ATLS Pre-Test 2025 | 100 Questions with Answers Outlined
| Verified Trauma Prep Guide
1. Thoracic trauma. Chest tube insertion.
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left shoulder. His
blood pressure improves after initial IV fluid resuscitation. A closed tube thoracostomy is
performed for decreased left breath sounds.
a) reexamine the chest
b) perform an aortogram
c) obtain a CT scan of the chest
d) obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e) perform transesophageal echocardiography
answer: a.
info: chest tube insertion, p. 108
2. Abdominal trauma. FAST exam.
A 35-year-old male is hit by a car. He is hypotensive, tachycardic, and has abdominal distension.
FAST reveals intra-abdominal free fluid.
a) CT scan of abdomen
b) Laparotomy
c) Diagnostic peritoneal lavage
d) Transfusion only
e) Serial abdominal exams
answer: b.
info: FAST-positive trauma, p. 156
3. Head injury. GCS scoring.
A patient opens eyes to pain, speaks incomprehensibly, and withdraws from pain. What is the
GCS?
a) 6
b) 8
c) 9
,d) 10
e) 12
answer: b.
info: Glasgow Coma Scale, p. 91
4. Shock. Resuscitation endpoints.
Which is the most appropriate endpoint of fluid resuscitation?
a) Heart rate below 100
b) Systolic BP >140
c) Urine output of 0.5 mL/kg/hr
d) Normal chest X-ray
e) Normal skin color
answer: c.
info: shock resuscitation, p. 55
5. Airway. Cricothyroidotomy.
Cricothyroidotomy is most appropriate in:
a) Minor facial trauma
b) Tracheal deviation
c) Complete upper airway obstruction
d) Cervical spine fracture
e) GCS of 15
answer: c.
info: surgical airway, p. 71
6. Spine injury. Immobilization.
Which injury requires spinal immobilization?
a) Scalp laceration only
b) Midline spine tenderness after fall
c) Simple rib fracture
d) Isolated ankle dislocation
e) Isolated facial laceration
,answer: b.
info: spinal trauma precautions, p. 131
7. Thoracic trauma. Flail chest.
Flail chest is best defined as:
a) Two ribs broken in one place
b) One rib broken in two places
c) Three or more adjacent ribs broken in two places
d) Sternal fracture with hemothorax
e) Rib fractures with subcutaneous emphysema
answer: c.
info: flail chest, p. 114
8. Burns. Parkland formula.
What volume of fluid is required in the first 8 hours for a 70 kg man with 40% TBSA burns?
a) 2,800 mL
b) 4,200 mL
c) 5,600 mL
d) 8,400 mL
e) 11,200 mL
answer: d.
info: burn resuscitation formula, p. 218
9. Trauma triage. Transfer criteria.
A small rural hospital should transfer a trauma patient when:
a) CT is pending
b) Surgery is not immediately available
c) GCS is 15
d) Patient has stable vitals
e) Only lacerations are present
answer: b.
info: trauma system transfer, p. 25
, 10. Pelvic trauma. Binder placement.
Pelvic binders should be applied:
a) At the iliac crest
b) Over the greater trochanters
c) Above the umbilicus
d) Mid-thigh
e) At the sacral promontory
answer: b.
info: pelvic binder technique, p. 152
11. Shock. Blood transfusion threshold.
In a trauma patient, transfusion is typically initiated when:
a) Hemoglobin <12 g/dL
b) Hematocrit <40%
c) Hemoglobin <7 g/dL
d) Ongoing hemodynamic instability despite fluids
e) WBC count is elevated
answer: d.
info: transfusion criteria, p. 60
12. Pediatric trauma. Airway size.
Pediatric endotracheal tube size (uncuffed) can be estimated by:
a) (Age/2) + 2
b) (Age/4) + 4
c) (Age + 16)/4
d) Age – 2
e) 6.0 mm for all
answer: b.
info: pediatric airway, p. 232
13. Trauma. Hypothermia risk.
Which patient is most at risk for hypothermia?
| Verified Trauma Prep Guide
1. Thoracic trauma. Chest tube insertion.
A 22-year-old man is hypotensive and tachycardic after a shotgun wound to the left shoulder. His
blood pressure improves after initial IV fluid resuscitation. A closed tube thoracostomy is
performed for decreased left breath sounds.
a) reexamine the chest
b) perform an aortogram
c) obtain a CT scan of the chest
d) obtain arterial blood gas analyses
e) perform transesophageal echocardiography
answer: a.
info: chest tube insertion, p. 108
2. Abdominal trauma. FAST exam.
A 35-year-old male is hit by a car. He is hypotensive, tachycardic, and has abdominal distension.
FAST reveals intra-abdominal free fluid.
a) CT scan of abdomen
b) Laparotomy
c) Diagnostic peritoneal lavage
d) Transfusion only
e) Serial abdominal exams
answer: b.
info: FAST-positive trauma, p. 156
3. Head injury. GCS scoring.
A patient opens eyes to pain, speaks incomprehensibly, and withdraws from pain. What is the
GCS?
a) 6
b) 8
c) 9
,d) 10
e) 12
answer: b.
info: Glasgow Coma Scale, p. 91
4. Shock. Resuscitation endpoints.
Which is the most appropriate endpoint of fluid resuscitation?
a) Heart rate below 100
b) Systolic BP >140
c) Urine output of 0.5 mL/kg/hr
d) Normal chest X-ray
e) Normal skin color
answer: c.
info: shock resuscitation, p. 55
5. Airway. Cricothyroidotomy.
Cricothyroidotomy is most appropriate in:
a) Minor facial trauma
b) Tracheal deviation
c) Complete upper airway obstruction
d) Cervical spine fracture
e) GCS of 15
answer: c.
info: surgical airway, p. 71
6. Spine injury. Immobilization.
Which injury requires spinal immobilization?
a) Scalp laceration only
b) Midline spine tenderness after fall
c) Simple rib fracture
d) Isolated ankle dislocation
e) Isolated facial laceration
,answer: b.
info: spinal trauma precautions, p. 131
7. Thoracic trauma. Flail chest.
Flail chest is best defined as:
a) Two ribs broken in one place
b) One rib broken in two places
c) Three or more adjacent ribs broken in two places
d) Sternal fracture with hemothorax
e) Rib fractures with subcutaneous emphysema
answer: c.
info: flail chest, p. 114
8. Burns. Parkland formula.
What volume of fluid is required in the first 8 hours for a 70 kg man with 40% TBSA burns?
a) 2,800 mL
b) 4,200 mL
c) 5,600 mL
d) 8,400 mL
e) 11,200 mL
answer: d.
info: burn resuscitation formula, p. 218
9. Trauma triage. Transfer criteria.
A small rural hospital should transfer a trauma patient when:
a) CT is pending
b) Surgery is not immediately available
c) GCS is 15
d) Patient has stable vitals
e) Only lacerations are present
answer: b.
info: trauma system transfer, p. 25
, 10. Pelvic trauma. Binder placement.
Pelvic binders should be applied:
a) At the iliac crest
b) Over the greater trochanters
c) Above the umbilicus
d) Mid-thigh
e) At the sacral promontory
answer: b.
info: pelvic binder technique, p. 152
11. Shock. Blood transfusion threshold.
In a trauma patient, transfusion is typically initiated when:
a) Hemoglobin <12 g/dL
b) Hematocrit <40%
c) Hemoglobin <7 g/dL
d) Ongoing hemodynamic instability despite fluids
e) WBC count is elevated
answer: d.
info: transfusion criteria, p. 60
12. Pediatric trauma. Airway size.
Pediatric endotracheal tube size (uncuffed) can be estimated by:
a) (Age/2) + 2
b) (Age/4) + 4
c) (Age + 16)/4
d) Age – 2
e) 6.0 mm for all
answer: b.
info: pediatric airway, p. 232
13. Trauma. Hypothermia risk.
Which patient is most at risk for hypothermia?
