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ABMDI TEST FINAL EXAM NEWEST ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS
"You have received a call in regard to a natural death at a residence. Your investigation should include: a. establishing a cause and manner of death at the scene b. accepting family members' opinions as to the COD c. contacting the physician of the deceased d. basing your conclusions on the opinion of paramedics at the scene
e. forming an opinion as to the COD based on types of meds prescribed - CORRECT ANSWER c.
contacting the physician of the deceased" "You are on scene of a homicide and the police tell you that the media want you to release the subject's name and information about the case. You should: a. take them with you to the scene b. follow office policy and procedures that your office has established for dealing with media c. tell the media that you will not give them any information but that you will let them take pictures of the body d. let the police make the press release on behalf of your office
e. give the media the basic information - CORRECT ANSWER b. follow office policy and
procedures that your office has established for dealing with media" "In general, which of the following is not normally considered for organ/tissue procurement purposes? a. heart valves b. long bones and pelvis c. kidneys d. tendon and veins
e. reproductive organs - CORRECT ANSWER e. reproductive organs"
"Retort - CORRECT ANSWER a vessel or chamber in which substances are decomposed by
heat" "To establish a working relationship with law enforcement personnel at the death scene, you should: a. discuss case facts with the officer in charge and proceed appropriately b. present the statutory citations for your authority to the officer in charge c. introduce yourself; talk briefly about your responsibilities and listen to theirs
d. wait until your supervisor takes you around and introduces you
e. keep to yourself until you know the facts of the case - CORRECT ANSWER c. introduce
yourself; talk briefly about your responsibilities and listen to theirs"
"List the key attributes of nonverbal communication - CORRECT ANSWER Eye movement,
physical gestures, and facial expressions"
"Jurisdiction - CORRECT ANSWER the power or authority a court or office has over individuals
or trauma" "Authorization for organ/tissue procurement is considered valid if: a. the legal next of kin or representative has given consent b. an emergency room physician gives permission c. a donor card with the decedent's name is found in the wallet or purse d. the decedent's physician will verify that donation was the decedent's request
e. a donor designation appears on the decedent's drivers license - CORRECT ANSWER a. the
legal next of kin or representative has given consent" "The deceased is separated from his/her spouse. The NOK would be: a. oldest surviving relative b. separated spouse c. parents d. siblings
e. adult children - CORRECT ANSWER b. separated spouse"
"Cardiac death - CORRECT ANSWER final cessation of activity in the cardiovascular system
involving the heart and blood vessels"
"Cessation - CORRECT ANSWER the final stoppage of action"
"In constructing a narrative report, the main idea is to relate: a. the main reason for the death b. background information regarding the condition of the body c. your involvement in the case d. how the deceased was identified
e. an overall and concise view of what happened - CORRECT ANSWER e. an overall and concise
view of what happened"
d. the treating physician
e. all of the above - CORRECT ANSWER b. the coroner or ME when jurisdiction is established"
"Choose one of the most important communication skills for gathering information at the scene: a. talk to all neighbors b. listen and actively study witnesses c. write down your thoughts d. avoid eye contact with suspects
e. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWER b. listen and actively study witnesses"
"When obtaining information about a decedent from family members, the first priority should always be to obtain information from: a. the family member who seems the most stable b. the family member who last saw/talked with the decedent, or has firsthand knowledge regarding the circumstances surrounding the death/medical history. c. decedent's PCP d. family member who is in control of family unit
e. police officer who found body - CORRECT ANSWER b. the family member who last
saw/talked with the decedent, or has firsthand knowledge regarding the circumstances surrounding the death/medical history."
"When family members ask what mortuary should we use- what is the proper response? -
CORRECT ANSWER consult the local telephone directory"
"If the deceased has some minor facial scrapes and bruises, you should tell the persons who will be viewing him/her: a. to ignore the fact that the decedent has facial injuries b. that some minor scraps are present, but the funeral home may be able to cover them cosmetically later c. nothing so that you do not influence the legality of the identification d. that the deceased did not suffer
e. that the FH can fix anything and they can have a better viewing later - CORRECT ANSWER b.
that some minor scraps are present, but the funeral home may be able to cover them cosmetically later" "When you are approached by the NOK who has some questions regarding the autopsy findings of a natural death, which of the following would be the most appropriate response?
a. refer them to the dpt's admin to get a signed release of information form before releasing findings b. refer them directly to the pathologist who performed the autopsy c. discuss the autopsy findings with the NOK. If needed, direct them to the pathologist who performed the autopsy. d. release your medical interpretation of the pathologist's COD
e. advise them to have their family dr. explain the autopsy findings to them - CORRECT
ANSWER c. discuss the autopsy findings with the NOK. If needed, direct them to the pathologist
who performed the autopsy." "In a 2 day old homicide case, the pathologist identified the COD as six stab wounds to the chest and neck. When the victim's father telephones to ask for details of the autopsy results, you should: a. explain that bc no suspect has been identified the results are being revealed only to the investigative agency at the present time b. explain that because no suspect has been identified the results are being revealed only to the family and investigative agency at the present time and that he must not reveal them to anyone else c. inform him of the 6 stab wounds to the chest and neck d. tell him that no info will be released until a suspect is in custody
e. do nothing - CORRECT ANSWER a. explain that bc no suspect has been identified the results
are being revealed only to the investigative agency at the present time" "You arrive at an outdoor homicide scene, and you find that the crime scene tape binds too small a perimeter. Onlookers and media are beginning to gather. You should: a. not "fuel" the crowd by moving them because the scene has already been contaminated b. remove the body from the scene as quickly as possible to prevent creating an unruly mob and hostile media c. immediately take down the tape and enlarge the perimeter d. tell the investigating police agency to begin arresting onlookers if they cannot control themselves
e. keep the tape in place and instruct the investigating agency to enlarge the perimeter -
CORRECT ANSWER e. keep the tape in place and instruct the investigating agency to enlarge
the perimeter" "The police notify your office of a death and tell you that the subject was pronounced dead by a home health care nurse who is an LPN. Can the pronouncement be valid? a. regardless of your jurisdiction, a nurse can never pronounce a subject dead.
"Three teenage males reportedly have been playing "Russian roulette". The manner of death for one victim, who was found to have a contact range wound to the right temple, is: a. dictated by the personal philosophy of the certifier b. homicide c. natural d. suicide
e. accident - CORRECT ANSWER a. dictated by the personal philosophy of the certifier"
"Prescription medication at the scene must be: a. collected and released to the next of kin b. checked if issued by a physician, then left at the scene c. inventoried, collected, and safeguarded either at the scene or the office. d. turned over to the law enforcement officer with jurisdiction at the scene
e. collected by the medicolegal death investigator and destroyed. - CORRECT ANSWER c.
inventoried, collected, and safeguarded either at the scene or the office." "You are investigating the death of an unidentified person. A search of the subject's pockets turns up an ID card without a facial photograph on it. You should: a. assume that the subject is who the ID says he is. b. search the body for further ID; if you don't find any, just use the ID card that was in his pocket. c. be aware that an ID card that does not contain a facial picture should never be used to make a positive identification d. be aware that it's not the concern of your office to obtain a positive ID of any deceased. This is a police matter
e. assume that the subject has a fingerprint file. - CORRECT ANSWER c. be aware that an ID
card that does not contain a facial picture should never be used to make a positive identification" "The basic purpose of crime scene photography is: a. to document the crime scene b. to support the sketch of the scene c. to show the benefits of color film. d. to persuade judges and juries.
e. to provide educational material. - CORRECT ANSWER a. to document the crime scene"
"Why is it necessary, when in a residence or apartment, or when going through personal
belongings of the deceased, to do this in the presence of an independent witness? - CORRECT
ANSWER - to avoid accusations at a later date
-allegations of theft by family -mention and make receipts for evidence or property taken from scene -maintain chain of custody of all items" "You are at the scene of a sudden and unexpected death of a 16 month old child. The family members want to hold the child. What should you do? a. Tell them they should have thought about that before, and to leave the child alone. You must collect evidence at this time. b. Consider the evidence you have discovered to this point and make a professional decision based on those facts, always taking the family into consideration. c. Place the body in a body bag and tell the family that they can view the body after the pathologist has completed an autopsy. d. Advise them of the federal statute that prohibits handling evidence during the conducting of an investigation e. Point out to all family members (except the mother) that the rights of the child supercede
theirs, and that they will have a chance to hold the child after the investigation is complete. -
CORRECT ANSWER b. Consider the evidence you have discovered to this point and make a
professional decision based on those facts, always taking the family into consideration." "Immediately upon arriving at the scene of a death, the death investigator should do which of the following? a. make sure sufficient boundaries are established b. be interviewed by the media c. identify and contact the law enforcement officer in charge d. assign an officer to guard the scene if the investigator suspects problems
e. all of the above - CORRECT ANSWER c. identify and contact the law enforcement officer in
charge" "The first priority at a homicide death scene is usually: a. securing and protecting the scene b. administering first aid to any injured persons c. establishing a command center d. investigating
e. interviewing all witnesses - CORRECT ANSWER b. administering first aid to any injured
persons" "In identifying and collecting trace evidence at the death scene, which of the following should NOT be done? a. taking photographs of the body, showing where evidence is
e. have the lab send someone over to pick it up from the your office receptionist - CORRECT
ANSWER c. deliver it in person"
"The _________________ the "chain" in the chain of custody, the better. a. smaller b. larger c. wider d. stronger
e. it does not matter - CORRECT ANSWER a. smaller"
"When a decedent is discovered in a public place and a crowd has gathered, the investigator should: a. immediately move the body to the morgue and evaluate it there b. have the body shielded from view (by using a clean sheet, line of officers, automobile, etc.) and conduct a death scene investigation c. conduct a death scene investigation without covering the body because covering it may detract from the integrity of photographs of the scene d. conduct a death scene investigation without covering the body to ensure that no trace evidence is transferred onto the covering material
e. order the police to disperse the crowd - CORRECT ANSWER b. have the body shielded from
view (by using a clean sheet, line of officers, automobile, etc.) and conduct a death scene investigation" "A 32 year old male dies of AIDS; 30 days after the decedent's funeral, it is permissible for the death investigator to: a. release pictures taken at the scene to the media b. disclose information about the death to interested parties as permissible by statute c. inform the media as to the cause of death d. release information to the legal next of kin
e. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWER b. disclose information about the death to
interested parties as permissible by statute" "The investigator arrives at an outdoor scene where there is a crowd of onlookers. Police officers are standing around the nude body of a young female victim. Which is the BEST step for the investigator to take? a. cover the body with a clean sheet or covering. b. proceed with the investigation c. stand with the police officers until the crowd is pushed back, and then cover the body d. cover the body with a blanket recovered from a nearby home
e. do nothing - CORRECT ANSWER a. cover the body with a clean sheet or covering."
"Decomposition
Greenish discoloration of the right lower abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER 24 hours (1 day)"
"Decomposition
Greenish discoloration of the abdomen - CORRECT ANSWER 24-36 hours (1-1.5 days)"
"Decomposition
Marbling, bloating of the face - CORRECT ANSWER 36-48 hours (1.5-2 days)"
"Decomposition
Desiccation (drying) of the fingertips - CORRECT ANSWER 48-60 hours (2-2.5 days)"
"Decomposition
Bloating of the body, purging - CORRECT ANSWER 60-72 hours (2.5-3 days)"
"Decomposition
Skin blebs, hair sloughing, skin slippage - CORRECT ANSWER 4-7 days"
"Decomposition
dehydration of body tissues - CORRECT ANSWER days-weeks"
"Decomposition
adipocere, mummification, skeletonization - CORRECT ANSWER weeks-months"
"Cardinal signs of death (5) - CORRECT ANSWER lack of pulse and respiration
absence of a heartbeat lack of corneal reflex (blinking) and pupillary constriction coolness of the body rigor and livor mortis"
"tardieu spots - CORRECT ANSWER pinpoint hemorrhages caused by advanced stages of livor
mortis where skin capillaries rupture"
"Contusion - CORRECT ANSWER bruise-crushing the tissue and tearing small blood vessels,
which releases blood into the surrounding tissues Blunt force trauma"
"Burns that are fatal - CORRECT ANSWER Children and elderly- burns that cover more than
20% of body Healthy adults- burns that are more than 50% of body"
"Percentage of carbon monoxide in blood that is fatal in healthy adults - CORRECT ANSWER
"Percentage of carbon monoxide in blood that is fatal in unhealthy adults - CORRECT ANSWER
"Percentage of carbon monoxide in blood that is fatal in children - CORRECT ANSWER 20-30%"
"Asphyxia - CORRECT ANSWER lack of oxygen and excess of carbon dioxide in the tissues of
the body"
"Strangulation - CORRECT ANSWER compression of the neck, obstructing the flow of air or
blood -can be caused by an object encircling the neck or can be caused by direct pressure"
"petechial hemorrhage - CORRECT ANSWER pinpoint hemorrhage within conjunctiva of the
eyes"
"Aspiration - CORRECT ANSWER inhalation of some foreign object, causing occlusion or
obstruction of the airway"
"mechanical asphyxia - CORRECT ANSWER inability of the chest to function, inhibiting normal
resuscitation -ex. car or heavy object compressing victim's chest"
"positional asphyxia - CORRECT ANSWER position that occludes the mouth or airway
ex. person under influence of drugs or alcohol" "A homicide victim is wearing an expensive, ornate diamond ring. The investigator should: a. remove the ring after photographs have been taken. Place the ring in a plastic zip-lock bag for later viewing without physically touching it. b. take the ring off the victim at the scene and give it to family for safekeeping.
c. take the ring off the victim at the scene and have next of kin sign a property slip before giving the ring to them d. leave the ring on the victim and have the body transported to the morgue, where the morgue attendant will catalog the ring on the valuables log e. leave the ring on the victim. Document all jewelry and personal property on the decedent. Place the decedent's hands in paper bags secured by tape at the wrist, and transport the body to
the morgue. - CORRECT ANSWER e. leave the ring on the victim. Document all jewelry and
personal property on the decedent. Place the decedent's hands in paper bags secured by tape at the wrist, and transport the body to the morgue." "As you being your new job, one of the most important things to remember is: a. to identify the informal leaders in the agency, and take your lead from them b. to maintain a good attitude by reading, listening, and asking questions c. to be at work within five minutes of starting time d. to try not to be better on the job than the regular employees
e. to read the policy manual after you learn from the other employees - CORRECT ANSWER b.
to maintain a good attitude by reading, listening, and asking questions" "In court, it is TRUE that: a. notes cannot be used to refresh the memory while on the witness stand b. defense counsel may examine notes used on the stand c. notes cannot be shown to the jury d. defense counsel cannot read the notes aloud in court
e. the judge will not allow investigator's scene notes to be used in the courtroom at all -
CORRECT ANSWER a. notes cannot be used to refresh the memory while on the witness
stand"
"What drugs/substances cause oxygen deprivation? - CORRECT ANSWER carbon monoxide,
cyanide"
"What drugs/substances cause arrhythmias? - CORRECT ANSWER tricyclic antidepressants,
cardiac drugs, cocaine, dilantin"
"What drugs/substances cause liver necrosis? - CORRECT ANSWER acetaminophen"
"What drugs/substances cause electrolyte imbalance? - CORRECT ANSWER salicylate (aspirin)
ethylene glycol"
proximal - CORRECT ANSWER describes a relative position that is closer to the central portion
of the body or origin of structure" "Body planes/positions:
distal - CORRECT ANSWER refers to a relative position that is farther away from the central
portion of the body or origin of structure" "Body planes/positions:
superficial - CORRECT ANSWER refers to a relative position close to the surface of an organ or
close to the skin" "Body planes/positions:
deep - CORRECT ANSWER refers to a relative position within the body or father away from the
surface of the body" "Body planes/positions:
supine - CORRECT ANSWER body lying on the back or posterior"
"Body planes/positions:
prone - CORRECT ANSWER body lying on the face or anterior"
"Surface anatomy
auricular - CORRECT ANSWER the area of the ear"
"Surface anatomy
frontal - CORRECT ANSWER the front (anterior) surface of the head"
"Surface anatomy
temporal - CORRECT ANSWER the side (lateral) surface of the head"
"Surface anatomy
Occipital - CORRECT ANSWER the back (posterior) surface of the head"
"Surface anatomy
Parietal - CORRECT ANSWER the area considered the top of the head"
"Surface anatomy
oral - CORRECT ANSWER the area of the mouth"
"Surface anatomy
orbital - CORRECT ANSWER the area of the eye"
"Surface anatomy
sternal notch or angle - CORRECT ANSWER junction of the sternum and the clavicle relation to
the T4 T5 level of vertebral bodies" "Surface anatomy
Submental - CORRECT ANSWER the area under the chin or jaw line"
"Surface anatomy
costal margin - CORRECT ANSWER the lowest portion of the anterior ribs, corresponding to
the level of the anterior attachment of the diaphragm and L3-L4 vertebral bodies" "Drowning is diagnosed by: a. the combination of autopsy findings and a history of submersion b. water or fluid in the stomach c. a history of the body being submerged d. water or fluid in the lungs
e. absence of traumatic injury - CORRECT ANSWER a. the combination of autopsy findings and
a history of submersion" "As an investigator, which of the following injuries would make you most suspect child battering? a. fracture of long bones b. injuries inconsistent with the explained mode of injury c. a history of a fall d. thermal burns to the body
e. bruises to the body - CORRECT ANSWER b. injuries inconsistent with the explained mode of
injury" "Identifiable soot detected in the airway of a fire victim indicates which one of the following? a. breathing during the fire b. an artifact caused by the fire c. charring of the human tissue during the fire d. the victim was a heavy smoker
e. the death was the result of the fire - CORRECT ANSWER a. breathing during the fire"
"The most common causes of physical traumatic death in child abuse cases are: a. poisoning and drugs
d. fouling surrounding the wound
e. soot within the wound - CORRECT ANSWER c. an absence of gunshot residue surrounding
the wound and/or clothing" "Which of the following statements regarding maggots infesting a body is TRUE? a. an autopsy performed on a maggot-infested body cannot be useful b. maggots cannot be used to assist in estimating the time of death c. maggots do not occur in bodies that have been dead for more than two weeks d. maggots grow at predictable rates, depending on the climate and temperature
e. an expert who studies maggots is the odontologist - CORRECT ANSWER d. maggots grow at
predictable rates, depending on the climate and temperature" "Additional information that should be sought in cases of suspected child abuse includes: a. whether one parent was absent at the time of injury b. whether a non-natural parent or paramour was the caregiver of the victim at the time of injury c. photographs of the object causing injury or the place of injury d. previous injuries suffered by the child
e. all of the above - CORRECT ANSWER e. all of the above"
"Suicide investigations are difficult because a. social and cultural stigmas often make witnesses uncooperative b. insurance benefits are sometimes negated by a finding of suicide c. both a and b d. the cause of death is seldom apparent
e. suicide notes are never present at the scene - CORRECT ANSWER c. both a and b"
"-ectomy - CORRECT ANSWER procedure done to remove something"
"-ostomy - CORRECT ANSWER procedure in which an artificial opening is created"
"-otomy - CORRECT ANSWER procedure done for the purpose of entering something, creating
a hole that is usually closed surgically"
"-plasty - CORRECT ANSWER procedure done to restructure a portion of the anatomy, usually
without removing anything"
"aneurysm - CORRECT ANSWER an abnormal, permanent dilation of an artery, usually caused
by infection or atherosclerosis"
"angiography - CORRECT ANSWER the radiographic visualization of blood vessels after they
are filled with contrast media" "The study of drugs and poisons is known as a. laboratory analysis b. toxicology c. pharmacology d. forensic chemistry
e. chemical death analysis - CORRECT ANSWER b. toxicology"
"DNA typing can be done on a. fingerprints only b. red blood cells only c. white blood cells only d. hair only
e. cells from almost any part of the body - CORRECT ANSWER e. cells from almost any part of
the body" "Epidural hemorrhages are located a. between the dura and the skull b. between the dura and the brain c. in the skull d. in the dura
e. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWER a. between the dura and the skull"
"Pulmonary embolus is so named because a. it narrows the outlet of the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery b. it originates in the pulmonary artery c. it occludes the pulmonary artery d. it ruptures the pulmonary artery
e. it causes cherry pink livor mortis - CORRECT ANSWER c. it occludes the pulmonary artery"
"Stellate tears of skin are found a. only in entrance gunshot wounds b. only in exit gunshot wounds c. when expansion from beneath the skin ruptures through the skin surface d. when the distance from the weapon to the skin is typically less than three inches
e. none of the above - CORRECT ANSWER c. when expansion from beneath the skin ruptures
through the skin surface"
