AWLS STUDY QUESTIONS EXAM AND ANSWERS
name the parts of the primary survey: MARCH - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅M - Massive hemorrhage
A - Airway + C-spine precautions
R - Respirations
C - Circulation
H - Hyper/hypothermia, hike vs helecopter
name the levels of consciousness: AVPU - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅A - Alert & oriented (x 1, 2, 3 or 4)
V - Verbal
P - Pain
U - Unresponsive
name the parts of the secondary survey: SAMPLE - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅S - Signs & symptoms
A - Allergies
M - Medications
P - Past medical/ surgical history
L - Last meal
E - Events leading up to the incident
name the parts of the secondary survey: pain characterization: COLDERR - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅C
- character
O - onset
L - location
D - Duration
E - Exacerbation
R - relief
R - Radiation
,name the parts of the secondary survey: potential areas of major bleeds: CARTS - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅C - chest
A - abdomen
R - renal/ retroperitoneal
T - thigh
S - Skin/ street
Name the parts of assessments of altered mental status: AEIOU-TIPS - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅A -
Allergies/ altitude
E - environment / epilepsy
I - Infection
O - overdose
U - underdose
T - Trauma/ toxins
I - insulin (diabetes)
P - psychological disorder
S - stroke
what is the purpose of the blood sweep during the primary survey - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1.
Identify sites of major bleeding
2. to detect major deformities
you are rock climbing with several friends & a rock slide occurs. 3 ppl fall 10-20 ft to the bottom & 2
other ppl were injured while standing at the bottom of the cliff & looking up. which is appropriate?
a.) move all the injured ppl away from the base of the cliff
b.) don't move anyone due to C-spine risk
c.) put an overhead shade over the base of the cliff
d.)triage & only move pts with no C-spine risk
e.) leave all pts where they are lying and go get help - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅a.) move all the
injured pts away from the base of the cliff
,A hiker falls 150 ft down a steep embankment. She is pale but awake, has a thready pulse of 130 bpm &
c/o being thirsty. What best explains her symptoms
a.) abrasions on her lower legs
b.) deformity of L wrist
c.) neck pain & stiffness
d.) severe tenderness on palpation of her abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅d.) severe tenderness
on palpation of abdomen
You are 3 days into a weeklong backpacking trip & one of your group develops abdominal pain. A
thorough assessment suggest constipation as the cause. You elect to watch the pt overnight. How often
should you check on him?
a.) every 5 min all night
b.) every 15 min
c.) re-assess in the morning
d.) never, you've made your assessment
e.) whenever a change in pt condition or environment occurs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅e.)
whenever a change in pt condition or environment occurs
Which of the following is NOT an area that is concerning for occult blood loss in the trauma victim?
a.) abdomen
b.) buttocks
c.) chest
d.) pelvis
e.) thigh - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅B.) buttocks
you are snowshoeing in the mountains. It is mid-20s outside & you come across a 35 yr old man on the
side of the trail. He is breathing, has a strong pulse but is confused & slow to respond. Most likely cause
of altered mental status?
a.) hypoglycemia due to too much insulin
b.) seizure w/ post-seizure confusion
, c.) stroke
d.) intoxication
e.) all of the above should be considered - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅e.) all of the above
you arrive at the scene of a drowning. The victim has been pulled from the water & is completely
unresponsive w/no sign of life. Next step?
a.) evaluate for massive hemorrhage
b.) initiate CPR w/ chest compressions
c.) initiate CPR w/ 2 rescue breaths
d.) perform a blood sweep
e.) rewarm the pt with blankets & body heat - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅c.) initiate CPR w/ 2 rescue
breaths
which wound is least likely to become infected & would be the best candidate for backcountry closure?
a.) shear force leading to 1cm forearm laceration
b.) crush injury to a non-helmeted mountain biker
c.) puncture wound through the plantar surface of the foot due to broken glass
d.) stab wound to abdomen with a pocket knife - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅a.) shear force leading to a
1cm forearm laceration
all of these would be an acceptable topical antimicrobial except:
a.) bacitracin
b.) Mupirocin
c.) LET (lidocaine, epi, tetracaine)
d.) Silvadene
e.) unprocessed honey - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅c.) LET (lidocaine, epinephrine, tetracaine)
which burn does NOT require evacuation?
a.) a camper's tent catches fire. He evacuates the tent but is coughing & has singed nose-hair
name the parts of the primary survey: MARCH - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅M - Massive hemorrhage
A - Airway + C-spine precautions
R - Respirations
C - Circulation
H - Hyper/hypothermia, hike vs helecopter
name the levels of consciousness: AVPU - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅A - Alert & oriented (x 1, 2, 3 or 4)
V - Verbal
P - Pain
U - Unresponsive
name the parts of the secondary survey: SAMPLE - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅S - Signs & symptoms
A - Allergies
M - Medications
P - Past medical/ surgical history
L - Last meal
E - Events leading up to the incident
name the parts of the secondary survey: pain characterization: COLDERR - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅C
- character
O - onset
L - location
D - Duration
E - Exacerbation
R - relief
R - Radiation
,name the parts of the secondary survey: potential areas of major bleeds: CARTS - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅C - chest
A - abdomen
R - renal/ retroperitoneal
T - thigh
S - Skin/ street
Name the parts of assessments of altered mental status: AEIOU-TIPS - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅A -
Allergies/ altitude
E - environment / epilepsy
I - Infection
O - overdose
U - underdose
T - Trauma/ toxins
I - insulin (diabetes)
P - psychological disorder
S - stroke
what is the purpose of the blood sweep during the primary survey - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅1.
Identify sites of major bleeding
2. to detect major deformities
you are rock climbing with several friends & a rock slide occurs. 3 ppl fall 10-20 ft to the bottom & 2
other ppl were injured while standing at the bottom of the cliff & looking up. which is appropriate?
a.) move all the injured ppl away from the base of the cliff
b.) don't move anyone due to C-spine risk
c.) put an overhead shade over the base of the cliff
d.)triage & only move pts with no C-spine risk
e.) leave all pts where they are lying and go get help - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅a.) move all the
injured pts away from the base of the cliff
,A hiker falls 150 ft down a steep embankment. She is pale but awake, has a thready pulse of 130 bpm &
c/o being thirsty. What best explains her symptoms
a.) abrasions on her lower legs
b.) deformity of L wrist
c.) neck pain & stiffness
d.) severe tenderness on palpation of her abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅d.) severe tenderness
on palpation of abdomen
You are 3 days into a weeklong backpacking trip & one of your group develops abdominal pain. A
thorough assessment suggest constipation as the cause. You elect to watch the pt overnight. How often
should you check on him?
a.) every 5 min all night
b.) every 15 min
c.) re-assess in the morning
d.) never, you've made your assessment
e.) whenever a change in pt condition or environment occurs - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅e.)
whenever a change in pt condition or environment occurs
Which of the following is NOT an area that is concerning for occult blood loss in the trauma victim?
a.) abdomen
b.) buttocks
c.) chest
d.) pelvis
e.) thigh - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅B.) buttocks
you are snowshoeing in the mountains. It is mid-20s outside & you come across a 35 yr old man on the
side of the trail. He is breathing, has a strong pulse but is confused & slow to respond. Most likely cause
of altered mental status?
a.) hypoglycemia due to too much insulin
b.) seizure w/ post-seizure confusion
, c.) stroke
d.) intoxication
e.) all of the above should be considered - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅e.) all of the above
you arrive at the scene of a drowning. The victim has been pulled from the water & is completely
unresponsive w/no sign of life. Next step?
a.) evaluate for massive hemorrhage
b.) initiate CPR w/ chest compressions
c.) initiate CPR w/ 2 rescue breaths
d.) perform a blood sweep
e.) rewarm the pt with blankets & body heat - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅c.) initiate CPR w/ 2 rescue
breaths
which wound is least likely to become infected & would be the best candidate for backcountry closure?
a.) shear force leading to 1cm forearm laceration
b.) crush injury to a non-helmeted mountain biker
c.) puncture wound through the plantar surface of the foot due to broken glass
d.) stab wound to abdomen with a pocket knife - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅a.) shear force leading to a
1cm forearm laceration
all of these would be an acceptable topical antimicrobial except:
a.) bacitracin
b.) Mupirocin
c.) LET (lidocaine, epi, tetracaine)
d.) Silvadene
e.) unprocessed honey - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅c.) LET (lidocaine, epinephrine, tetracaine)
which burn does NOT require evacuation?
a.) a camper's tent catches fire. He evacuates the tent but is coughing & has singed nose-hair
