PHTLS 10TH EDITION SELF TEST EXAM 2026
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND ANSWER GUIDE
◉ Which of the following is an example of the tertiary phase blast
injury? Answer: CRUSHING INJURY DUE TO STRUCTURAL
COLLAPSE.
◉ The most common threat to life among trauma patients is?
Answer: INTERNAL HEMORRHAGE
◉ Your patient is an injured construction worker bleeding profusely
from a large laceration to the left thigh. He is confused and has pale,
moist skin. Direct pressure applied to the wound by a first
responder has failed to control the bleeding. The next step in
controlling bleeding is to apply: Answer: A TOURNIQUET TO THE
LACERATION.
◉ Hypotension due to spinal cord trauma occurs due to interruption
of the _______________nervous system pathway. Answer: SYMPATHETIC
◉ The most common fractured ribs are ribs: Answer: 4 THROUGH 8.
◉ A hemothorax is differentiated from a tension pneumothorax by:
Answer: DULL PERCUSSION ON THE AFFECTED SIDE.
,◉ Which of the following mechanisms is most likely to result in
cardiac tamponade? Answer: A PATIENT IS STRUCK IN THE LEFT
ANTERIOR CHEST BY A NAIL EJECTED FROM A NAIL GUN.
◉ Management of flail chest includes: Answer: PAIN MANAGEMENT
VENTILATORY SUPPORT
100%O2
◉ Which of the following types of traumatic brain injury is most
likely to be associated with hemorrhage from the middle meningeal
artery? Answer: EPIDURAL HEMATOMA
◉ Which of the following groups of findings represents Cushing's
phenomenon? Answer: BRADYCARDIA
ABNORMAL RESPIRATORY PATTERN
ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE
◉ Your patient is a 32 year old female who was thrown from a horse
and struck her head on the ground. She was not wearing a helmet.
She does not respond verbally or open her eyes to painful stimuli,
but responds to painful stimuli with decerebrate posturing. Her
right pupil is dilated and does not react to light. Her respirations are
6 per minute and irregular, pulse 56, blood pressure 188/98. You
should ventilate the patient at a rate of? Answer: 20 BPM.
,◉ A burn with reddened, glistening base that may have blisters is
most characteristic of a Answer: SECOND degree burn.
◉ A chemical solution with a pH of 4.0 is considered an ACID and
causes damage to the tissues via Answer: COAGULATION NECROSIS.
◉ An electrical burn caused by superheated air near the source of
electricity is an Answer: ARC burn.
◉ Your patient is an 82 year old female who was an unrestrained
front seat passenger in a motor vehicle collision. Which of the
following is the most reliable indication of shock in this patient?
Answer: LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
◉ Which of the following findings is not expected in assessment of a
pregnant patient? Answer: A DECREASED BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE
THIRD TRIMESTER.
◉ Which of the following is contraindicated in the management of a
pregnant trauma patient in the third trimester? Answer: SUPINE
POSITION.
, ◉ During the assessment of the trauma patient, auscultation of the
lung sounds is first performed during: Answer: THE PRIMARY
SURVEY.
◉ Which of the following is indicated for the prehospital
management of a circumferential second degree burn extending
from the wrist to the elbow in a 70 Kg patient? Answer: A DRY
STERILE DRESSING
ANALGESIA
◉ The preferred fluid for resuscitation of the patient with significant
burns is: Answer: LACTATED RINGER'S SOLUTION.
◉ Which of the following is the most common cause of spinal
injuries? Answer: MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS.
◉ Hypotension in hemothorax is associated with: Answer: THE
ABILITY OF EACH SIDE OF THE THORAX TO HOLD UP TO 3 LITERS
OF BLOOD.
◉ Cardiac tamponade is suspected with the findings of muffled heart
sounds___________, and___________ known as___________. Answer:
JUGULAR VEIN DISTENTION, and HYPOTENSION, known as BECK'S
TRIAD.
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY AND ANSWER GUIDE
◉ Which of the following is an example of the tertiary phase blast
injury? Answer: CRUSHING INJURY DUE TO STRUCTURAL
COLLAPSE.
◉ The most common threat to life among trauma patients is?
Answer: INTERNAL HEMORRHAGE
◉ Your patient is an injured construction worker bleeding profusely
from a large laceration to the left thigh. He is confused and has pale,
moist skin. Direct pressure applied to the wound by a first
responder has failed to control the bleeding. The next step in
controlling bleeding is to apply: Answer: A TOURNIQUET TO THE
LACERATION.
◉ Hypotension due to spinal cord trauma occurs due to interruption
of the _______________nervous system pathway. Answer: SYMPATHETIC
◉ The most common fractured ribs are ribs: Answer: 4 THROUGH 8.
◉ A hemothorax is differentiated from a tension pneumothorax by:
Answer: DULL PERCUSSION ON THE AFFECTED SIDE.
,◉ Which of the following mechanisms is most likely to result in
cardiac tamponade? Answer: A PATIENT IS STRUCK IN THE LEFT
ANTERIOR CHEST BY A NAIL EJECTED FROM A NAIL GUN.
◉ Management of flail chest includes: Answer: PAIN MANAGEMENT
VENTILATORY SUPPORT
100%O2
◉ Which of the following types of traumatic brain injury is most
likely to be associated with hemorrhage from the middle meningeal
artery? Answer: EPIDURAL HEMATOMA
◉ Which of the following groups of findings represents Cushing's
phenomenon? Answer: BRADYCARDIA
ABNORMAL RESPIRATORY PATTERN
ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE
◉ Your patient is a 32 year old female who was thrown from a horse
and struck her head on the ground. She was not wearing a helmet.
She does not respond verbally or open her eyes to painful stimuli,
but responds to painful stimuli with decerebrate posturing. Her
right pupil is dilated and does not react to light. Her respirations are
6 per minute and irregular, pulse 56, blood pressure 188/98. You
should ventilate the patient at a rate of? Answer: 20 BPM.
,◉ A burn with reddened, glistening base that may have blisters is
most characteristic of a Answer: SECOND degree burn.
◉ A chemical solution with a pH of 4.0 is considered an ACID and
causes damage to the tissues via Answer: COAGULATION NECROSIS.
◉ An electrical burn caused by superheated air near the source of
electricity is an Answer: ARC burn.
◉ Your patient is an 82 year old female who was an unrestrained
front seat passenger in a motor vehicle collision. Which of the
following is the most reliable indication of shock in this patient?
Answer: LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
◉ Which of the following findings is not expected in assessment of a
pregnant patient? Answer: A DECREASED BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE
THIRD TRIMESTER.
◉ Which of the following is contraindicated in the management of a
pregnant trauma patient in the third trimester? Answer: SUPINE
POSITION.
, ◉ During the assessment of the trauma patient, auscultation of the
lung sounds is first performed during: Answer: THE PRIMARY
SURVEY.
◉ Which of the following is indicated for the prehospital
management of a circumferential second degree burn extending
from the wrist to the elbow in a 70 Kg patient? Answer: A DRY
STERILE DRESSING
ANALGESIA
◉ The preferred fluid for resuscitation of the patient with significant
burns is: Answer: LACTATED RINGER'S SOLUTION.
◉ Which of the following is the most common cause of spinal
injuries? Answer: MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS.
◉ Hypotension in hemothorax is associated with: Answer: THE
ABILITY OF EACH SIDE OF THE THORAX TO HOLD UP TO 3 LITERS
OF BLOOD.
◉ Cardiac tamponade is suspected with the findings of muffled heart
sounds___________, and___________ known as___________. Answer:
JUGULAR VEIN DISTENTION, and HYPOTENSION, known as BECK'S
TRIAD.
