TRAUMA _ FISDAP QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS PROVIDED
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
_________________________________________________
A 45-year-old male is involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. He is found unresponsive with
a pulse rate of 120/min, respirations of 28/min, and blood pressure of 88/62 mm Hg. Which of the
following is the priority intervention?
○ Apply a cervical collar.
○ Administer 100% oxygen via non-rebreather mask.
○ Establish two large-bore IV lines.
○ Perform a rapid trauma assessment.
Correct answer: ○ Administer 100% oxygen via non-rebreather mask.
Rationale: Airway and breathing are the priority. The patient is tachycardic and hypotensive,
indicating shock. Oxygen should be administered immediately. While cervical spine protection and IV
access are important, oxygenation is the immediate priority.
A 22-year-old male was stabbed in the chest. He is tachypneic, and you note jugular venous
distension and diminished breath sounds on the left side. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
○ Tension pneumothorax
○ Simple pneumothorax
○ Hemothorax
○ Cardiac tamponade
Correct answer: ○ Tension pneumothorax
Rationale: Tension pneumothorax presents with tachycardia, respiratory distress, absent or
diminished breath sounds on the affected side, and jugular venous distension (JVD). Beck's triad
(hypotension, JVD, muffled heart tones) is seen in cardiac tamponade.
,A 30-year-old female sustained a blunt force injury to the abdomen. Which of the following organs is
most commonly injured in blunt abdominal trauma?
○ Liver
○ Spleen
○ Kidney
○ Pancreas
Correct answer: ○ Spleen
Rationale: The spleen is the most commonly injured organ in blunt abdominal trauma. It is fragile
and highly vascular, making it susceptible to rupture.
A 55-year-old male fell from a 10-foot ladder. He is complaining of severe back pain. Which of the
following assessment findings is most concerning for spinal cord injury?
○ Loss of motor function below the level of injury
○ Pain at the injury site
○ Swelling at the injury site
○ Bruising at the injury site
Correct answer: ○ Loss of motor function below the level of injury
Rationale: Loss of motor and sensory function below the level of injury indicates spinal cord
involvement. Pain, swelling, and bruising are local signs but do not confirm spinal cord injury.
A 40-year-old male is involved in a motorcycle accident. He is wearing a helmet, which is cracked.
Which of the following mechanisms of injury should increase your index of suspicion for a head
injury?
○ Helmet was not properly fitted.
○ Helmet was cracked upon impact.
○ Patient was traveling at high speed.
○ Patient was ejected from the motorcycle.
,Correct answer: ○ Helmet was cracked upon impact.
Rationale: A cracked helmet indicates significant force was transmitted to the head. This increases
the likelihood of a head injury. Ejection, high speed, and improper fit are also concerning, but a
cracked helmet is a direct indicator.
A 28-year-old female was involved in a motor vehicle collision. She is complaining of shortness of
breath and has paradoxical movement of the chest wall on the right side. Which of the following is
the most likely diagnosis?
○ Flail chest
○ Pneumothorax
○ Hemothorax
○ Pulmonary contusion
Correct answer: ○ Flail chest
Rationale: Paradoxical chest wall movement is the hallmark of flail chest, which occurs when two or
more adjacent ribs are fractured in two or more places.
A 60-year-old male was struck by a car while crossing the street. He is confused, has a GCS of 13, and
is bleeding from a large laceration on his forehead. Which of the following is the most important
initial intervention?
○ Apply direct pressure to the forehead laceration.
○ Assess the patient's airway.
○ Immobilize the cervical spine.
○ Start two large-bore IV lines.
Correct answer: ○ Assess the patient's airway.
Rationale: The ABCs always take priority. Airway assessment is the first and most critical step. Spinal
immobilization, bleeding control, and IV access are important but secondary.
, A 35-year-old male has a gunshot wound to the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Which of the
following organs is most likely injured?
○ Liver
○ Spleen
○ Stomach
○ Kidney
Correct answer: ○ Liver
Rationale: The right upper quadrant contains the liver, gallbladder, and right kidney. A gunshot
wound to this area most likely injures the liver due to its size and location.
A 50-year-old female fell down a flight of stairs. She is complaining of pelvic pain. Which of the
following is the most serious complication of a pelvic fracture?
○ Hemorrhage
○ Infection
○ Nerve damage
○ Fat embolism
Correct answer: ○ Hemorrhage
Rationale: Pelvic fractures can cause massive hemorrhage due to the highly vascular nature of the
pelvis. This is the most immediate life-threatening complication.
A 25-year-old male was hit in the face with a baseball bat. He has a depressed skull fracture and is
leaking clear fluid from his nose. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
○ Basilar skull fracture
○ Le Fort fracture
COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
_________________________________________________
A 45-year-old male is involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. He is found unresponsive with
a pulse rate of 120/min, respirations of 28/min, and blood pressure of 88/62 mm Hg. Which of the
following is the priority intervention?
○ Apply a cervical collar.
○ Administer 100% oxygen via non-rebreather mask.
○ Establish two large-bore IV lines.
○ Perform a rapid trauma assessment.
Correct answer: ○ Administer 100% oxygen via non-rebreather mask.
Rationale: Airway and breathing are the priority. The patient is tachycardic and hypotensive,
indicating shock. Oxygen should be administered immediately. While cervical spine protection and IV
access are important, oxygenation is the immediate priority.
A 22-year-old male was stabbed in the chest. He is tachypneic, and you note jugular venous
distension and diminished breath sounds on the left side. Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
○ Tension pneumothorax
○ Simple pneumothorax
○ Hemothorax
○ Cardiac tamponade
Correct answer: ○ Tension pneumothorax
Rationale: Tension pneumothorax presents with tachycardia, respiratory distress, absent or
diminished breath sounds on the affected side, and jugular venous distension (JVD). Beck's triad
(hypotension, JVD, muffled heart tones) is seen in cardiac tamponade.
,A 30-year-old female sustained a blunt force injury to the abdomen. Which of the following organs is
most commonly injured in blunt abdominal trauma?
○ Liver
○ Spleen
○ Kidney
○ Pancreas
Correct answer: ○ Spleen
Rationale: The spleen is the most commonly injured organ in blunt abdominal trauma. It is fragile
and highly vascular, making it susceptible to rupture.
A 55-year-old male fell from a 10-foot ladder. He is complaining of severe back pain. Which of the
following assessment findings is most concerning for spinal cord injury?
○ Loss of motor function below the level of injury
○ Pain at the injury site
○ Swelling at the injury site
○ Bruising at the injury site
Correct answer: ○ Loss of motor function below the level of injury
Rationale: Loss of motor and sensory function below the level of injury indicates spinal cord
involvement. Pain, swelling, and bruising are local signs but do not confirm spinal cord injury.
A 40-year-old male is involved in a motorcycle accident. He is wearing a helmet, which is cracked.
Which of the following mechanisms of injury should increase your index of suspicion for a head
injury?
○ Helmet was not properly fitted.
○ Helmet was cracked upon impact.
○ Patient was traveling at high speed.
○ Patient was ejected from the motorcycle.
,Correct answer: ○ Helmet was cracked upon impact.
Rationale: A cracked helmet indicates significant force was transmitted to the head. This increases
the likelihood of a head injury. Ejection, high speed, and improper fit are also concerning, but a
cracked helmet is a direct indicator.
A 28-year-old female was involved in a motor vehicle collision. She is complaining of shortness of
breath and has paradoxical movement of the chest wall on the right side. Which of the following is
the most likely diagnosis?
○ Flail chest
○ Pneumothorax
○ Hemothorax
○ Pulmonary contusion
Correct answer: ○ Flail chest
Rationale: Paradoxical chest wall movement is the hallmark of flail chest, which occurs when two or
more adjacent ribs are fractured in two or more places.
A 60-year-old male was struck by a car while crossing the street. He is confused, has a GCS of 13, and
is bleeding from a large laceration on his forehead. Which of the following is the most important
initial intervention?
○ Apply direct pressure to the forehead laceration.
○ Assess the patient's airway.
○ Immobilize the cervical spine.
○ Start two large-bore IV lines.
Correct answer: ○ Assess the patient's airway.
Rationale: The ABCs always take priority. Airway assessment is the first and most critical step. Spinal
immobilization, bleeding control, and IV access are important but secondary.
, A 35-year-old male has a gunshot wound to the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Which of the
following organs is most likely injured?
○ Liver
○ Spleen
○ Stomach
○ Kidney
Correct answer: ○ Liver
Rationale: The right upper quadrant contains the liver, gallbladder, and right kidney. A gunshot
wound to this area most likely injures the liver due to its size and location.
A 50-year-old female fell down a flight of stairs. She is complaining of pelvic pain. Which of the
following is the most serious complication of a pelvic fracture?
○ Hemorrhage
○ Infection
○ Nerve damage
○ Fat embolism
Correct answer: ○ Hemorrhage
Rationale: Pelvic fractures can cause massive hemorrhage due to the highly vascular nature of the
pelvis. This is the most immediate life-threatening complication.
A 25-year-old male was hit in the face with a baseball bat. He has a depressed skull fracture and is
leaking clear fluid from his nose. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
○ Basilar skull fracture
○ Le Fort fracture
