First Aid Bleeding, Wounds, and Shock 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A victim has a large avulsion injury where skin is partially torn away. The skin flap is still attached. What should you do with the flap?
- Cut off the flap cleanly to make bandaging easier
- Fold it back into its normal position and cover with a moist sterile dressing (Correct answer)
- Leave the flap folded back and dry to prevent infection
- Apply adhesive tape directly to hold the skin in place
Correct answer: Fold it back into its normal position and cover with a moist sterile dressing
Reposition the skin flap to its original position if possible and cover with a moist sterile dressing to preserve tissue viability until medical care is available.
Question 2: Neurogenic shock occurs when the nervous system fails to regulate blood vessel tone. Which injury is most likely to cause it?
- Severe burn to the hands
- High spinal cord injury (Correct answer)
- Large laceration on the leg
- Blunt trauma to the abdomen
Correct answer: High spinal cord injury
A high spinal cord injury can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system's control over blood vessel tone, causing widespread vasodilation and neurogenic shock.
Question 3: A friend cut their hand on broken glass. After 10 minutes of direct pressure the bleeding has stopped. What is your next step?
- Remove the dressing and inspect the wound fully
- Apply a clean bandage and advise medical evaluation if the wound is deep (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet to prevent re-bleeding
- Soak the hand in warm water to clean it
Correct answer: Apply a clean bandage and advise medical evaluation if the wound is deep
Once bleeding is controlled, apply a clean bandage and recommend professional evaluation for deep lacerations that may require sutures or tetanus prophylaxis.
Question 4: Which fluid should NOT be used to clean an open wound in first aid?
- Clean running water
- Saline solution
- Undiluted iodine or strong antiseptic directly in the wound (Correct answer)
- Sterile irrigation fluid
Correct answer: Undiluted iodine or strong antiseptic directly in the wound
Undiluted iodine and strong antiseptics can damage wound tissue and delay healing; clean water or saline is preferred for wound irrigation.
Question 5: A victim is in shock and begins vomiting. What is the immediate action to prevent aspiration?
- Tilt their head back to open the airway
- Turn them onto their side (if no spinal injury suspected) to clear the airway (Correct answer)
- Give them water to dilute the vomit
- Keep them supine with legs elevated and suction unavailable
Correct answer: Turn them onto their side (if no spinal injury suspected) to clear the airway
Rolling the victim onto their side prevents aspiration of vomit into the airway, which can cause a fatal airway obstruction or aspiration pneumonia.
Question 6: Blood from a wound soaks through multiple dressings despite firm pressure. What is the most appropriate escalation step?
- Remove all dressings and apply fresh ones
- Apply a tourniquet (for limb wounds) or wound packing with hemostatic gauze (Correct answer)
- Apply an ice pack and wait for bleeding to slow
- Elevate the wound site only and continue monitoring
Correct answer: Apply a tourniquet (for limb wounds) or wound packing with hemostatic gauze
When direct pressure fails on a limb wound, a tourniquet is the appropriate escalation; for non-limb wounds, wound packing with hemostatic gauze is indicated.
Question 7: What does the acronym 'DCAP-BTLS' help a first aider assess when examining a wound?
- Depth, Color, Appearance, Pain — Bleeding, Temperature, Length, Symmetry
- Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures — Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling (Correct answer)
- Drainage, Crust, Air, Pressure — Bruising, Tissue, Lesion, Sensitivity
- Dressing, Closure, Antiseptic, Padding — Bandage, Tourniquet, Ligature, Support
Correct answer: Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures — Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, Swelling
DCAP-BTLS stands for Deformities, Contusions, Abrasions, Punctures, Burns, Tenderness, Lacerations, and Swelling — a systematic trauma assessment tool.
First Aid Bleeding, Wounds, and Shock 5
A victim has a large avulsion injury where skin is partially torn away.
The skin flap is still attached.
What should you do with the flap?