ADVANCED TRAUMA LIFE SUPPORT EXAM AND
PRACTICE EXAM NEWEST 2024 ACTUAL EXAM 400
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
Patients with GSC of less than _____ usually require intubation - ANSWER: 8
The "A" in ABCD stands for ______. - ANSWER: Airway maintenance with Cervical
SPINE protection
You should assume that any patient in a multisystem trauma with an altered level of
consciousness or blunt injury above the clavice has what type of injury - ANSWER:
Cervical Spine Injury
Flail chest is invariably accompanied by _______ which can interfere with blood
oxygenation - ANSWER: pulmonary contusion - do NOT over fluid resuscitate these
patients.
Hypotension is caused by ______ until proven otherwise. - ANSWER: hypovolemia
When you dont have a BP what are three things to look for when evaluating
perfusion? - ANSWER: 1. level of consciousness (brain perfusion
2. Skin color (ashen face/grey extremities)
3. Pulse (bilateral femoral - thready/tachy)
Elderly patients have a limited ability to ___________ to compensate for blood loss -
ANSWER: increase heart rate
Resuscitation fluids should be warmed to 39 Celsius - ANSWER: Only for Cyrstalloids,
NOT for blood
Urinary catheters are good for assessing renal perfusion and volume status. List 5
signs of urethral injury that might precent you from inserting one - ANSWER: Blood
at urethral meatus, perineal ecchymosis, blood in scrotum, high-riding/non-palpable
prostate, pelvic fracture
Which arm should you NOT put a pulse-ox on? - ANSWER: The arm with the BP cuff
2 anatomical things that can interfere - ANSWER: Obesity and intraluminal bowel gas
When should radiographs be obtained? - ANSWER: During the Secondary survey!
How do get an ample patient history? - ANSWER: Allergies
Medications
PMH/Pregnancy
,Last meal
Events/Environment
Why might you want a Bair Hugger for a patient who smells of Alcohol? - ANSWER:
Vasodilation can lead to hypothermia
What things are you looking for when you do a DRE in trauma - ANSWER: Blood, high
riding prostate, sphincter tone,
What should be done for every female patient - ANSWER: Pregnancy test
Adult patients should maintain UOP of at least _____mL/kg/hr. Kids should have at
least ______ mL/kg/hr - ANSWER: Adults 0.5 mL/kg.hr
Kids 1.0 mL/kg/hr
Preventing hypercarbia (hypercapnia) is critical in patients who have sustained a
_______ injury - ANSWER: head
What two places would you LOOK at a patient if you suspect hypoxemia? - ANSWER:
Lips and fingernail beds
Patients may be abusive and belligerent because of ______-, so don't just assume its
due to drugs, alcohol, or the fact they they are just inherently a jerk - ANSWER:
hypoxia
Can a patient breath on their own after complete cervical cord transection -
ANSWER: Yes if the phrenic nerves (C3-C5 are spared. This will result in 'abdominal'
breathing. The intercostal muscles will be paralyzed though
Can you use an OPA (Guedel) in a conscious patient - ANSWER: No, it could make
them vomit. An NPA (trumpet) would be okay.
Bougies are typically inserted blindly, how do you know you are in the trachea and
not the esophagus? - ANSWER: You can feel the clicks as the distal tip rubs against
the cartilaginous tracheal rings, or it will deviate right or left when entering either
bronchus (at 50 cm)
What do yo NOT want to hear if you auscultate a patient after placement of an ET
tube? - ANSWER: Borborygmi - rumbling or gurgling noices suggest esophageal
insertion.
What is the RSI dose for etomidate - ANSWER: 0.3 mg/kg (usually 20 mg)
What is the RSI dose for succinylcholine - ANSWER: 1-2 mg/kg (usually 100 mg)
, How does etomidate affect blood pressure - ANSWER: it doesnt -it shouldnt have any
effect on BP. Ketamine will increase BP, and propofol and thiopental will both drop
BP.
A RSI dose of succinylcholine usually lasts about ___ minutes - ANSWER: 5
What hypnotic/sedative/induction agent do you NOT want to use for a severely
burned patient? - ANSWER: Sux - patients with severe burns, crush injuries,
hyperkalemia, or chronic paralytic/neuromuscular disease should NOT get Sux
because of hyperkalemia risk
O2 should flow at 15L for needle cricothyroidotomy, and have a Y connector for
insufflation if possible. What size needle do you use for adults? Kids? - ANSWER:
Adults: 12-14 gauge
kids: 16-18 gauge
Cricoid cartilage is the only circumferential support for the upper trachea in kids,
therefore surgical cricothyroidotomy is not recommeded for kids under the age of
________. - ANSWER: 12
In a 'normal' patient without significant chest wall injury or lung disease, needle
cricothyroidotomy can provide adequate oxygenation for approximately ______
minutes - ANSWER: 30-45
For a patient with difficulty breathing, what things might you try before you provide
a surgical aurway - ANSWER: Chin Lift, jaw-thrust (NOT head-tilt while maintaining c-
spine precautions), OPA (guedel), NPA (trumpet), LMA, Combitube, ET tube +-
bougie
How do you know if an OPA/Guedel is the correct size for the patient? - ANSWER: A
correctly sized OPA will extend from the corner of the patients mouth to the external
auditory canal.
What should you do with the balloon on an ET tube/LMA/foley before you insert it? -
ANSWER: Inflate it to make sure it doesnt leak- then deflate and insert
What size LMA do you use for Kid, woman/small man, large woman/man - ANSWER:
Kid: 3
Woman/Small Man: 4
Large woman/Man 5
C3,4,5 keep them all alive
The proper size ET tube for an infant is - ANSWER: The same size as the infants
nostril or little finger (3 for neonates, 3.5 for infants
What size cuffed endotracheal tube do you use for an emergency
cricothyroidotomy? - ANSWER: 5 or 6
PRACTICE EXAM NEWEST 2024 ACTUAL EXAM 400
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) |ALREADY GRADED A+
Patients with GSC of less than _____ usually require intubation - ANSWER: 8
The "A" in ABCD stands for ______. - ANSWER: Airway maintenance with Cervical
SPINE protection
You should assume that any patient in a multisystem trauma with an altered level of
consciousness or blunt injury above the clavice has what type of injury - ANSWER:
Cervical Spine Injury
Flail chest is invariably accompanied by _______ which can interfere with blood
oxygenation - ANSWER: pulmonary contusion - do NOT over fluid resuscitate these
patients.
Hypotension is caused by ______ until proven otherwise. - ANSWER: hypovolemia
When you dont have a BP what are three things to look for when evaluating
perfusion? - ANSWER: 1. level of consciousness (brain perfusion
2. Skin color (ashen face/grey extremities)
3. Pulse (bilateral femoral - thready/tachy)
Elderly patients have a limited ability to ___________ to compensate for blood loss -
ANSWER: increase heart rate
Resuscitation fluids should be warmed to 39 Celsius - ANSWER: Only for Cyrstalloids,
NOT for blood
Urinary catheters are good for assessing renal perfusion and volume status. List 5
signs of urethral injury that might precent you from inserting one - ANSWER: Blood
at urethral meatus, perineal ecchymosis, blood in scrotum, high-riding/non-palpable
prostate, pelvic fracture
Which arm should you NOT put a pulse-ox on? - ANSWER: The arm with the BP cuff
2 anatomical things that can interfere - ANSWER: Obesity and intraluminal bowel gas
When should radiographs be obtained? - ANSWER: During the Secondary survey!
How do get an ample patient history? - ANSWER: Allergies
Medications
PMH/Pregnancy
,Last meal
Events/Environment
Why might you want a Bair Hugger for a patient who smells of Alcohol? - ANSWER:
Vasodilation can lead to hypothermia
What things are you looking for when you do a DRE in trauma - ANSWER: Blood, high
riding prostate, sphincter tone,
What should be done for every female patient - ANSWER: Pregnancy test
Adult patients should maintain UOP of at least _____mL/kg/hr. Kids should have at
least ______ mL/kg/hr - ANSWER: Adults 0.5 mL/kg.hr
Kids 1.0 mL/kg/hr
Preventing hypercarbia (hypercapnia) is critical in patients who have sustained a
_______ injury - ANSWER: head
What two places would you LOOK at a patient if you suspect hypoxemia? - ANSWER:
Lips and fingernail beds
Patients may be abusive and belligerent because of ______-, so don't just assume its
due to drugs, alcohol, or the fact they they are just inherently a jerk - ANSWER:
hypoxia
Can a patient breath on their own after complete cervical cord transection -
ANSWER: Yes if the phrenic nerves (C3-C5 are spared. This will result in 'abdominal'
breathing. The intercostal muscles will be paralyzed though
Can you use an OPA (Guedel) in a conscious patient - ANSWER: No, it could make
them vomit. An NPA (trumpet) would be okay.
Bougies are typically inserted blindly, how do you know you are in the trachea and
not the esophagus? - ANSWER: You can feel the clicks as the distal tip rubs against
the cartilaginous tracheal rings, or it will deviate right or left when entering either
bronchus (at 50 cm)
What do yo NOT want to hear if you auscultate a patient after placement of an ET
tube? - ANSWER: Borborygmi - rumbling or gurgling noices suggest esophageal
insertion.
What is the RSI dose for etomidate - ANSWER: 0.3 mg/kg (usually 20 mg)
What is the RSI dose for succinylcholine - ANSWER: 1-2 mg/kg (usually 100 mg)
, How does etomidate affect blood pressure - ANSWER: it doesnt -it shouldnt have any
effect on BP. Ketamine will increase BP, and propofol and thiopental will both drop
BP.
A RSI dose of succinylcholine usually lasts about ___ minutes - ANSWER: 5
What hypnotic/sedative/induction agent do you NOT want to use for a severely
burned patient? - ANSWER: Sux - patients with severe burns, crush injuries,
hyperkalemia, or chronic paralytic/neuromuscular disease should NOT get Sux
because of hyperkalemia risk
O2 should flow at 15L for needle cricothyroidotomy, and have a Y connector for
insufflation if possible. What size needle do you use for adults? Kids? - ANSWER:
Adults: 12-14 gauge
kids: 16-18 gauge
Cricoid cartilage is the only circumferential support for the upper trachea in kids,
therefore surgical cricothyroidotomy is not recommeded for kids under the age of
________. - ANSWER: 12
In a 'normal' patient without significant chest wall injury or lung disease, needle
cricothyroidotomy can provide adequate oxygenation for approximately ______
minutes - ANSWER: 30-45
For a patient with difficulty breathing, what things might you try before you provide
a surgical aurway - ANSWER: Chin Lift, jaw-thrust (NOT head-tilt while maintaining c-
spine precautions), OPA (guedel), NPA (trumpet), LMA, Combitube, ET tube +-
bougie
How do you know if an OPA/Guedel is the correct size for the patient? - ANSWER: A
correctly sized OPA will extend from the corner of the patients mouth to the external
auditory canal.
What should you do with the balloon on an ET tube/LMA/foley before you insert it? -
ANSWER: Inflate it to make sure it doesnt leak- then deflate and insert
What size LMA do you use for Kid, woman/small man, large woman/man - ANSWER:
Kid: 3
Woman/Small Man: 4
Large woman/Man 5
C3,4,5 keep them all alive
The proper size ET tube for an infant is - ANSWER: The same size as the infants
nostril or little finger (3 for neonates, 3.5 for infants
What size cuffed endotracheal tube do you use for an emergency
cricothyroidotomy? - ANSWER: 5 or 6
