TNCC Practice Exam,Graded A+ Questions with
100% Correct Answers
What is the key to a high-performance trauma team?
a. Individual goals
b. Use of TeamSTEPPS
c. Identification of a single decision maker
d. Effective communication
d. Effective communication Rationale: Skilled communication, cooperation, and coordination are the
cornerstones of high-performance teams and high-quality trauma care (p. 5).
When obtaining a history for an injured patient, understanding the kinematic concepts associated
with the mechanism of injury and energy transfer can initially assist the trauma provider in:
a. Evaluating and anticipating the types of injury that may be present
b. Deciding whether law enforcement should be notified
c. Determining needed laboratory tests
d. Predicting the need for a surgical procedure
a. Evaluating and anticipating the types of injury that may be present Rationale: Mechanism of injury
and energy transfer can assist the provider in evaluating and anticipating damage (p. 23).
The major preventable cause of death in the trauma patient is:
a. Airway compromise
b. Ineffective ventilation
c. Secondary head injury
d. Uncontrolled hemorrhage
d. Uncontrolled hemorrhage Rationale: Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the major cause of preventable
death after injury, so assessment to identify uncontrolled hemorrhage is key to the initial assessment
process (p. 29).
The across-the-room observation step in the initial assessment provides the opportunity to:
a. Assess for uncontrolled internal hemorrhage
b. Accurately triage the patient
c. Reprioritize circulation before airway or breathing
d. Activate the trauma team
c. Reprioritize circulation before airway or breathing. Rationale: The across-the-room observation is
done at the beginning of the primary survey to rapidly assess the need to reprioritize circulation before
airway or breathing. This is done if uncontrolled external hemorrhage is identified (p. 28).
Which of the following accurately describes ventilation principles associated with a bag-mask device?
a. Ventilate at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths/minute
b. Deliver 100% oxygen
, c. Compress the bag-mask device completely
d. Maintain the oxygen saturation level between 92% and 94%
a. Ventilate at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths/minute Rationale: If ventilation is ineffective, assist ventilations
at 10 to 12 breaths/minute or one every 5 to 6 seconds (p. 32).
Which of the following is the best measure of the adequacy of cellular perfusion and helps to predict
the outcome of resuscitation?
a. End-tidal carbon dioxide
b. Hypoxia
c. Base deficit
d. Oxygen saturation
c. Base deficit Rationale: Base deficit serves as an endpoint measurement of the adequacy of cellular
perfusion and when used in conjunction with serum lactate helps predict the success of the
resuscitation (p. 57).
What is a safe pharmacological alternative to opioids for rib fracture pain management in the
anticoagulated patient?
a. Corticosteroids
b. Intercostal nerve blocks
c. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
d. Epidural anesthetics
b. Intercostal nerve blocks Rationale: Continuous intercostal nerve blocks use long-acting anesthetics
and can provide safe and effective pain management for the anticoagulated patient (pp. 271, 273).
In a patient with severe traumatic brain injury, hypocapnia causes:
a. Respiratory acidosis
b. Metabolic acidosis
c. Neurogenic shock
d. Cerebral vasoconstriction
d. Cerebral vasoconstriction Rationale: Hypocapnia, or low levels of carbon dioxide, will cause
vasoconstriction, especially in the cerebral vasculature (p. 98).
A patient with a knife injury to the neck has an intact airway and is hemodynamically stable. He
complains of difficulty swallowing and speaking. Further assessment is indicated next for which of the
following conditions?
a. Damage to the spinal cord
b. An expanding pneumothorax
c. Laceration of the carotid artery
d. Injury to the thyroid gland
a. Damage to the spinal cord Rationale: Penetrating neck trauma may include concurrent injuries to the
spinal cord, airway, or vascular neck structures. With an intact airway and hemodynamic stability, the
other common concurrent injury is to the spinal cord (pp. 124, 126).
100% Correct Answers
What is the key to a high-performance trauma team?
a. Individual goals
b. Use of TeamSTEPPS
c. Identification of a single decision maker
d. Effective communication
d. Effective communication Rationale: Skilled communication, cooperation, and coordination are the
cornerstones of high-performance teams and high-quality trauma care (p. 5).
When obtaining a history for an injured patient, understanding the kinematic concepts associated
with the mechanism of injury and energy transfer can initially assist the trauma provider in:
a. Evaluating and anticipating the types of injury that may be present
b. Deciding whether law enforcement should be notified
c. Determining needed laboratory tests
d. Predicting the need for a surgical procedure
a. Evaluating and anticipating the types of injury that may be present Rationale: Mechanism of injury
and energy transfer can assist the provider in evaluating and anticipating damage (p. 23).
The major preventable cause of death in the trauma patient is:
a. Airway compromise
b. Ineffective ventilation
c. Secondary head injury
d. Uncontrolled hemorrhage
d. Uncontrolled hemorrhage Rationale: Uncontrolled hemorrhage is the major cause of preventable
death after injury, so assessment to identify uncontrolled hemorrhage is key to the initial assessment
process (p. 29).
The across-the-room observation step in the initial assessment provides the opportunity to:
a. Assess for uncontrolled internal hemorrhage
b. Accurately triage the patient
c. Reprioritize circulation before airway or breathing
d. Activate the trauma team
c. Reprioritize circulation before airway or breathing. Rationale: The across-the-room observation is
done at the beginning of the primary survey to rapidly assess the need to reprioritize circulation before
airway or breathing. This is done if uncontrolled external hemorrhage is identified (p. 28).
Which of the following accurately describes ventilation principles associated with a bag-mask device?
a. Ventilate at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths/minute
b. Deliver 100% oxygen
, c. Compress the bag-mask device completely
d. Maintain the oxygen saturation level between 92% and 94%
a. Ventilate at a rate of 10 to 12 breaths/minute Rationale: If ventilation is ineffective, assist ventilations
at 10 to 12 breaths/minute or one every 5 to 6 seconds (p. 32).
Which of the following is the best measure of the adequacy of cellular perfusion and helps to predict
the outcome of resuscitation?
a. End-tidal carbon dioxide
b. Hypoxia
c. Base deficit
d. Oxygen saturation
c. Base deficit Rationale: Base deficit serves as an endpoint measurement of the adequacy of cellular
perfusion and when used in conjunction with serum lactate helps predict the success of the
resuscitation (p. 57).
What is a safe pharmacological alternative to opioids for rib fracture pain management in the
anticoagulated patient?
a. Corticosteroids
b. Intercostal nerve blocks
c. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
d. Epidural anesthetics
b. Intercostal nerve blocks Rationale: Continuous intercostal nerve blocks use long-acting anesthetics
and can provide safe and effective pain management for the anticoagulated patient (pp. 271, 273).
In a patient with severe traumatic brain injury, hypocapnia causes:
a. Respiratory acidosis
b. Metabolic acidosis
c. Neurogenic shock
d. Cerebral vasoconstriction
d. Cerebral vasoconstriction Rationale: Hypocapnia, or low levels of carbon dioxide, will cause
vasoconstriction, especially in the cerebral vasculature (p. 98).
A patient with a knife injury to the neck has an intact airway and is hemodynamically stable. He
complains of difficulty swallowing and speaking. Further assessment is indicated next for which of the
following conditions?
a. Damage to the spinal cord
b. An expanding pneumothorax
c. Laceration of the carotid artery
d. Injury to the thyroid gland
a. Damage to the spinal cord Rationale: Penetrating neck trauma may include concurrent injuries to the
spinal cord, airway, or vascular neck structures. With an intact airway and hemodynamic stability, the
other common concurrent injury is to the spinal cord (pp. 124, 126).
