PHTLS EVALUATION EXAM UPDATED QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Which is the most important reason to maintain an open airway in the trauma
patient?
A) Prevents aspiration and pneumonia
B) Prevents hypoxemia and hypercarbia
C) Prevents snoring respirations
D) Prevents the tongue from blocking the pharynx - ✔✔B) Prevents hypoxemia and
hypercarbia
✔✔Essential airway skills include manual clearing of the airway, manual maneuvers,
suctioning and which of the following?
A) Dual lumen airway
B) Endotracheal intubation
C) Laryngeal mask airway
D) Oropharyngeal airway - ✔✔D) Oropharyngeal airway
✔✔Your patient is a middle aged male who crashed his motorcycle. He is unresponsive.
After opening the airway using a modified jaw thrust, you note the patient has
respirations at a rate of 6. Auscultation reveals breath sounds are absent on the left
side. Which of the following is the most appropriate next intervention?
A) Apply a non-rebreather mask
B) Begin ventilation with a BVM
C) Insert an endotracheal tube
D) Perform a needle decompression - ✔✔B) Begin ventilation with a BVM
✔✔Which best describes shock?
A) Decreased Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
B) Flushed, dry, hot skin combined with bradycardia
C) Generalized inadequate tissue perfusion
D) Low blood pressure combined with tachycardia - ✔✔C) Generalized inadequate
tissue perfusion
✔✔Your patient has a deep laceration to his antecubital fossa with significant bleeding.
What is the most appropriate initial action?
A) Apply a tourniquet
B) Apply direct pressure
C) Initiate rapid transport
D) Restore blood volume - ✔✔B) Apply direct pressure
, ✔✔Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result
from which of the following?
A) Blood loss
B) Cardiac tamponade
C) Spinal injury
D) Tension pneumothorax - ✔✔A) Blood loss
✔✔Which assessment is most beneficial in differentiating hemorrhagic shock from
neurogenic shock in the prehospital setting?
A) Abdomen
B) Blood pressure
C) Neurologic status
D) Skin - ✔✔D) Skin
✔✔The body initially compensates for blood loss through activation of which of the
following?
A) Parasympathetic nervous system
B) Reticular activating system
C) Spinal reflex arcs
D) Sympathetic nervous system - ✔✔D) Sympathetic nervous system
✔✔Medication used by trauma patients for pre-existing conditions may cause which of
the following?
A) Herbal preparations may enhance blood clotting
B) Anti-inflammatory agents may enhance blood clotting
C) Beta blockers may prevent tachycardia with blood loss
D) Calcium channel blockers may slow the onset of shock - ✔✔C) Beta blockers may
prevent tachycardia with blood loss
✔✔The target blood pressure for a trauma patient with suspected intraabdominal
hemorrhage is which of the following?
A) 60 - 70mm Hg
B) 80 - 90 mm Hg
C) 100 - 110 mm Hg
D) 120 - 130 mm Hg - ✔✔B) 80 - 90 mm Hg
✔✔Which best explains the mechanism by which gas exchange is impaired in
pulmonary contusion?
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Which is the most important reason to maintain an open airway in the trauma
patient?
A) Prevents aspiration and pneumonia
B) Prevents hypoxemia and hypercarbia
C) Prevents snoring respirations
D) Prevents the tongue from blocking the pharynx - ✔✔B) Prevents hypoxemia and
hypercarbia
✔✔Essential airway skills include manual clearing of the airway, manual maneuvers,
suctioning and which of the following?
A) Dual lumen airway
B) Endotracheal intubation
C) Laryngeal mask airway
D) Oropharyngeal airway - ✔✔D) Oropharyngeal airway
✔✔Your patient is a middle aged male who crashed his motorcycle. He is unresponsive.
After opening the airway using a modified jaw thrust, you note the patient has
respirations at a rate of 6. Auscultation reveals breath sounds are absent on the left
side. Which of the following is the most appropriate next intervention?
A) Apply a non-rebreather mask
B) Begin ventilation with a BVM
C) Insert an endotracheal tube
D) Perform a needle decompression - ✔✔B) Begin ventilation with a BVM
✔✔Which best describes shock?
A) Decreased Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
B) Flushed, dry, hot skin combined with bradycardia
C) Generalized inadequate tissue perfusion
D) Low blood pressure combined with tachycardia - ✔✔C) Generalized inadequate
tissue perfusion
✔✔Your patient has a deep laceration to his antecubital fossa with significant bleeding.
What is the most appropriate initial action?
A) Apply a tourniquet
B) Apply direct pressure
C) Initiate rapid transport
D) Restore blood volume - ✔✔B) Apply direct pressure
, ✔✔Hypotension of unknown etiology in a trauma patient should be assumed to result
from which of the following?
A) Blood loss
B) Cardiac tamponade
C) Spinal injury
D) Tension pneumothorax - ✔✔A) Blood loss
✔✔Which assessment is most beneficial in differentiating hemorrhagic shock from
neurogenic shock in the prehospital setting?
A) Abdomen
B) Blood pressure
C) Neurologic status
D) Skin - ✔✔D) Skin
✔✔The body initially compensates for blood loss through activation of which of the
following?
A) Parasympathetic nervous system
B) Reticular activating system
C) Spinal reflex arcs
D) Sympathetic nervous system - ✔✔D) Sympathetic nervous system
✔✔Medication used by trauma patients for pre-existing conditions may cause which of
the following?
A) Herbal preparations may enhance blood clotting
B) Anti-inflammatory agents may enhance blood clotting
C) Beta blockers may prevent tachycardia with blood loss
D) Calcium channel blockers may slow the onset of shock - ✔✔C) Beta blockers may
prevent tachycardia with blood loss
✔✔The target blood pressure for a trauma patient with suspected intraabdominal
hemorrhage is which of the following?
A) 60 - 70mm Hg
B) 80 - 90 mm Hg
C) 100 - 110 mm Hg
D) 120 - 130 mm Hg - ✔✔B) 80 - 90 mm Hg
✔✔Which best explains the mechanism by which gas exchange is impaired in
pulmonary contusion?
