PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE CHAPTER 27 EMT COURSE QUESTION BANK VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS A 36-year-old male was accidentally shot with a nail gun into the chest. You see the nail, which protrudes about 2 to 3 centimeters from the thorax, wh

PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE CHAPTER 27 EMT COURSE 2025 2026 QUESTION BANK VERIFIED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS A 36-year-old male was accidentally shot with a nail gun into the chest. You see the nail, which protrudes about 2 to 3 centimeters from the thorax, when you visualize the injury site. Under which of the following circumstances should you remove the nail from the injury site? - ANSWER -The patient begins to complain of shortness of breath. The patient develops a tension pneumothorax. Bleeding from the patient's wound is minimal. NONE OF THE ABOVE You have covered an open chest wound with your gloved hand and the patient's breathing has improved. In order to free your hand to provide further care, you should: - ANSWER -cover the wound with an occlusive dressing. Which of the following injuries may produce distended neck veins? - ANSWER -Tension pneumothorax Cardiac tamponade Traumatic asphyxia Your patient is a 21-year-old male who has a gunshot wound to the chest. Which of the following is the highest priority in managing this patient? - ANSWER -Placing an occlusive dressing over the wound Which of the following describes the proper application of an occlusive dressing for an open chest wound? - ANSWER -Tape the dressing securely on three sides. You are caring for a 27-year-old male who has a puncture wound to the right upper chest. The patient was stabbed with a serrated steak knife by his ex-girlfriend. You have placed an occlusive dressing to the site and began emergent transport to the closest trauma center. However, while en route the patient begins to complain of increasing shortness of breath. You notice a decrease in ventilatory volume and an increase in thoracic diameter. Which of the following options would be the best step to perform next? - ANSWER -Free a corner or edge of the dressing to release pressure buildup. Your patient was working on a car when it fell off the jack and trapped him between the tire and ground. His face is very blue and his eyes are bloodshot. Which of the following has the patient most likely suffered? - ANSWER -Traumatic asphyxia Which of the following injuries requires the use of an occlusive dressing? - ANSWER -Open wound to the abdomen from which a loop of intestine is protruding Open wound to the chest Open wound to the neck The chest cavity can hold up to ________ liter(s) of blood in an adult, leading to the possibility of massive internal hemorrhage without any external blood loss. - ANSWER -3 Which of the following is an accurate definition of a flail chest? - ANSWER -A section of the chest wall that is unstable, leading to breathing problems For which of the following wounds should the EMT apply an absorbent dressing moistened with sterile saline and then cover it with an occlusive dressing? - ANSWER -A gunshot wound to the abdomen from which a loop of intestine is protruding A patient with jugular vein distention is most likely suffering from which of the following injuries? - ANSWER -Tension pneumothorax Which of the following is a desirable characteristic of dressings used in the prehospital management of most open wounds? - ANSWER -sterile Which of the following BEST describes the benefit of a three-sided occlusive dressing over a four- sided occlusive dressing for an open chest wound? - ANSWER -It reduces the chances of developing a tension pneumothorax. In addition to lacerations, blunt trauma resulting in a closed chest injury creates the potential for which of the following internal injuries? - ANSWER -contusion You're an off-duty EMT who encounters a patient sitting behind the wheel of a vehicle that ran off the road along an isolated county road. It appears the patient was unrestrained, or not wearing a seat belt, and struck the steering wheel with his chest. On assessment, you notice a paradoxical motion to the patient's chest on inspiration and expiration. When you radio for dispatch of an ambulance, which of the following pieces of information would you be sure to include? - ANSWER - The patient may have a flail chest. You are on an EMS standby for a boxing tournament. During one of the matches, one of the female boxers delivers a forcible uppercut to the chest of her opponent, who falls to the ground. The match is declared over on the basis of a TKO. However, the opponent fails to arise following a 1 to 2 minute interval. EMS is summoned to the ring. You find the patient pulseless and breathing agonal gasps. You suspect which of the following traumatic conditions? - ANSWER -Commotio cordis Which of the following is an unreliable sign for determining the presence of a tension pneumothorax? - ANSWER -Trachea that shifts to the side opposite the injury The pathophysiology of ________ is one in which the pericardial sac fills with blood to the point where the chambers of the heart no longer fill adequately, usually secondary to trauma. - ANSWER - cardiac tamponade You are dispatched to a 42-year-old male who was shot in the abdomen and thrown from a vehicle. The patient is critical and a high-category trauma; however, due to the mechanism of injury, it is necessary to backboard the patient prior to transport. What is an important assessment before securing the patient? - ANSWER -Examining the patient for entrance and exit wounds Which of the following is a strategy to maintain an occlusive dressing to bloody or diaphoretic skin? - ANSWER -Manually maintain pressure. What is the correct terminology for a wound in which a vacuum has been created within the chest, drawing air into the thorax with each breath? - ANSWER -sucking chest wound While palpating the radial pulses of a patient who was involved in a motor vehicle crash, you notice a difference in the strength of the pulses bilaterally. This is a finding that you suspect may be associated with: - ANSWER -aortic dissection