EMT Exam 2 Review 2025/2026 | 100%
Verified Q&A | Head Injuries, Shock,
Hemorrhage, Fractures, Chest/Abdominal
Trauma.
Closed Head Injury
The brain is injured but there is no opening or breach of the cranial vault
Open Head Injury
Opening from brain to outside world, usually caused by extreme blunt force or penetrating
trauma
Scalp Lacerations
Often indicative of a deeper, more serious injury, the blood loss from these can be enough to
cause hypovolemic shock
Linear Fracture
A non-displaced fracture usually requiring an x-ray to diagnose
Deformity, visible cracks, ecchymosis under eyes, Battle sign (mastoid process brusing)
Signs of Skull Fracture
Depressed Skull Fracture
Results from high-energy MOI, direct trauma with blunt object, often altered mental state,
frontal and parietal bones are most susceptible
Basilar Skull Fracture
result of high-energy trauma following diffuse impact (like a fall or MVC), usually an extension of
a linear fracture, difficult to diagnose in the field
Signs/Symptoms: battle sign and raccoon eyes
Halo Test
When blood drips from an ear or nose onto a dry piece of sterile gauze, a yellow halo will form
around the blood if there is CSF present
,Test for CSF drainage.
Explain
Open Skull Fracture
Fracture of the skull with an overlying laceration or open wound
Usually trauma to multiple body systems found, the result of severe forces applied to the head.
Brain tissue may be exposed.
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
A traumatic insult to the brain capable of producing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and
vocational changes.
Primary Brain Injury
The direct trauma or mechanical injury resulting from impact, includes contusions,
hemorrhages, lacerations, fractures ect
Secondary Brain Injury
Hypoxia and Hypotension (Most common)
Increased Intracranial Pressure
Intracranial Hemorrhage
Injury that increases the severity of a primary brain injury
Name four
SPO2 90%
BP 90mmHg
While regularly reassessing a head or brain injury, what are the minimum vitals we tolerate
(SPO2 & BP)
intracranial pressure
Occurs with the increase of blood or fluid in the skull, OR swelling of the brain
Cheyne-Stokes (tachyapnea followed by periods of apnea)
Ataxic Breathing (No clear pattern, serious head injury- body cannot regulate respirations at all)
Kussamaul (Biots) apnea to deep/ fast breaths follwed by apnea
Decreased pulse
headache, nausea, vomiting
bradycardia
, sluggish pupils, uneven dialation
increased or widened BP
Signs of ICP (intracranial pressure)
Hypertension (High BP)
Bradycardia (Lower Pulse, HR)
Irregular Respirations
Cushings Triad (Head Injury)
epidural hematoma
Accumulation of blood between the skull and dura mater (usually caused by linear fracture of
temporal bone, severs middle meningeal artery bleed into epidural space)
Usually caused by a blow to the back of the head
loss of consciousness, lucid interval, unconscious again
Signs of epidural hematoma
subdural hematoma
collection of blood under the dura mater, associated with venous bleeding, usually caused by
falls of deceleration forces
intracerebral hematoma
Bleeding within the brain tissue itself, secondary to laceration of blood vessels caused by
depressed skull fracture, most common in frontal and temporal lobes, high mortality rate ever
with surgical intervention
subarachnoid hemorrhage
Bleeding into the subarachnoid space (between arachnoid layer and pia mater, where the
cerebrospinal fluid circulates. Signs of meningeal irritation, caused by trauma or ruptured
aneurysm (widening of BP)
Concussion
Mild TBI, a closed injury with temporary loss or alteration of consciousness or mental state
dizzy, weak, nauseous
tinitus
slurred speech
no focus
Verified Q&A | Head Injuries, Shock,
Hemorrhage, Fractures, Chest/Abdominal
Trauma.
Closed Head Injury
The brain is injured but there is no opening or breach of the cranial vault
Open Head Injury
Opening from brain to outside world, usually caused by extreme blunt force or penetrating
trauma
Scalp Lacerations
Often indicative of a deeper, more serious injury, the blood loss from these can be enough to
cause hypovolemic shock
Linear Fracture
A non-displaced fracture usually requiring an x-ray to diagnose
Deformity, visible cracks, ecchymosis under eyes, Battle sign (mastoid process brusing)
Signs of Skull Fracture
Depressed Skull Fracture
Results from high-energy MOI, direct trauma with blunt object, often altered mental state,
frontal and parietal bones are most susceptible
Basilar Skull Fracture
result of high-energy trauma following diffuse impact (like a fall or MVC), usually an extension of
a linear fracture, difficult to diagnose in the field
Signs/Symptoms: battle sign and raccoon eyes
Halo Test
When blood drips from an ear or nose onto a dry piece of sterile gauze, a yellow halo will form
around the blood if there is CSF present
,Test for CSF drainage.
Explain
Open Skull Fracture
Fracture of the skull with an overlying laceration or open wound
Usually trauma to multiple body systems found, the result of severe forces applied to the head.
Brain tissue may be exposed.
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
A traumatic insult to the brain capable of producing physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and
vocational changes.
Primary Brain Injury
The direct trauma or mechanical injury resulting from impact, includes contusions,
hemorrhages, lacerations, fractures ect
Secondary Brain Injury
Hypoxia and Hypotension (Most common)
Increased Intracranial Pressure
Intracranial Hemorrhage
Injury that increases the severity of a primary brain injury
Name four
SPO2 90%
BP 90mmHg
While regularly reassessing a head or brain injury, what are the minimum vitals we tolerate
(SPO2 & BP)
intracranial pressure
Occurs with the increase of blood or fluid in the skull, OR swelling of the brain
Cheyne-Stokes (tachyapnea followed by periods of apnea)
Ataxic Breathing (No clear pattern, serious head injury- body cannot regulate respirations at all)
Kussamaul (Biots) apnea to deep/ fast breaths follwed by apnea
Decreased pulse
headache, nausea, vomiting
bradycardia
, sluggish pupils, uneven dialation
increased or widened BP
Signs of ICP (intracranial pressure)
Hypertension (High BP)
Bradycardia (Lower Pulse, HR)
Irregular Respirations
Cushings Triad (Head Injury)
epidural hematoma
Accumulation of blood between the skull and dura mater (usually caused by linear fracture of
temporal bone, severs middle meningeal artery bleed into epidural space)
Usually caused by a blow to the back of the head
loss of consciousness, lucid interval, unconscious again
Signs of epidural hematoma
subdural hematoma
collection of blood under the dura mater, associated with venous bleeding, usually caused by
falls of deceleration forces
intracerebral hematoma
Bleeding within the brain tissue itself, secondary to laceration of blood vessels caused by
depressed skull fracture, most common in frontal and temporal lobes, high mortality rate ever
with surgical intervention
subarachnoid hemorrhage
Bleeding into the subarachnoid space (between arachnoid layer and pia mater, where the
cerebrospinal fluid circulates. Signs of meningeal irritation, caused by trauma or ruptured
aneurysm (widening of BP)
Concussion
Mild TBI, a closed injury with temporary loss or alteration of consciousness or mental state
dizzy, weak, nauseous
tinitus
slurred speech
no focus
