ATLS 10th Edition Comprehensive Exam: Practice
Questions & Answers Guide
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**Question 1**
What is the first step in the assessment of a trauma patient?
o Assessing the cervical spine
o Auscultating breath sounds
☑ Assessing airway patency with cervical spine protection
o Starting two large-bore IVs
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**Question 2**
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the unconscious trauma
patient?
o Foreign body
o Laryngeal fracture
☑ Tongue obstruction
o Vomitus
________________________________________________
**Question 3**
,In the adult trauma patient, which procedure is the preferred method for establishing a
definitive airway when intubation fails?
o Needle cricothyroidotomy
☑ Surgical cricothyroidotomy
o Tracheostomy
o Blind nasal intubation
________________________________________________
**Question 4**
A patient has tachycardia, hypotension, and tracheal deviation. What is the diagnosis?
o Hemothorax
☑ Tension pneumothorax
o Cardiac tamponade
o Pulmonary contusion
________________________________________________
**Question 5**
Which of the following signs indicates a tension pneumothorax?
o Distended neck veins
o Decreased breath sounds on the affected side
o Tracheal deviation away from the affected side
☑ All of the above
________________________________________________
**Question 6**
What is the initial fluid bolus for an adult trauma patient in shock?
o 2 liters of Lactated Ringer's
, ☑ 1 liter of warmed isotonic crystalloid
o 500 mL of 5% albumin
o 3 liters of normal saline
________________________________________________
**Question 7**
What is the goal of resuscitation in a trauma patient with massive hemorrhage?
o Normalize blood pressure to 140/90
o Increase heart rate
☑ Maintain tissue perfusion and prevent the "triad of death"
o Over-hydrate to prevent organ failure
________________________________________________
**Question 8**
Which of the following is included in the "triad of death"?
o Hypotension, tachycardia, hypoxia
☑ Hypothermia, coagulopathy, metabolic acidosis
o Hypocalcemia, hyperkalemia, hypoxia
o Hypertension, bradycardia, hyperthermia
________________________________________________
**Question 9**
What is the primary diagnostic use of the FAST exam in abdominal trauma?
o Assessing solid organ injury severity
☑ Identifying free intraperitoneal fluid
o Diagnosing diaphragmatic rupture
o Determining the need for a CT scan in stable patients
Questions & Answers Guide
________________________________________________
**Question 1**
What is the first step in the assessment of a trauma patient?
o Assessing the cervical spine
o Auscultating breath sounds
☑ Assessing airway patency with cervical spine protection
o Starting two large-bore IVs
________________________________________________
**Question 2**
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the unconscious trauma
patient?
o Foreign body
o Laryngeal fracture
☑ Tongue obstruction
o Vomitus
________________________________________________
**Question 3**
,In the adult trauma patient, which procedure is the preferred method for establishing a
definitive airway when intubation fails?
o Needle cricothyroidotomy
☑ Surgical cricothyroidotomy
o Tracheostomy
o Blind nasal intubation
________________________________________________
**Question 4**
A patient has tachycardia, hypotension, and tracheal deviation. What is the diagnosis?
o Hemothorax
☑ Tension pneumothorax
o Cardiac tamponade
o Pulmonary contusion
________________________________________________
**Question 5**
Which of the following signs indicates a tension pneumothorax?
o Distended neck veins
o Decreased breath sounds on the affected side
o Tracheal deviation away from the affected side
☑ All of the above
________________________________________________
**Question 6**
What is the initial fluid bolus for an adult trauma patient in shock?
o 2 liters of Lactated Ringer's
, ☑ 1 liter of warmed isotonic crystalloid
o 500 mL of 5% albumin
o 3 liters of normal saline
________________________________________________
**Question 7**
What is the goal of resuscitation in a trauma patient with massive hemorrhage?
o Normalize blood pressure to 140/90
o Increase heart rate
☑ Maintain tissue perfusion and prevent the "triad of death"
o Over-hydrate to prevent organ failure
________________________________________________
**Question 8**
Which of the following is included in the "triad of death"?
o Hypotension, tachycardia, hypoxia
☑ Hypothermia, coagulopathy, metabolic acidosis
o Hypocalcemia, hyperkalemia, hypoxia
o Hypertension, bradycardia, hyperthermia
________________________________________________
**Question 9**
What is the primary diagnostic use of the FAST exam in abdominal trauma?
o Assessing solid organ injury severity
☑ Identifying free intraperitoneal fluid
o Diagnosing diaphragmatic rupture
o Determining the need for a CT scan in stable patients
