Trauma Assessment & Prehospital Interventions Flashcards
7 cards from real CEP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Trauma Assessment & Prehospital Interventions flashcards as text
A patient sustains blunt abdominal trauma with referred pain to the left shoulder (Kehr's sign). This finding MOST suggests injury to the:
Answer: Spleen
Kehr's sign — left shoulder pain due to diaphragmatic irritation from blood — is classically associated with splenic injury.
Which of the following is the MOST reliable indicator of internal hemorrhage in a blunt abdominal trauma patient?
Answer: Decreasing blood pressure with tachycardia
Progressive hemodynamic instability (hypotension + tachycardia) is the most reliable field indicator of significant internal hemorrhage.
During endotracheal intubation of a trauma patient, a right mainstem intubation is confirmed. Correct action is to:
Answer: Deflate the cuff, withdraw tube 2–3 cm, re-inflate, and reconfirm
Withdrawing the ETT 2–3 cm above the carina and reconfirming placement corrects right mainstem intubation without removing the secured airway.
A 60-year-old male on warfarin is involved in a ground-level fall and strikes his head. He is alert with a GCS of 15 and no neuro deficits. Your management should include:
Answer: Transport for evaluation due to anticoagulation increasing intracranial bleed risk
Anticoagulated patients have significantly higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage after even minor head trauma, requiring hospital evaluation.
Which of the following BEST indicates successful needle decompression for tension pneumothorax?
Answer: Return of normal breath sounds bilaterally and hemodynamic improvement
Successful decompression is confirmed by bilateral breath sounds returning and hemodynamic improvement, not just air release or partial SpO2 improvement.
A patient has an open chest wound ('sucking chest wound'). The correct prehospital treatment is:
Answer: Vented (3-sided) chest seal or commercial vented dressing
A vented chest seal allows air to escape during exhalation while preventing air entrainment, reducing the risk of tension pneumothorax.
What is the CORRECT target systolic blood pressure during permissive hypotension for a penetrating torso trauma patient without TBI?
Answer: 80–90 mmHg
Permissive hypotension targets SBP 80–90 mmHg in penetrating torso trauma to limit clot disruption while maintaining minimal perfusion until surgical control.