ATLS POST
TEST
2025/2026
QUESTIONS
&
ANSWERS
,ATLS POST TEST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. The primary indication for transferring a 4. Which one of the following sta
patient to a higher level trauma center is: regarding patients with thoracic
TRUE?
unavailability of a surgeon or operating room Log-rolling may be destab
staff. fractures from T-
multiple system injuries, including severe Adequate immobilizatio
head injury. accomplished with the scoop
resource limitations as determined by the Spinal cord injury below T-10 usua
transferring doctor. bowel and bladde
resource limitations as determined by the Hyperflexion fractures in t
hospital administration. thoracic spine are inherently
widened mediastinum on chest x-ray These patients rarely present w
following blunt thoracic trauma. shock in association with c
2. teen-aged bicycle rider is hit by a truck 5. young man sustains a ritle wo
traveling at a high rate of speed. In the abdomen. He is brought prompt
emergency department, she is actively bleeding emergency department by preho
from open fractures of her legs, and has personnel. His skin is cool and d
abrasions on her chest and abdominal wall. Her his systolic blood pressure is 58
blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, heart rate is Warmed crystalloid fluids are in
140 beats per minute, respiratory rate is 8 improvement in his vital signs. T
breaths per minute, and GCS score is 6. appropriate step is to perform:
The first step in managing this patient is to: a
an abdomin
obtain a lateral cervical spine x-ray. diagnostic la
insert a central venous pressure line. abdominal ultraso
administer 2 liters of crystalloid solution. a diagnostic peritone
perform endotracheal intubation and
ventilation.
apply the PASG and inflate the leg
6. young woman sustains a sev
compartments. as the result of a motor vehicul
emergency department, her GC
blood pressure is 140/90 mm H
3. Contraindication to nasogastric intubation is rate is 80 beats per minute. She
the presence of a: is being mechanically ventilate
gastric perforation. 3 mm in size and equally reacti
diaphragmatic rupture. There is no other apparent inju
open depressed skull fracture. important principle to follow in
fracture of the cervical spine. management of her head injury
, aggressively treat systemic hypertension. 9. 8-year-old girl is an unrestra
reduce metabolic requirements of the in a vehicle struck from behind
brain. emergency department, her blo
distinguish between intracranial hematoma 80/60 mm Hg, heart rate is 80 b
and cerebral edema. and respiratory rate is 16 breat
Her GCS score is 14. She compl
legs feel "funny and won't mov
7. 22-year-old man is brought to the hospital
however, her spine x-rays do n
after crashing his motorcycle into a telephone
fracture or dislocation. A spina
pole. He is unconscious and in profound shock.
this child:
He has no open wounds or obvious fractures.
is most likely a central cord s
The cause of his shock is MOST LIKELY
must be diagnosed by magnetic r
caused by:
a subdural hematoma.
can be excluded by obtaining a
an epidural hematoma.
en
a transected lumbar spinal cord.
may exist in the absence of
a transected cervical spinal cord. findings on x-ra
hemorrhage into the chest or abdomen.
is unlikely because of the inc
calcification of the vertebr
8. 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling
at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious fractures of 10. Immediate chest tube insert
the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic for which of the following cond
area, and severe dyspnea. His heart rate is 180 Pne
beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48 Pneumom
breaths per minute with no breath sounds heard Massive he
in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is Diaphragm
relieved by immediate needle decompression Subcutaneous e
and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently, his heart
rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his
respiratory rate decreases to 36 breaths per 11. 18-year-old, helmeted moto
minute, and his blood pressure is 80/50 inm Hg. brought by ambulance to the e
Warmed Ringer's lactate is administered department following a high-sp
intravenously. The next priority should be to: Prehospital persormel report tha
perform a urethrogram and cystogram. 15 meters (50 feet) off his bfice
perform external fixation of the pelvis. history of hypotension prior to
obtain abdominal and pelvic CT scans. emergency department, but is no
perform arterial embolization of the pelvic and conversational. Which of th
vessels. statements is TRUE?
perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or Cerebral perfiisi
TEST
2025/2026
QUESTIONS
&
ANSWERS
,ATLS POST TEST QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. The primary indication for transferring a 4. Which one of the following sta
patient to a higher level trauma center is: regarding patients with thoracic
TRUE?
unavailability of a surgeon or operating room Log-rolling may be destab
staff. fractures from T-
multiple system injuries, including severe Adequate immobilizatio
head injury. accomplished with the scoop
resource limitations as determined by the Spinal cord injury below T-10 usua
transferring doctor. bowel and bladde
resource limitations as determined by the Hyperflexion fractures in t
hospital administration. thoracic spine are inherently
widened mediastinum on chest x-ray These patients rarely present w
following blunt thoracic trauma. shock in association with c
2. teen-aged bicycle rider is hit by a truck 5. young man sustains a ritle wo
traveling at a high rate of speed. In the abdomen. He is brought prompt
emergency department, she is actively bleeding emergency department by preho
from open fractures of her legs, and has personnel. His skin is cool and d
abrasions on her chest and abdominal wall. Her his systolic blood pressure is 58
blood pressure is 80/50 mm Hg, heart rate is Warmed crystalloid fluids are in
140 beats per minute, respiratory rate is 8 improvement in his vital signs. T
breaths per minute, and GCS score is 6. appropriate step is to perform:
The first step in managing this patient is to: a
an abdomin
obtain a lateral cervical spine x-ray. diagnostic la
insert a central venous pressure line. abdominal ultraso
administer 2 liters of crystalloid solution. a diagnostic peritone
perform endotracheal intubation and
ventilation.
apply the PASG and inflate the leg
6. young woman sustains a sev
compartments. as the result of a motor vehicul
emergency department, her GC
blood pressure is 140/90 mm H
3. Contraindication to nasogastric intubation is rate is 80 beats per minute. She
the presence of a: is being mechanically ventilate
gastric perforation. 3 mm in size and equally reacti
diaphragmatic rupture. There is no other apparent inju
open depressed skull fracture. important principle to follow in
fracture of the cervical spine. management of her head injury
, aggressively treat systemic hypertension. 9. 8-year-old girl is an unrestra
reduce metabolic requirements of the in a vehicle struck from behind
brain. emergency department, her blo
distinguish between intracranial hematoma 80/60 mm Hg, heart rate is 80 b
and cerebral edema. and respiratory rate is 16 breat
Her GCS score is 14. She compl
legs feel "funny and won't mov
7. 22-year-old man is brought to the hospital
however, her spine x-rays do n
after crashing his motorcycle into a telephone
fracture or dislocation. A spina
pole. He is unconscious and in profound shock.
this child:
He has no open wounds or obvious fractures.
is most likely a central cord s
The cause of his shock is MOST LIKELY
must be diagnosed by magnetic r
caused by:
a subdural hematoma.
can be excluded by obtaining a
an epidural hematoma.
en
a transected lumbar spinal cord.
may exist in the absence of
a transected cervical spinal cord. findings on x-ra
hemorrhage into the chest or abdomen.
is unlikely because of the inc
calcification of the vertebr
8. 30-year-old man is struck by a car traveling
at 56 kph (35 mph). He has obvious fractures of 10. Immediate chest tube insert
the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic for which of the following cond
area, and severe dyspnea. His heart rate is 180 Pne
beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48 Pneumom
breaths per minute with no breath sounds heard Massive he
in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is Diaphragm
relieved by immediate needle decompression Subcutaneous e
and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently, his heart
rate decreases to 140 beats per minute, his
respiratory rate decreases to 36 breaths per 11. 18-year-old, helmeted moto
minute, and his blood pressure is 80/50 inm Hg. brought by ambulance to the e
Warmed Ringer's lactate is administered department following a high-sp
intravenously. The next priority should be to: Prehospital persormel report tha
perform a urethrogram and cystogram. 15 meters (50 feet) off his bfice
perform external fixation of the pelvis. history of hypotension prior to
obtain abdominal and pelvic CT scans. emergency department, but is no
perform arterial embolization of the pelvic and conversational. Which of th
vessels. statements is TRUE?
perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or Cerebral perfiisi
