Trauma Management & Injury Care Flashcards

A skier sustains a femur fracture on a remote slope. Which complication should you monitor for most urgently during the evacuation?

Answer: Hypovolemic shock from internal blood loss

A femur fracture can cause 1–2 liters of internal blood loss, making hypovolemic shock the most immediate life threat during evacuation.

When applying a traction splint in the backcountry for a mid-shaft femur fracture, what is the primary purpose of applying traction?

Answer: To reduce muscle spasm and control internal bleeding

Traction realigns the bone ends, reducing the space muscle spasm creates, which helps control internal hemorrhage and relieves pain.

A climber has an open fracture of the forearm with a bone end visible. Your priority after BSI is to:

Answer: Control bleeding with direct pressure around (not on) the wound, then splint

Control hemorrhage with pressure around the wound margin without disturbing the bone, then immobilize in position found.

A hiker is found unresponsive after a fall with suspected cervical spine injury. There is no pulse. Your first action is:

Answer: Begin CPR using a modified jaw-thrust to open the airway

In cardiac arrest, CPR takes priority; use a jaw-thrust (rather than head-tilt) to minimize cervical spine movement while opening the airway.

Which sign best indicates arterial bleeding rather than venous bleeding?

Answer: Bright red blood spurting in pulses with each heartbeat

Arterial blood is oxygenated (bright red) and flows in spurts synchronized with the heartbeat due to arterial pressure.

When using a commercial tourniquet (e.g., CAT) for extremity hemorrhage control, how tight should it be applied?

Answer: Tight enough to eliminate the distal pulse

A tourniquet must occlude arterial flow, which is confirmed when the distal pulse is no longer palpable and bleeding stops.

A mountain biker crashes and presents with paradoxical chest wall movement — a section of the chest moves inward on inhalation. This is called:

Answer: Flail chest

Flail chest occurs when multiple adjacent rib fractures create a free-floating segment that moves opposite to the rest of the chest wall.