EMD Trauma and Injury Scenarios 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller reports an elderly woman who slipped on ice and cannot get up. She is alert but says her hip 'popped.' What dispatch priority is MOST appropriate?
- Non-emergency transport only
- Emergency response — suspected hip fracture in elderly patient (Correct answer)
- Police only — public assist
- Cancel the call; patient is alert
Correct answer: Emergency response — suspected hip fracture in elderly patient
A suspected hip fracture in an elderly patient requires emergency response due to risk of blood loss, immobility, and rapid deterioration.
Question 2: A caller reports a patient whose arm was pulled into industrial machinery and partially amputated. What should the EMD instruct FIRST?
- Tell the caller to pull the arm free immediately
- Instruct caller to apply direct pressure or tourniquet above the injury (Correct answer)
- Advise caller to place the arm in hot water
- Ask the caller to measure the amount of blood lost
Correct answer: Instruct caller to apply direct pressure or tourniquet above the injury
Hemorrhage control via pressure or tourniquet is the immediate priority in a partial amputation.
Question 3: During a trauma call, the caller states the patient is breathing very fast (about 30 breaths per minute) after being ejected from a vehicle. What condition does this finding suggest?
- Hypoglycemia
- Tension pneumothorax or internal hemorrhage (Correct answer)
- Mild anxiety reaction
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
Correct answer: Tension pneumothorax or internal hemorrhage
Tachypnea after high-energy trauma may signal pneumothorax, hemothorax, or hemorrhagic shock.
Question 4: A caller reports a patient who jumped from a second-story window and landed feet-first. The patient is walking but complaining of heel pain. Which associated injury should the EMD consider most likely?
- Skull fracture
- Lumbar spine compression fracture (Correct answer)
- Wrist fracture only
- Rib fractures
Correct answer: Lumbar spine compression fracture
Axial loading from a feet-first fall commonly transfers force up through the heels to the lumbar spine, causing compression fractures.
Question 5: A caller reports a patient pinned under a car with burns on his legs from the exhaust. Rescuers can free him in 2 minutes. What should the EMD add to the response?
- Cancel fire units — burns are minor
- Ensure fire/rescue is responding for extrication and burn management (Correct answer)
- Advise caller to pour water on the car engine immediately
- Request air medical only
Correct answer: Ensure fire/rescue is responding for extrication and burn management
Entrapment with burns requires fire/rescue for safe extrication and burn management in addition to EMS.
Question 6: A caller describes a gunshot wound to the neck. The patient is conscious but having difficulty speaking. What is the PRIMARY concern the EMD should anticipate?
- Bone fracture only
- Rapidly progressing airway compromise (Correct answer)
- Soft tissue bruising
- Hearing loss
Correct answer: Rapidly progressing airway compromise
Neck GSWs can cause expanding hematomas or direct tracheal injury that rapidly compromises the airway.
Question 7: A bystander calls reporting a pedestrian struck by a bus. The patient is conscious with deformity of both lower legs. What triage priority applies under START triage for this patient?
- Black — expectant
- Red — immediate
- Yellow — delayed (Correct answer)
- Green — minor
Correct answer: Yellow — delayed
A patient who is walking or alert with isolated extremity injuries is typically tagged Yellow (delayed) under START triage.
EMD Trauma and Injury Scenarios 3
A caller reports an elderly woman who slipped on ice and cannot get up.
She is alert but says her hip 'popped.' What dispatch priority is MOST appropriate?