALWAYS the FIRST airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - ✔✔Trauma
Jaw Thrust/Chin Lift
✔✔What should be considered SECOND for maintaining a patent airway in the trauma
patient? - ✔✔OPA or NPA
✔✔What adjunct should be considered THIRD for airway management in the trauma
patient? - ✔✔Supra-Glottic Airways
✔✔When should glottic airways be considered? - ✔✔After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and
Supra Glottic airways have failed.
✔✔What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - ✔✔Decreased
LOC (GCS<8), Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper Airway Burns, Signs of
pending airway obstructions.
✔✔Which type of airway management should be considered last? - ✔✔Surgical.
✔✔What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - ✔✔One
physiological and one mechanical method.
✔✔When the patients breathing draws your attention you should...? - ✔✔Assume there
is a problem until proven otherwise.
✔✔What are some s/s you are looking for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? -
✔✔Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement,
sucking chest wound.
✔✔What are some s/s you are feeling for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? -
✔✔Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema.
✔✔What is the BIGGEST difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? -
✔✔A TENSION has hemodynamic compromise.
✔✔Which ribs are most at risk for rib fracture? - ✔✔Ribs 4-8 laterally
✔✔What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - ✔✔Fractures to ribs 4-8
, ✔✔What are common complaints of rib fractures? - ✔✔Pain and SOB
✔✔Under what circumstances should you withhold oxygen from a patient? - ✔✔Never
withhold oxygen from a patient in respiratory distress.
✔✔When should you assist ventilations? - ✔✔When the RR is above 28 or less than 10.
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for adults? - ✔✔10-12 bpm for 500-800cc
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for Children? - ✔✔16-20 bpm for 100-500 cc or good
chest rise
✔✔What is the ventilatory rate for infants? - ✔✔25bpm for 6-8ml/kg
✔✔What end tidal CO2 reading should you maintain? - ✔✔35-45 mmHg
✔✔Where should a needle decompression be placed? - ✔✔2nd intercostal space mid
clavicular line, over the 3rd rib.
✔✔What is shock? - ✔✔A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
✔✔What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔4-6 minutes.
✔✔What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔45-90 minutes.
✔✔What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔✔4-6 hours.
✔✔What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? - ✔✔Hypovolemia
due to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
✔✔What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? -
✔✔Spinal Cord injury.
✔✔What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? - ✔✔An effective pump,
intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
✔✔What is cardiac output? - ✔✔Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
✔✔What is blood pressure? - ✔✔Cardiac Output x Systemic Vascular Resistance.
✔✔Vasocontriction leads to which phase of shock? - ✔✔The ischemic phase.
