ATLS 10th Edition Post Test Actual Questions with Verified Answers (2024 / 2025), Exams of Nursing

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ATLS POST TEST

Questions and Verified Rationalized Answers

100% Guarantee Pass

1. Which of the following is the recommended Method for trestemt frostbite? A. Vasodilators B. Anticigulants C. Warm (40 degrees) water D. Padding and elevation E. Application of heat from a hairdryer Ans; C. Warm (40 degrees) water
2. Which of the following physical findings suggest a cause of hypotension other than spinal cord injury? A. Prispism B. Bradycardia C. Diaphragmatic breathing D. Presence of deep tendon reflexes E. Ability to flex forearms but not extend them

2 / 43 Ans; D. Presence of deep tendon reflexes. Spinal shock refers to loss of muscle toe (flaccidty) and loss of reflexes.

3. The primary indication for transferring A patient to a higher level trauma center is: A. Unavailibility of surgeon or operating staff B. Multiple system injuries, including severe head injury C. Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor D. Resource limitations as determined by the hospital administration E. Widened mediastinum on chest x-ray following blunt trauma Ans; C. Resource limitations as determined by the transferring doctor (MÅ SJEKKES)
4. A young man sustains a rifle wound to the mid-abdomen. He is brought promptly to the ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and his systolic blood pressure is 58mmHg. Warmed crystalloid fluids are initiated without improvement in his vital signs. The next, most appropriate, step is to perform: A. a laparotomy B. An abdominal CT-scan C. Diagnostic laparoscopy D. Abdominal ultrasonography E. A diagnostic peritoneal lavage Ans; A. Laparotomy because of hemodynamic ab- normality

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5. A 42-year-old man is trapped from the waist down beneath his overturned tractor for several hours before medical assistance arrives. He is awake and alert until just before arriving in the ED. He is now unconscious and responds only to painful stimuli by moaning. His pupils are 3mm in diameter and symmetrically reactive to light. Prehospital personnel indicate that they have not seen the patient move either of his lower extremities. On examination in

4 / 43 the ED, no movement of his lower extremities are detected, even in response to painful stimuli. The most likely cause for this finding is: A. An epidural hematoma B. A pelvic fracture C. Central cord syndrome D. Intracerebral hemorrhage E. Bilateral compartment syndrome: MÅ SJEKKES

6. A 6-year-o boy is struck by an automobile and brought to the ED. He is lethargic, but withdraws purposefully from painful stimuli. His blood pressure is 90mmHg systolic, heart rate 140 beats per minute and his respiratory rate is 36 breaths per minute. The preferred route of venous access in this patient is: A. Percutaneous femoral vein cannulation B. Cutdown on the saphenous vein at the ankle C. Intraosseous catheter placement in the proximal tibia D. Percutaneous peripheral veins in the upper extremities E. Central venous access via the subclavian or internal jugular vein Ans; D. Percu- taneous peripheral veins in the upper extremities
7. A young man sustains a gunshot wound to the abdomen and is brought promptly to the ED by prehospital personnel. His skin is cool and diaphoretic, and he is confused. His pulse is thready and his femoral pulse is only weakly palpable. The definitive treatment in managing this patient is to: A. Administer O-negative blood

5 / 43 B. Apply external warming devices C. Control internal hemorrhage operatively D. Apply a pneumatic antishock garment (PASG) E. Infuse large volumes of intravenous crystalloid solutions. Ans; C. Control internal hemorrhage operatively

8. Regarding shock in the child, which of the following is FALSE? A. Vital signs are age-related B. Children have greater physiologic reserves than do adults C. Tachycardia is the primary physiologic response to hypovolemia D. The absolute volume of blood loss required to produce shock is the same as in adults E. An initial fluid bolus for resuscitation should approximate 20ml/kg Ringers Lactate Ans; D. The absolute volume of blood loss required to produce shock is the same as in adults
9. A 33-year-old man is struck by a car travelling at 56km/h (35mph). He has obvious fractures of the left tibia near the knee, pain in the pelvic area, and

6 / 43 severe dyspnea. His heart rate is 182 beats per minute, and his respiratory rate is 48 breaths per minute with no breath sounds heard in the left chest. A tension pneumothorax is relieved by immediate needle decompression and tube thoracostomy. Subsequently, his heart rate decreases to 144 beats per minute, his respirartory rate decreases to 36 breaths per minute and his blood pressure is 81/53 mmHg. Warmed Ringers lactate is adminstered intravenously. The next priority should be to: A. Perform external fixation of the pelvis B. Obtain abdominal and pelvic CT-scans C. Perform arterial embolization of the pelvic vessel D. Perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or FAST E. Perform a urethrogram and cystogram Ans; D. Perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage or FAST

10. A 42-year-old man, injured in a motor vehicle crash, suffers a closed head injury, multiple palpable left rib fractures, and bilateral femur fractures. He is intubated orotracheally without difficulty. Initially, his ventilations are easily assisted with a bag-mask device. It becomes more difficult to ventilate the patient over the next 5 minutes, and his hemoglobin oxygen saturation level decreases from 98% to 89%. The most appropriate next step is to: A. Obtain a chest x-ray B. Decrease the tidal volume C. Decrease PEEP D. Increase the rate of assisted ventilations

7 / 43 E. Perform needle decompression of the left chest. Ans; A. Obtain a chest x-ray (MÅ SJEKKES)

11. A 30-year-old man sustains a severely comminuted, open, distal right femur fracture in a motorcycle crash. The wound is actively bleeding. Normal sensation is present over the lateral aspect of the foot but decreased over the medial foot and great toe. Normal motion of the foot is observed. Dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses are easily palpable on the left, but heard only by Doppler on the right. Immediate efforts to improve circulation to the injured extremity should involve: A. Immediate angiography B. Tamponade of the wound with a pressure dressing C. Wound exploration and removal of bony fragments D. Realignment of the fracture segments with a traction splint E. Fasciotomy of all four compartments in the lower extremity Ans; B. Tamponade of the wound with a pressure dressing

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12. An 18-yeard-old, unhelmeted motorcyclist is brought by ambulance to the ED following a crash. He had decreased level of consciousness at the scene, but then was alert and conversational during transportation. Now his GCS is only 11. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. Cerebral perfusion is intact B. Intravascular volume status is normal C. The patient is in a postictal state D. Intra-abdominal visceral injury is unlikely E. The patient probably has an acute epidural hematoma Ans; E. The patient proba- bly has an acute epidural hematoma
13. A previously healthy, 70kg (175 pound) man suffers an estimated acute blood loss of two liters. Which one of the following statements apply to this patient? A. His pulse pressure will be widened B. His urinary output will be at the lower limits of normal C. He will have tachycardia, but no change in systolic blood pressure D. His systolic blood pressure will be decreased with a narrowed, pulse pressure E. His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated diastolic pressure. Ans; E. His systolic blood pressure will be maintained with an elevated dias- tolic pressure.
14. The physioclogic hypervolemia of pregnancy has clinical significance in the management of the severely injured gravid woman by

9 / 43 A. Reducing the need for blood transfusion B. Increasing the risk of pulmonary edema C. Complicating the management of closed head injury D. Increasing the volume of blood loss to produce shock/maternal hypoten- sion E. Reducing the volume of crystalloid required for resuscitation Ans; D. Increasing the volume of blood loss to produce shock

15. A 17-year-old helmeted motorcyclist loses consciousness when he is struck broad side by an automobile at an intersection. He arrives in the ED with a blood pressure of 140/92, pulse rate 88 beats per minute, a respiratory rate of 18 breaths per minue, and a GCS of 7. Appropriate initial immobilization of this patient should include a semi-rigid cervical collar and: A. A scoop stretcher B. A long spine board C. A short spine board

10 / 43 D. Cervical traction tongs E. Pneumatic antishock garment Ans; B. A long spine board

16. During an altercation, a 36-year-old man sustains a gunshot wound above the nipple line on the right, with an exit wound posteriorly above the scapula on the right. He is transported by ambulance to a community hospital. He is endotracheally intubated, close tube thoracostomy is performed, and 2 liters Ringers lactate solution are infused via 2 large-caliber IV´s. His blood pressure now is 60/0mmHg, heart rate is 160 beats per minute, and respiratory rate is 14 breaths per minute (ventilated with 100% O2). The most appropriate next step in managin this patient is: A. Laparotomy B. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage C. Arterial blood gas determination D. Administer packed red blood cells E. Chest X-ray to confirm tube placement Ans; E. Chest X-ray to confirm tube place- ment
17. Abscence of breath sounds and dullness to percussion over the left hemithorax are findings best explained by: A. Left hemothorax B. Cardiac contusion C. Left simple pneumothorax D. Left diaphragmatic rupture E. Right tension pneumothorax

11 / 43 Ans; A. Left hemothorax

18. A 23-year-old man is brought immediately to the ED from the hospitals parking lot where he was shot in the lower abdomen. Examination reveals a single bullet wound. He is breathing and has a thready pulse. However, he is unconsious and has no detectable blood pressure. Optimale immediate management is to: A. Perform a diagnostic peritoneal lavage B. Initiate infusion of packed red blood cells C. Insert a nasogastric tube and urinary catheter D. Transfer the patient to the operating room, while initiating fluid therapy E. Initiate fluid therapy to return his blood pressure to normotensive Ans; D. Trans- fer the patient to the operating room, while initiating fluid therapy
19. A teen-aged bicycle rider is hit by a truck traveling at high speed. In the ED, she is actively bleeding from open fractures of her legs, and has abrasions on her chest and abdominal wall. Her blood pressure is 80/50 mmHg, heart rate is 140 beats per minute, respiratory rate is 8 breaths per minute, and GCS score is 6. The first step in managing this patient is to:

12 / 43 A. Obtain a lateral cervical spine x-ray B. Insert av central venous pressure line C. Adminster 2 liters of crystalloid solution D. Perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation E. Apply a pneumatic antishock garment (PASG) and inflate the leg compart- ments. Ans; D. Perform endotracheal intubation and ventilation

20. An 8-year-old boy falls 4,5 meters (15 feet) from a tree and is brought to the ED by his family. His vital signs are normal, but he complains of left upper quadrant pain. An abdominal CT-scan reveals a moderately severe laceration of the spleen. The receiving institution does not have 24-hour-a-day operating room capabilities. The most appropriate management of this patient would be to A. Type and crossmatch for blood B. Request consultation of a pediatrician C. Transfer the patient to a trauma center D. Admit the patient to the intensive care unit E. Prepare the patient for surgery the next day Ans; D. Admit the patient to the intensive care unit
21. Which of the following statements regarding injury to the central nervous system in children is TRUE? A. Children suffer spinal cord injury without x-ray abnormality more commonly than adults. B. An infant with a traumatic brain injury may become hypotensive from cerebral edema

13 / 43 C. Initial therapy for the child with traumatic brain injury includes the admin- istration of methylprednisolone intravenously D. Children have more focal mass lesions as a result for traumatic brain injury when compared to adults. E. Young children are less tolerant of expanding intracranial mass lesions than adults Ans; A. Children suffer spinal cord injury without x-ray abnormality more commonly than adults.

22. A 17-year-old helmeted motorcyclist is struck broadside by an automobile at an intersection. He is unconscious at the scene with a blood pressure of 140/90mmHg, heart rate of 90 beats per minute, and respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute. His respirations are sonorous and deep. His GCS score is
23. Immobilization of the entire patient may include the use of all the following EXCEPT: A. Air splints B. Bolstering devices

14 / 43 C. A long spine board D. A scoop-style stretcher E. A semi-rigid cervical collar Ans; A. Air splints

23. Twenty-seven patients are seriously injured in an aircraft accident at a local airport. The basic principle of triage should be to: A. Treat the most severely injured patients first B. Establish a field triage area directed by a doctor C. Rapidly transport all patients to the nearest appropriate hospital D. Treat the greatest number of patients in the shortest period of time E. Produce the greatest number of survivors based on available resources Ans; E. Produce the greatest number of survivors based on available resources
24. An electrician is eletrocuted by a downed power line after a thunderstorm. He apparently made contact with the wire at the level of the right mid thigh. In the ED, his vital signs are normal and no dysrythmia is noted on ECG. On examination, there is an exit wound on the bottom of the right foot. His urine is positive for blood by dipstick but not RBCs are seen microscopically. Initial management should include: A. Immediate angiography B. Aggressive fluid infusion C. Intravenous pyelography D. Debridement of necrotic muscle E. Admission to the ICU for observation Ans; B. Aggressive fluid infusion - suspected rhabdomyolyse

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25. A young woman sustains a severe head injury as the result of a motor vehicular crash. In the ED, her GCS is 6. Her blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg and her heart rate 80 beats per minute. She is intubated and is being mechani- cally ventilated. Her pupils are 3mm in size and equally reactive to light. There is no other apparent injury. The most important principle to follow in early management of her head injury is to: A. Administer an osmotic diuretic B. Prevent secondary brain injury C. Agressively treat systemic hypertension D. Reduce meatbolic requirements of the brain E. Distinguish between intracranial hematoma and cerebral edema. Ans; B. Prevent secondary brain injury
26. To establish a diagnosis of shock, A. Systolic blood pressure must be below 90mmHg B. The presence of a closed head injury should be excluded C. Acidosis should be present by arterial blood gas analysis

16 / 43 D. The patient must fail to respond to intravenous fluid infusion E. Clinical evidence of inadequate organ perfusion must be present. Ans; E. Clinical evidence of inadequate organ perfusion must be present.

27. A 32-year-old is brought to the hospital unconscious with severe facial injuries and noisy respirations after an automobile collision. In the ED, he has no apparent injury to the anterior aspect of his neck. He suddenly becomes apneic, and attempted ventilation with a face mask is unsuccessful. Examina- tion of his mouth reveals a large hematoma of the pharynx with loss of normal anatomic landmarks. Initial management of his airways should be consist of: A. Inserting an oropharyngeal airway B. Inserting a nasopharyngeal airway C. Performing a surgical cricothyroidotomy D. Performing fiberoptic-guided nasotracheal intubation E. Performin orotracheal intubation after obtaining a lateral c-spine x-ray Ans; A. Inserting an oropharyngeal airway
28. A 25-year-old woman is brought to the ED after a motor vehicle crash. She was initially lucid at the scene and then developed a dilated pupil and contralateral extremity weakness. In the ED, she is unconscious and has a GCS score of 6. The initial management step for this patient should be to: A. Obtain a CT-scan of the head B. Administer decadron 20mg IV C. Perform endotracheal intubation D. Administer mannitol 1g/kg IV E. Perform an emergency bone flap craniotomy on the side of the dilated

17 / 43 pupil. Ans; C. Perform endotracheal intubation

29. A contraindication to nasogastric intubation is the presence of a: A. Gastric perforation B. Diaphragmatic rupture C. Open depressed skull fracture D. Fracture of the cervical spine E. Fracture of the cribiform plate Ans; E. Fracture of the cribiform plate
30. An 8-year-old girl is an unrestrained passenger in a vehicle struck from behind. In the ED, her blood pressure is 80/60mmHg, heart rate is 80 beats per minute, and respiratory rate is 16 breaths per minute. Her GCS score is 14. She complains that her legs feel "funny and wont move right". However, her spine x- rays do not show a fracture or dislocation. A spinal cord injury in this child: A. Is most likely a central cord syndrome B. Must be diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging

18 / 43 C. Can be excluded by obtaining a CT-scan of the entire spine D. May exist in the abscence of objective findings on x-ray studies E. Is unlikely because of the incomplete calcification of the vertebral bodies.- Ans; D. May exist in the abscence of objective findings on x-ray studies

31. Immediate chest tube insertion is indicated for which of the following conditions? A. Pneumothorax B. Pneumomediastinum C. Massive hemothorax D. Diaphragmatic rupture E. Subcutaneous emphysema Ans; C. Massive hemothorax
32. Cardiac tamponade after trauma: A. Is seldom life-threating B. Can be excluded by an upright, AP chest x-ray C. Can be confused with a tension pneumthorax D. Causes a fall in systolic pressure of > 15mmHg with expiration E. Most commonly occurs after blunt injury to the anterior chest wall Ans; C. Can be confused with a tension pneumthorax
33. A 22-year-old man is brought to the hospital after crashing his motorcycle into a telephone pole. He is unconscious and in profound shock. He has no open wounds or obvious fractures. The cause of his shock is MOST LIKELY caused by: A. A subdural hematoma

19 / 43 B. An epidural hematoma C. A transected lumbar spinal cord D. A basilar skull fracture E. Hemorrhage into the chest or abdomen Ans; E. Hemorrhage into the chest or abdomen

34. Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning Rh-isoimmuniza- tion in the pregnant trauma patient? A. It occurs in blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma B. Minor degrees of fetomaternal hemorrhage produce it C. A negative Kleihauer-Betke test excludes Rh-Isoimmunzation D. This is not a problem in the traumatized Rh-positive pregnant patient E. Initiation of Rh-immunoglobulin therapy does not require proof of fetoma- ternal hemorrhage Ans; C. A negative Kleihauer-Betke test excludes Rh-Isoimmunza- tion
35. All of the following signs on the chest x-ray of a blunt injury victim may suggest aortic rupture EXCEPT:

10 / 43 A. Mediastinal emphysema B. Presence of a "pleural cap" C. Obliteration of the aortic knob D. Deviation of the trachea to the right E. Depression of the left mainstem bronchus Ans; A. Mediastinal emphysema

36. Early central venous pressure monitoring during fluid resusciation in the ED has the greatest utility in a: A. Patient with a splenic laceration B. Patient with a inhalation injury C. 6 year-old child with a pelvic fracture D. Patient with a severe cardiac contusion E. 24-year-old man with a massive hemothorax Ans; D. Patient with a severe cardiac contusion
37. A cross-table lateral x-ray of the cervical spine: A. must precede endotracheal intubation B. excludes serious cervical spine injury C. Is an essential part of the primary survey D. Is not necessary for unconscious patients with penetrating cervical injuries E. Is unacceptable unless 7 cervical vertebrae and the C-7 to T-1 relationship are visualized. Ans; E. Is unacceptable unless 7 cervical vertebrae and the C-7 to T-1 relationship are visualized.
38. A 24-year old man sustains multiple fractured ribs bilaterally as a result of

10 / 43 being crushed in a press at a plywood factory. Examination in the ED reveals a flail segment of the patients thorax. Primary resuscitation includes high-flow oxygen administration via a nonrebreathing mask, and initiation of Ringers lactate solution.The patient exhibits progressive confusion, cyanosis and tachypnea. Management at this time should consist of: A. Intravenous sedation B. External stabilization of the chest wall C. Increasing the FIO2 in the inspired gas D. Intercostal nerve blocks for pain relief E. Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. Ans; E. Endotracheal intuba- tion and mechanical ventilation

39. Which of the following statements regarding patients with thoracic spine injuries is TRUE? A. Log-rolling may be destabilizing to fractures from T12 to L1 B. Adequate immobilization can be accomplished with the scoop stretcher C. Spinal cord injury below T10 usually spares bowel and bladder function D. Hyperflexion fractures in the upper thoracic spine are inherently unstable

11 / 43 E. These patients rarely present with neurogenic shock in association with cord injury. Ans; A. Log-rolling may be destabilizing to fractures from T12 to L1

40. During resuscitation, which one of the following is the most reliable as a guide to volume replacement? A. Heart rate B. Hematocrit C. Blood pressure D. Urinary output E. Jugular venous pressure Ans; D. Urinary out
41. A 24-year-old woman passenger in an automobile strikes the wind screen with her face during a head-on collision. In the ED, she is talking and has marked facial edema and crepitus. The highest priority should be given to: A. Lateral c-spine x-ray B. Upper airway protection C. Carotid pulse assessment D. Management of blod loss E. Determination of associated injuries Ans; B. Upper airway protection
42. The driver of a single car crash is orotracheally intubated in the field by prehospital personnel after they identify a closed head injury and determine that the patient is unable to protect his airway. In the ED, the patient demon- strate decorticate posturing bilaterally. He is being ventilated with a bag-valve device,

12 / 43 but his breath sounds are absent in the left hemithorax. His blood pressure is 160/80mmHg, heart rate is 70 beats per minute, and the pulse oximeter displays a hemoglobin oxygen saturation of 96%. The next step in assessing and managing this patient should be to: A. Determine the arterial blood gases B. Obtain a lateral cervical spine x-ray C. Assess placement of the endotracheal tube D. Perform needle decompression of the left chest E. Insert a thoracostomy in the left hemithorax. Ans; C. Assess placement of the endotracheal tube

43. The response to catecholamines in an injured, hypovolemic pregnant woman can be expected to result in: A. Placental abruption B. Fetal hypoxia and distress C. Fetal/maternal dysrhytmia D. Improved uterine blood flow E. Increased maternal renal blood flow Ans; B. Fetal hypoxia and distress

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44. A 22-year-old man sustains a gunshot wound to the left chest and is transported to a small community hospital at which surgical capabilites are not available. In the ED, a chest tube is inserted and 700ml of blood is evacuted. The trauma center accepts the patient in transfer. Just before the patient is placed in an ambulance for transfer, his blood pressure decreases to 80/68mmHg and his heart rate increases to 136 beats per minute. The next step should be to: A. Clamp the chest tube B. Cancel the patients transfer C. Perform an ED thoracotomy D. Repeat the primary survey and proceed with transfer E. Delay the transfer until the referring doctor can contact a thoracic surgeon.- Ans; D. Repeat the primary survey and proceed with transfer
45. A young woman sustains a severe head injury as the result of a motor vehicular crash. In the ED, her GCS is 6. Her blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg and her heart rate 80 beats per minute. She is intubated and is being mechani- cally ventilated. Her pupils are 3mm in size and equally reactive to light. There is no other apparent injury. The most important principle to follow in early management of her head injury is to: A. Avoid hypotension B. Prevent secondary brain injury C. Agressively treat systemic hypertension D. Reduce meatbolic requirements of the brain E. Distinguish between intracranial hematoma and cerebral edema.

14 / 43 Ans; A. Avoid hypotension

46. A 6-year-old boy walking across the street is struck by the front bumper of a sports utility vehicle traveling at 32kph (20mph). Which one of the following statements is TRUE? A. A flail chest is probable B. A symptomatic cardiac contusion is expected C. A pulmonary contusion may be present in the absence of rib fractures D. Transection of the thoracic aorta is more likely than in an adult patient E. Rib fractures are commonly found in children with this mechanism of injury Ans; C. A pulmonary contusion may be present in the absence of rib fractures
47. A 39-year-old man is admitted to the ED after an automobile collision. He is cyanotic, has insufficient respiratory effort, and has a GCS score of 6. His full beard makes it difficult to fit the oxygen facemask to his face. The most appropriate next step is to: A. Perform a surgical cricothyroidotomy