PHTLS REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How many people die from trauma annually? - ✔Over 5 million
What is the leading cause of trauma deaths? - ✔MVA
Where do over 90% of trauma deaths occur? - ✔Low-Middle income countries.
What is the leading cause of death in people aged 1-44? - ✔Trauma
What are the goals of PHTLS? - ✔Reduce morbidity and mortality from trauma, and
provide appropriate care to the patient in the field.
What is the PHTLS philosophy? - ✔Deliver the patient to the right facility, utilizing the
right mode of transportation, in the right amount of time, as safely as possible.
What are the components of scene assessment? - ✔Safety, Pre arrival information,
arrival on scene, MOI, and Patients.
What is paramount for scene assessment? - ✔Personal and Personnel safety.
What is the global view? - ✔What you get before you get out of your vehicle.
What is the goal of the Primary Survey? - ✔To immediately identify life threatening
situations and manage them as they are identified.
What are the components of the primary survey? - ✔Airway, Breathing, Circulation,
Disability, Exposure
When does assessment of the incident begin? - ✔Before arriving at the patients side.
The findings of the scene assessment and primary survey help to determine what? - ✔If
the patient is sick, not yet sick, or not sick
When should the secondary survey be completed? - ✔Only if time and situation permit.
What are the components of the secondary survey? - ✔Vital Signs, History, Physical
Examination, Treatment, Level of Care, Transportation, and Communication.
What are the components of a radio report? - ✔Timely, Scene Description, Number of
Patients, Current Patient Status, Treatment Provided, ETA
What is a tracheal consideration with pediatric patients in regards to ETT intubation? -
✔Potential for right main-stem intubation.
,PHTLS REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the trauma patient? - ✔The
tongue.
When are basic maneuvers applied in regards to trauma airway management? - ✔First
When are advanced airway maneuvers performed for trauma patients? - ✔After basic,
only if needed.
What is the goal of managing a patients airway? - ✔Maintain an open and patent
airway that allows for adequate breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation.
What does airway management entail? - ✔Anticipating difficulties and planning for
alternate methods of airway control.
What is ALWAYS the FIRST airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - ✔Trauma Jaw
Thrust/Chin Lift
What should be considered SECOND for maintaining a patent airway in the trauma
patient? - ✔OPA or NPA
What adjunct should be considered THIRD for airway management in the trauma
patient? - ✔Supra-Glottic Airways
When should glottic airways be considered? - ✔After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and Supra
Glottic airways have failed.
What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - ✔Decreased LOC
(GCS<8), Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper Airway Burns, Signs of pending
airway obstructions.
Which type of airway management should be considered last? - ✔Surgical.
What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - ✔One physiological
and one mechanical method.
When the patients breathing draws your attention you should...? - ✔Assume there is a
problem until proven otherwise.
What are some s/s you are looking for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? - ✔
Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement, sucking
chest wound.
What are some s/s you are feeling for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? - ✔
Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema.
, PHTLS REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the BIGGEST difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? - ✔A
TENSION has hemodynamic compromise.
Which ribs are most at risk for rib fracture? - ✔Ribs 4-8 laterally
What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - ✔Fractures to ribs 4-8
What are common complaints of rib fractures? - ✔Pain and SOB
Under what circumstances should you withhold oxygen from a patient? - ✔Never
withhold oxygen from a patient in respiratory distress.
When should you assist ventilations? - ✔When the RR is above 28 or less than 10.
What is the ventilatory rate for adults? - ✔10-12 bpm for 500-800cc
What is the ventilatory rate for Children? - ✔16-20 bpm for 100-500 cc or good chest
rise
What is the ventilatory rate for infants? - ✔25bpm for 6-8ml/kg
What end tidal CO2 reading should you maintain? - ✔35-45 mmHg
Where should a needle decompression be placed? - ✔2nd intercostal space mid
clavicular line, over the 3rd rib.
What is shock? - ✔A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔4-6 minutes.
What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔45-90 minutes.
What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔4-6 hours.
What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? - ✔Hypovolemia due
to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? - ✔Spinal
Cord injury.
What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? - ✔An effective pump,
intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
What is cardiac output? - ✔Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
How many people die from trauma annually? - ✔Over 5 million
What is the leading cause of trauma deaths? - ✔MVA
Where do over 90% of trauma deaths occur? - ✔Low-Middle income countries.
What is the leading cause of death in people aged 1-44? - ✔Trauma
What are the goals of PHTLS? - ✔Reduce morbidity and mortality from trauma, and
provide appropriate care to the patient in the field.
What is the PHTLS philosophy? - ✔Deliver the patient to the right facility, utilizing the
right mode of transportation, in the right amount of time, as safely as possible.
What are the components of scene assessment? - ✔Safety, Pre arrival information,
arrival on scene, MOI, and Patients.
What is paramount for scene assessment? - ✔Personal and Personnel safety.
What is the global view? - ✔What you get before you get out of your vehicle.
What is the goal of the Primary Survey? - ✔To immediately identify life threatening
situations and manage them as they are identified.
What are the components of the primary survey? - ✔Airway, Breathing, Circulation,
Disability, Exposure
When does assessment of the incident begin? - ✔Before arriving at the patients side.
The findings of the scene assessment and primary survey help to determine what? - ✔If
the patient is sick, not yet sick, or not sick
When should the secondary survey be completed? - ✔Only if time and situation permit.
What are the components of the secondary survey? - ✔Vital Signs, History, Physical
Examination, Treatment, Level of Care, Transportation, and Communication.
What are the components of a radio report? - ✔Timely, Scene Description, Number of
Patients, Current Patient Status, Treatment Provided, ETA
What is a tracheal consideration with pediatric patients in regards to ETT intubation? -
✔Potential for right main-stem intubation.
,PHTLS REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in the trauma patient? - ✔The
tongue.
When are basic maneuvers applied in regards to trauma airway management? - ✔First
When are advanced airway maneuvers performed for trauma patients? - ✔After basic,
only if needed.
What is the goal of managing a patients airway? - ✔Maintain an open and patent
airway that allows for adequate breathing, ventilation, and oxygenation.
What does airway management entail? - ✔Anticipating difficulties and planning for
alternate methods of airway control.
What is ALWAYS the FIRST airway maneuver for the trauma patient? - ✔Trauma Jaw
Thrust/Chin Lift
What should be considered SECOND for maintaining a patent airway in the trauma
patient? - ✔OPA or NPA
What adjunct should be considered THIRD for airway management in the trauma
patient? - ✔Supra-Glottic Airways
When should glottic airways be considered? - ✔After jaw thrusts, OPA/NPA, and Supra
Glottic airways have failed.
What are some assessment criteria for Endotracheal Intubation? - ✔Decreased LOC
(GCS<8), Inability to maintain patent airway, Upper Airway Burns, Signs of pending
airway obstructions.
Which type of airway management should be considered last? - ✔Surgical.
What types of methods should be used to verify tube placement? - ✔One physiological
and one mechanical method.
When the patients breathing draws your attention you should...? - ✔Assume there is a
problem until proven otherwise.
What are some s/s you are looking for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? - ✔
Increased respiratory effort, visible trauma, paradoxical chest wall movement, sucking
chest wound.
What are some s/s you are feeling for in a trauma patients breathing assessment? - ✔
Boney crepitus, subcutaneous emphysema.
, PHTLS REVIEW TEST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the BIGGEST difference between a simple and a tension pneumothorax? - ✔A
TENSION has hemodynamic compromise.
Which ribs are most at risk for rib fracture? - ✔Ribs 4-8 laterally
What is the most common cause of hemothorax? - ✔Fractures to ribs 4-8
What are common complaints of rib fractures? - ✔Pain and SOB
Under what circumstances should you withhold oxygen from a patient? - ✔Never
withhold oxygen from a patient in respiratory distress.
When should you assist ventilations? - ✔When the RR is above 28 or less than 10.
What is the ventilatory rate for adults? - ✔10-12 bpm for 500-800cc
What is the ventilatory rate for Children? - ✔16-20 bpm for 100-500 cc or good chest
rise
What is the ventilatory rate for infants? - ✔25bpm for 6-8ml/kg
What end tidal CO2 reading should you maintain? - ✔35-45 mmHg
Where should a needle decompression be placed? - ✔2nd intercostal space mid
clavicular line, over the 3rd rib.
What is shock? - ✔A result of inadequate energy production to sustain life.
What are the brain, heart, and lungs tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔4-6 minutes.
What are the kidneys, liver, and GI tracts tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔45-90 minutes.
What are the muscle, bone, and skins tolerance to hypoxia? - ✔4-6 hours.
What is the most common cause of shock in the trauma patient? - ✔Hypovolemia due
to hemorrhage until proven otherwise.
What is the most common cause of neurogenic shock in the trauma patient? - ✔Spinal
Cord injury.
What does adequate perfusion of the body tissues require? - ✔An effective pump,
intact blood vessels, adequate blood volume, vascular resistance.
What is cardiac output? - ✔Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
