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PHTLS Complete Study Guide
Question 1: A 28 year old male fell from his motorcycle during
a low-speed accident. He removed his helmet after the accident.He has an open left femur fracture with severe external bleeding from the wound. What should you do?
CORRECT ANSWER : Apply direct pressure to the wound
Question 2: A 42 year old female has been pulled from a smoke-
filled apartment. Her mouth and nose are covered in soot. She has a weak, hoarse cry with inspiratory stridor. What should you do?
CORRECT ANSWER : Prepare for a difficult intubation
Question 3: A 28 year old female has suffered a head injury
after falling from a horse. Her Glasgow Coma Scale score is 6 (E1, V1, M4) and she has snoring respirations at 8 per minute.What should you do first?
CORRECT ANSWER : Place an oropharyngeal airway
Question 4: A 50 year old male fell from a 6th story balcony.
Intubation attempts have been unsuccessful. His Glasgow Coma
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Scale score is 6 (E1, V1, M4). You note agonal respirations.What should you do first?
CORRECT ANSWER : Insert a supraglottic airway device
Question 5: A 28 year old male was ejected during a car crash.
He is unconscious and has no obvious bleeding. His vital signs are BP 70/40, P120, R22. What type of shock should you suspect?
CORRECT ANSWER : Hemorrhagic
Question 6: What is a priority treatment for an internal
hemorrhage due to a pelvic fracture?
CORRECT ANSWER : Binder application
Question 7: A 3 year old female was involved in a car crash with
- feet (61 cm) of intrusion into the passenger compartment. She
is crying and has an obvious deformed right humerus. Her car seat has a crack on the side of impact. What should you expect?
CORRECT ANSWER : Significant energy has been distributed
to this patient
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Question 8: Which of the following presents the greatest risk of
EMS provider fatalities?
CORRECT ANSWER : Motor vehicle collision in either an
EMS unit or on-scene
Question 9: A 29 year old female has multisystem trauma.
Which life threat is your first priority?
CORRECT ANSWER : Significant external hemorrhage
Question 10: A 29 year old male falls 17 feet (5 m) to the
ground from a tree. He complains of pain on the right side of his chest when he breathes. You note accessory muscle use, focal tenderness, bony crepitus, and absent breath sounds on his right side. What should you suspect?
CORRECT ANSWER : Simple pneumothorax
Question 11: A 22 year old male was involved in a car crash and
hit a tree head-on. The patient is on the ground outside the vehicle and is unconscious. His forearm is avulsed and you note a large pool of blood with active bleeding. His breathing is deep and labored. What should you do?
CORRECT ANSWER : Apply a tourniquet
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Question 12: A 26 year old male is supine on the ground. He
was assaulted and has obvious head and facial trauma. He has snoring respirations at a rate of 8 per minute. What should you do?
CORRECT ANSWER : Perform a modified jaw thrust
Question 13: A 36 week pregnant female has sustained an injury
that requires spinal motion restrictions. What intervention should be implemented to prevent hypotension during transport?
CORRECT ANSWER : Elevate the right side of the backboard
4-6 inches
Question 14: A 55 year old male has burns to both lower
extremities from a car crash. He is awake and in severe pain.Assessment reveals dry, white, leathery appearance in both lower extremities. What is the burn classification?
CORRECT ANSWER : Full thickness
Question 15: A 33 year old female has a Glasgow Coma Scale
score of 3 (E1, V1, M1) after being ejected from a motor vehicle. How should you prepare to intubate?