EMT Chapter 30 Chest Injuries
Questions and All Correct Answers.
Elevation of the rib cage during inhalation occurs when:
A. intrathoracic pressure decreases.
B. the diaphragm descends.
C. the intercostal muscles contract.
D. abdominal contents descend. - Answer C. the intercostal muscles contract
A patient who presents with profound cyanosis following a chest injury:
A. has most likely experienced a ruptured aorta.
B. is most likely experiencing severe blood loss.
C. should be placed in Trendelenburg's position.
D. requires prompt ventilation and oxygenation. - Answer D. requires prompt ventilation and
oxygenation
During your assessment of a patient with blunt chest trauma, you note that the patient has
shallow breathing and paradoxical movement of the left chest wall. You should:
A. apply high-flow oxygen via nonrebreathing mask.
B. assist ventilations with a bag valve mask.
C. request a paramedic to decompress the chest.
D. make note of it and continue your assessment. - Answer B. assist ventilations with a bag
mask
If a person's tidal volume decreases, but his or her respiratory rate remains unchanged:
A. minute volume will decrease.
B. minute volume will increase.
C. minute volume will remain unchanged.
D. excess carbon dioxide will be eliminated. - Answer A. minute volume will decrease
Following a stab wound to the left anterior chest, a 25-year-old male presents with a decreased
level of consciousness and signs of shock. Which of the following additional assessment findings
should increase your index of suspicion for a cardiac tamponade?
A. Engorged jugular veins
B. Widening pulse pressure
, C. Diminished breath sounds
D. A rapid, irregular pulse - Answer A. engorged jugular veins
Hemoptysis is defined as:
A. coughing up blood.
B. abnormal blood clotting.
C. vomiting blood.
D. blood in the pleural space. - Answer A. coughing up blood
A simple pneumothorax:
A. is caused by penetrating chest trauma.
B. heals on its own without any treatment.
C. often has a nontraumatic cause.
D. is commonly caused by blunt chest trauma. - Answer D. is commonlu caused by blunt
chest trauma
Which of the following organs or structures does not reside within the mediastinum?
A. Esophagus
B. Vena cavae
C. Lungs
D. Trachea - Answer C. lungs
An open pneumothorax is:
A. extreme pleural pressure that causes the lung to rupture.
B. an open chest wound through which air moves during breathing.
C. a fractured rib that perforates the tissue of the lung surface.
D. the entry of air into the pleural space from a perforated lung. - Answer B. an open chest
wound through which air moves during breathing
A 19-year-old male is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless after being struck in the center of the
chest with a softball. Based on the mechanism of injury, what most likely occurred?
A. Asystole secondary to massive intrathoracic hemorrhage due to traumatic rupture of the
aorta
B. Fracture of the sternum that caused a rupture of the myocardium and led to a cardiac
dysrhythmia
C. Collapse of both lungs due to fractured ribs that perforated the lung tissue and caused
cardiac arrest
Questions and All Correct Answers.
Elevation of the rib cage during inhalation occurs when:
A. intrathoracic pressure decreases.
B. the diaphragm descends.
C. the intercostal muscles contract.
D. abdominal contents descend. - Answer C. the intercostal muscles contract
A patient who presents with profound cyanosis following a chest injury:
A. has most likely experienced a ruptured aorta.
B. is most likely experiencing severe blood loss.
C. should be placed in Trendelenburg's position.
D. requires prompt ventilation and oxygenation. - Answer D. requires prompt ventilation and
oxygenation
During your assessment of a patient with blunt chest trauma, you note that the patient has
shallow breathing and paradoxical movement of the left chest wall. You should:
A. apply high-flow oxygen via nonrebreathing mask.
B. assist ventilations with a bag valve mask.
C. request a paramedic to decompress the chest.
D. make note of it and continue your assessment. - Answer B. assist ventilations with a bag
mask
If a person's tidal volume decreases, but his or her respiratory rate remains unchanged:
A. minute volume will decrease.
B. minute volume will increase.
C. minute volume will remain unchanged.
D. excess carbon dioxide will be eliminated. - Answer A. minute volume will decrease
Following a stab wound to the left anterior chest, a 25-year-old male presents with a decreased
level of consciousness and signs of shock. Which of the following additional assessment findings
should increase your index of suspicion for a cardiac tamponade?
A. Engorged jugular veins
B. Widening pulse pressure
, C. Diminished breath sounds
D. A rapid, irregular pulse - Answer A. engorged jugular veins
Hemoptysis is defined as:
A. coughing up blood.
B. abnormal blood clotting.
C. vomiting blood.
D. blood in the pleural space. - Answer A. coughing up blood
A simple pneumothorax:
A. is caused by penetrating chest trauma.
B. heals on its own without any treatment.
C. often has a nontraumatic cause.
D. is commonly caused by blunt chest trauma. - Answer D. is commonlu caused by blunt
chest trauma
Which of the following organs or structures does not reside within the mediastinum?
A. Esophagus
B. Vena cavae
C. Lungs
D. Trachea - Answer C. lungs
An open pneumothorax is:
A. extreme pleural pressure that causes the lung to rupture.
B. an open chest wound through which air moves during breathing.
C. a fractured rib that perforates the tissue of the lung surface.
D. the entry of air into the pleural space from a perforated lung. - Answer B. an open chest
wound through which air moves during breathing
A 19-year-old male is unresponsive, apneic, and pulseless after being struck in the center of the
chest with a softball. Based on the mechanism of injury, what most likely occurred?
A. Asystole secondary to massive intrathoracic hemorrhage due to traumatic rupture of the
aorta
B. Fracture of the sternum that caused a rupture of the myocardium and led to a cardiac
dysrhythmia
C. Collapse of both lungs due to fractured ribs that perforated the lung tissue and caused
cardiac arrest
