Military First Aid 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A casualty has an impaled object in their eye. What is the correct field treatment?
- Remove the object immediately to prevent further damage
- Stabilize the object in place and cover both eyes (Correct answer)
- Apply firm pressure over the eye to control bleeding
- Irrigate the eye with clean water to flush the object out
Correct answer: Stabilize the object in place and cover both eyes
Impaled objects should be stabilized in place and both eyes covered (to reduce sympathetic movement) until definitive care is available.
Question 2: How long should you maintain direct pressure on a wound before determining it is not controlling hemorrhage?
- 1-2 minutes
- 3-5 minutes
- At least 10 minutes (Correct answer)
- 30 minutes
Correct answer: At least 10 minutes
Direct pressure should be maintained for at least 10 minutes continuously before reassessing, as releasing too early disrupts clot formation.
Question 3: A casualty is found with severe facial injuries and gurgling respirations. After repositioning fails to clear the airway, what is the next step?
- Perform an emergency cricothyrotomy
- Insert a nasopharyngeal airway (Correct answer)
- Begin mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing
- Perform blind finger sweeps to clear the airway
Correct answer: Insert a nasopharyngeal airway
A nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) bypasses soft tissue obstruction and is the next step after repositioning fails in a casualty with facial trauma.
Question 4: Which of the following is the MOST reliable field sign to assess circulatory status in a combat casualty?
- Blood pressure measured with a cuff
- Capillary refill time
- Radial pulse presence and quality (Correct answer)
- Skin color and temperature
Correct answer: Radial pulse presence and quality
Presence and quality of the radial pulse is the most reliable and quickly assessable circulatory indicator in the field without equipment.
Question 5: A soldier ingests an unknown substance and becomes confused with pinpoint pupils and excessive salivation. This presentation suggests:
- Stimulant overdose
- Organophosphate (nerve agent) poisoning (Correct answer)
- Heat stroke
- Severe dehydration
Correct answer: Organophosphate (nerve agent) poisoning
Pinpoint pupils, salivation, and altered mental status are classic signs of cholinergic toxidrome caused by organophosphate or nerve agent exposure.
Question 6: When packing a wound with gauze to control hemorrhage, what is the correct technique?
- Loosely fill the wound cavity with gauze layers
- Press gauze directly onto the bleeding vessel and pack tightly with direct pressure (Correct answer)
- Cover the wound surface only without packing inside
- Pack the wound and release pressure immediately to check effectiveness
Correct answer: Press gauze directly onto the bleeding vessel and pack tightly with direct pressure
Wound packing requires tightly pressing gauze directly onto the bleeding source and maintaining firm continuous pressure for at least 3 minutes.
Question 7: A casualty has a lower leg fracture with intact distal circulation. How should the limb be immobilized in the field?
- Straighten the limb before splinting to improve blood flow
- Splint the limb in the position found, immobilizing joints above and below the fracture (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet above the fracture as a precaution
- Bind the injured leg tightly to the uninjured leg without padding
Correct answer: Splint the limb in the position found, immobilizing joints above and below the fracture
Splint the limb in the position found and immobilize the joints above and below to prevent further injury without compromising circulation.
Military First Aid 4
A casualty has an impaled object in their eye.
What is the correct field treatment?