ESTUDYR
FISDAP TRAUMA EXAM WITH MOST TESTED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
GRADED A+ | ASSURED SUCCESS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES
Which of the following is an early sign of decompensated (progressing) shock?
A. Warm, flushed skin
B. Cold, clammy extremities with a feeble or absent peripheral pulse and severe tachycardia
C. Slow heart rate and bounding pulses
D. Increased urine output
Rationale: As shock progresses, peripheral vasoconstriction produces cold, clammy skin and
weak peripheral pulses; tachycardia is an early compensatory sign.
A patient presents with a chemical burn to the eye and is wearing contact lenses. You
should:
A. Leave contacts in and irrigate around them
B. Remove the contact lenses and begin copious irrigation
C. Patch the eye without removing contacts
D. Instill antibiotic drops before irrigation
Rationale: Contacts can trap chemicals against the cornea — remove them promptly and
irrigate.
A moped rider is lying on the ground, breathing well, still wearing his helmet. You should:
A. Immediately remove the helmet to check the airway
B. Roll the patient onto his side and remove helmet
C. Leave the helmet in place if the patient is stable and maintain manual c-spine stabilization
D. Cut the helmet off without spinal precautions
Rationale: If airway/breathing are adequate and helmet removal would risk cervical movement,
leave helmet and immobilize spine as needed.
A patient with a shallow forearm laceration from climbing a rusty fence refuses transport.
The most important concern is:
A. Immediate amputation risk
B. Infection (including tetanus) and wound contamination
C. Internal organ damage
D. Cardiac arrhythmia
Rationale: Superficial contaminated lacerations carry infection/tetanus risk even if they seem
minor.
Which head injury should you suspect with periorbital ecchymosis (raccoon eyes) or
bruising behind the ears (Battle’s sign)?
A. Temporal skull fracture only
,ESTUDYR
B. Simple scalp laceration
C. Basilar skull fracture
D. Minor concussion with no fracture
Rationale: Raccoon eyes and Battle’s sign suggest basal skull fractures due to blood tracking
into facial/retroauricular tissues.
When assessing the severity of an object striking the chest (e.g., baseball), the MOST
important factor is:
A. Type of ball only
B. Speed of the object at impact
C. Time of day when impact occurred
D. Uniform color of the ball
Rationale: Kinetic energy (and injury severity) depends largely on impact speed.
A patient has a metal rod impaled in the lower right leg with an obvious open fracture and
no distal pulse. Your best immediate action is to:
A. Remove the rod to inspect the wound
B. Stabilize the object and control bleeding; prepare for immediate transport
C. Cut the rod flush to the skin without stabilization
D. Apply ice directly to exposed bone
Rationale: Removing an impaled object can worsen bleeding; stabilize and transport urgently,
especially with absent distal pulses.
A patient burned his feet while stomping a fire; shoes are melted to the feet. You should
first:
A. Try to peel the shoes off forcefully
B. Leave shoes on and transport without modification
C. Cut shoelaces and remove shoes carefully if they can be separated without causing more
injury
D. Soak shoes with gasoline to dissolve them
Rationale: Remove constricting footwear carefully after cutting laces to avoid further tissue
damage.
A knife is impaled at the fourth intercostal space, left sternal border; the patient is
pulseless and not breathing. In this scenario you should:
A. Leave the knife in place and continue bag-valve ventilation only
B. Immediately hand the knife to family for safekeeping
C. Remove the knife if it is preventing effective CPR or airway management, then begin
immediate CPR/AED
D. Dress the wound and wait for rescue teams
, ESTUDYR
Rationale: If an impaled object prevents lifesaving interventions (CPR/Airway), remove it—
otherwise stabilize in place.
An adult pinned between vehicles is conscious but confused, weak carotid pulse, no
peripheral pulses, distended neck veins, and clear lung sounds. You should suspect:
A. Tension pneumothorax only
B. Pericardial tamponade
C. Simple rib fracture
D. Isolated hypovolemia without chest involvement
Rationale: JVD, weak peripheral pulses, and muffled/clear lungs with chest trauma suggest
tamponade causing obstructive shock.
A patient with a severe steam burn to the hand/wrist should have initial prehospital care
of:
A. Apply butter or ointment then wrap loosely
B. Immerse in ice water directly for prolonged time
C. Cover with a dry sterile dressing and remove constricting jewelry/clothing
D. Pop blisters and apply adhesive dressing
Rationale: Dry sterile dressing protects the burn; avoid ice or home remedies, remove
constricting items.
Proper management for an avulsion of the ear in the field includes:
A. Discard the avulsed tissue and bandage the ear stump
B. Pack the wound with dressing, preserve tissue, control bleeding, and transport
C. Soak the avulsed ear in saline and leave exposed
D. Apply heat packs directly to the avulsed flap
Rationale: Control bleeding, preserve tissue, and transport for possible reattachment.
A stab wound to the upper left quadrant most likely injures which organ?
A. Appendix
B. Liver (right upper quadrant)
C. Spleen (note: user listed pancreas, but spleen is most commonly left upper quadrant)
D. Gallbladder
Rationale: The spleen lies in the LUQ and is commonly injured by penetrating trauma to that
area.
A 47-year-old male shot in the back is cool and clammy with arm weakness and vitals BP
130/90, P 76, R 24. You should suspect:
A. Shock from hemorrhage only
B. Spinal cord injury (possible neurogenic changes with neurologic deficits)
FISDAP TRAUMA EXAM WITH MOST TESTED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
GRADED A+ | ASSURED SUCCESS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES
Which of the following is an early sign of decompensated (progressing) shock?
A. Warm, flushed skin
B. Cold, clammy extremities with a feeble or absent peripheral pulse and severe tachycardia
C. Slow heart rate and bounding pulses
D. Increased urine output
Rationale: As shock progresses, peripheral vasoconstriction produces cold, clammy skin and
weak peripheral pulses; tachycardia is an early compensatory sign.
A patient presents with a chemical burn to the eye and is wearing contact lenses. You
should:
A. Leave contacts in and irrigate around them
B. Remove the contact lenses and begin copious irrigation
C. Patch the eye without removing contacts
D. Instill antibiotic drops before irrigation
Rationale: Contacts can trap chemicals against the cornea — remove them promptly and
irrigate.
A moped rider is lying on the ground, breathing well, still wearing his helmet. You should:
A. Immediately remove the helmet to check the airway
B. Roll the patient onto his side and remove helmet
C. Leave the helmet in place if the patient is stable and maintain manual c-spine stabilization
D. Cut the helmet off without spinal precautions
Rationale: If airway/breathing are adequate and helmet removal would risk cervical movement,
leave helmet and immobilize spine as needed.
A patient with a shallow forearm laceration from climbing a rusty fence refuses transport.
The most important concern is:
A. Immediate amputation risk
B. Infection (including tetanus) and wound contamination
C. Internal organ damage
D. Cardiac arrhythmia
Rationale: Superficial contaminated lacerations carry infection/tetanus risk even if they seem
minor.
Which head injury should you suspect with periorbital ecchymosis (raccoon eyes) or
bruising behind the ears (Battle’s sign)?
A. Temporal skull fracture only
,ESTUDYR
B. Simple scalp laceration
C. Basilar skull fracture
D. Minor concussion with no fracture
Rationale: Raccoon eyes and Battle’s sign suggest basal skull fractures due to blood tracking
into facial/retroauricular tissues.
When assessing the severity of an object striking the chest (e.g., baseball), the MOST
important factor is:
A. Type of ball only
B. Speed of the object at impact
C. Time of day when impact occurred
D. Uniform color of the ball
Rationale: Kinetic energy (and injury severity) depends largely on impact speed.
A patient has a metal rod impaled in the lower right leg with an obvious open fracture and
no distal pulse. Your best immediate action is to:
A. Remove the rod to inspect the wound
B. Stabilize the object and control bleeding; prepare for immediate transport
C. Cut the rod flush to the skin without stabilization
D. Apply ice directly to exposed bone
Rationale: Removing an impaled object can worsen bleeding; stabilize and transport urgently,
especially with absent distal pulses.
A patient burned his feet while stomping a fire; shoes are melted to the feet. You should
first:
A. Try to peel the shoes off forcefully
B. Leave shoes on and transport without modification
C. Cut shoelaces and remove shoes carefully if they can be separated without causing more
injury
D. Soak shoes with gasoline to dissolve them
Rationale: Remove constricting footwear carefully after cutting laces to avoid further tissue
damage.
A knife is impaled at the fourth intercostal space, left sternal border; the patient is
pulseless and not breathing. In this scenario you should:
A. Leave the knife in place and continue bag-valve ventilation only
B. Immediately hand the knife to family for safekeeping
C. Remove the knife if it is preventing effective CPR or airway management, then begin
immediate CPR/AED
D. Dress the wound and wait for rescue teams
, ESTUDYR
Rationale: If an impaled object prevents lifesaving interventions (CPR/Airway), remove it—
otherwise stabilize in place.
An adult pinned between vehicles is conscious but confused, weak carotid pulse, no
peripheral pulses, distended neck veins, and clear lung sounds. You should suspect:
A. Tension pneumothorax only
B. Pericardial tamponade
C. Simple rib fracture
D. Isolated hypovolemia without chest involvement
Rationale: JVD, weak peripheral pulses, and muffled/clear lungs with chest trauma suggest
tamponade causing obstructive shock.
A patient with a severe steam burn to the hand/wrist should have initial prehospital care
of:
A. Apply butter or ointment then wrap loosely
B. Immerse in ice water directly for prolonged time
C. Cover with a dry sterile dressing and remove constricting jewelry/clothing
D. Pop blisters and apply adhesive dressing
Rationale: Dry sterile dressing protects the burn; avoid ice or home remedies, remove
constricting items.
Proper management for an avulsion of the ear in the field includes:
A. Discard the avulsed tissue and bandage the ear stump
B. Pack the wound with dressing, preserve tissue, control bleeding, and transport
C. Soak the avulsed ear in saline and leave exposed
D. Apply heat packs directly to the avulsed flap
Rationale: Control bleeding, preserve tissue, and transport for possible reattachment.
A stab wound to the upper left quadrant most likely injures which organ?
A. Appendix
B. Liver (right upper quadrant)
C. Spleen (note: user listed pancreas, but spleen is most commonly left upper quadrant)
D. Gallbladder
Rationale: The spleen lies in the LUQ and is commonly injured by penetrating trauma to that
area.
A 47-year-old male shot in the back is cool and clammy with arm weakness and vitals BP
130/90, P 76, R 24. You should suspect:
A. Shock from hemorrhage only
B. Spinal cord injury (possible neurogenic changes with neurologic deficits)
