ABSITE TRAUMA EXAM QUESTIONS WITH 100%
CORRECT ANSWERS TESTED AND APPROVED
NEWLY MODIFIED EXAM
What are the goals during airway assessment? --ANSWER--Secure the airway,
protect the spinal cord
What is required for spinal immobilization? --ANSWER--A rigid cervical
collar, use of a full backboard
Contraindications to nasotracheal intubation: --ANSWER--Apnea, maxillofacial
fracture
What is the quickest way to test for an adequate airway in an awake, alert
patient? --ANSWER--Ask a question, if the patient is able to speak the airway is
intact.
Indications for a surgical airway: --ANSWER--Anatomic distortion as a result
of neck injury, massive maxillofacial trauma, inability to visualize the vocal
cords (blood, secretions, airway edema)
What are the goals during the breathing assessment? --ANSWER--Secure
oxygenation and ventilation; treat life-threatening thoracic injuries
Page 1 of 58
,What should be done on physical examination to adequately assess breathing? --
ANSWER--Inspection (air movement, cyanosis, tracheal shift, JVD, respiratory
rate, asymmetric chest expansion, open chest wounds, use of accessory muscles
of respiration)
Auscultation/percussion (hyperresonance or dullness over lung fields)
Palpation (flail segments, subcutaneous emphysema)
What life-threatening conditions must be treated during the breathing
assessment if encountered? --ANSWER--Open pneumothorax, tension
pneumothorax, massive hemothorax
What is the most common cause for upper airway obstruction? --ANSWER--
The tongue
When does the first mortality peak for trauma occur? --ANSWER--Within
seconds to minutes after injury
The trauma system and acute patient care has the greatest impact on patients in
which mortality peak for trauma? --ANSWER--Second mortality peak (golden
hour)
Most of the deaths during the second mortality peak for trauma occur from? --
ANSWER--Hemorrhage, central nervous system injuries
Page 2 of 58
,When does the third mortality peak for trauma occur? --ANSWER--24 hours
after injury, from multisystem organ failure and sepsis
How long should the primary survey in the initial evaluation of a trauma patient
take? --ANSWER--No more than 5 minutes, unless an intervention is needed.
What mnemonic is used to conduct the primary survey? --ANSWER--ABCDE:
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
What is the preferred emergency airway procedure? --ANSWER--
Cricothyroidotomy
In a patient with poor peripheral upper extremity access, what alternative routes
can be considered for intravenous access? --ANSWER--Femoral vein at the
groin, venous cutdown on greater saphenous vein at the ankle, subclavian vein,
IJ
What are the goals of the circulation assessment? --ANSWER--Treatment of
bleeding, assuring adequate tissue perfusion
What is the initial test for adequate circulation? --ANSWER--Palpation of
pulses
Page 3 of 58
, What systolic blood pressure are you expecting with a palpable radial pulse? --
ANSWER--80 mm Hg
What systolic blood pressure are you expecting with a palpable femoral/carotid
pulse? --ANSWER--At least 60 mm Hg
What should be done of physical examination to adequately assess circulation? -
-ANSWER--Obtain heart rate and blood pressure; check peripheral perfusion
and capillary refill, mental status; examine the skin
Which patients may not demonstrate tachycardia with hypovolemic shock? --
ANSWER--Patients on beta-blockers, well-conditioned athletes, patients with
concomitant spinal cord injury
During femoral catheter placement, what is the pneumonic used to remember
the anatomy of the groin? --ANSWER--NAVEL (from lateral to medial):
Nerve, Artery, Vein, Extralymphatic space, Lymphatics
What is the preferred alternative route if intravenous access cannot be obtained
on a small child? --ANSWER--Intraosseous tibial plateau
What are the goals of the disability assessment? --ANSWER--Determination of
neurologic injury
Page 4 of 58
CORRECT ANSWERS TESTED AND APPROVED
NEWLY MODIFIED EXAM
What are the goals during airway assessment? --ANSWER--Secure the airway,
protect the spinal cord
What is required for spinal immobilization? --ANSWER--A rigid cervical
collar, use of a full backboard
Contraindications to nasotracheal intubation: --ANSWER--Apnea, maxillofacial
fracture
What is the quickest way to test for an adequate airway in an awake, alert
patient? --ANSWER--Ask a question, if the patient is able to speak the airway is
intact.
Indications for a surgical airway: --ANSWER--Anatomic distortion as a result
of neck injury, massive maxillofacial trauma, inability to visualize the vocal
cords (blood, secretions, airway edema)
What are the goals during the breathing assessment? --ANSWER--Secure
oxygenation and ventilation; treat life-threatening thoracic injuries
Page 1 of 58
,What should be done on physical examination to adequately assess breathing? --
ANSWER--Inspection (air movement, cyanosis, tracheal shift, JVD, respiratory
rate, asymmetric chest expansion, open chest wounds, use of accessory muscles
of respiration)
Auscultation/percussion (hyperresonance or dullness over lung fields)
Palpation (flail segments, subcutaneous emphysema)
What life-threatening conditions must be treated during the breathing
assessment if encountered? --ANSWER--Open pneumothorax, tension
pneumothorax, massive hemothorax
What is the most common cause for upper airway obstruction? --ANSWER--
The tongue
When does the first mortality peak for trauma occur? --ANSWER--Within
seconds to minutes after injury
The trauma system and acute patient care has the greatest impact on patients in
which mortality peak for trauma? --ANSWER--Second mortality peak (golden
hour)
Most of the deaths during the second mortality peak for trauma occur from? --
ANSWER--Hemorrhage, central nervous system injuries
Page 2 of 58
,When does the third mortality peak for trauma occur? --ANSWER--24 hours
after injury, from multisystem organ failure and sepsis
How long should the primary survey in the initial evaluation of a trauma patient
take? --ANSWER--No more than 5 minutes, unless an intervention is needed.
What mnemonic is used to conduct the primary survey? --ANSWER--ABCDE:
Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure
What is the preferred emergency airway procedure? --ANSWER--
Cricothyroidotomy
In a patient with poor peripheral upper extremity access, what alternative routes
can be considered for intravenous access? --ANSWER--Femoral vein at the
groin, venous cutdown on greater saphenous vein at the ankle, subclavian vein,
IJ
What are the goals of the circulation assessment? --ANSWER--Treatment of
bleeding, assuring adequate tissue perfusion
What is the initial test for adequate circulation? --ANSWER--Palpation of
pulses
Page 3 of 58
, What systolic blood pressure are you expecting with a palpable radial pulse? --
ANSWER--80 mm Hg
What systolic blood pressure are you expecting with a palpable femoral/carotid
pulse? --ANSWER--At least 60 mm Hg
What should be done of physical examination to adequately assess circulation? -
-ANSWER--Obtain heart rate and blood pressure; check peripheral perfusion
and capillary refill, mental status; examine the skin
Which patients may not demonstrate tachycardia with hypovolemic shock? --
ANSWER--Patients on beta-blockers, well-conditioned athletes, patients with
concomitant spinal cord injury
During femoral catheter placement, what is the pneumonic used to remember
the anatomy of the groin? --ANSWER--NAVEL (from lateral to medial):
Nerve, Artery, Vein, Extralymphatic space, Lymphatics
What is the preferred alternative route if intravenous access cannot be obtained
on a small child? --ANSWER--Intraosseous tibial plateau
What are the goals of the disability assessment? --ANSWER--Determination of
neurologic injury
Page 4 of 58
