OTC Orthopaedic Technologist 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which position places the knee in approximately 20–30 degrees of flexion and is recommended for a long leg posterior splint?
- Full extension
- Slight flexion (20–30 degrees) (Correct answer)
- 90 degrees of flexion
- Hyperextension
Correct answer: Slight flexion (20–30 degrees)
A long leg posterior splint positions the knee in 20–30 degrees of flexion, which is the functional resting position and reduces tension on posterior structures.
Question 2: The 'terrible triad' injury of the elbow consists of posterior elbow dislocation combined with fractures of which two structures?
- Radial head and coronoid process (Correct answer)
- Lateral epicondyle and olecranon
- Medial epicondyle and radial head
- Coronoid process and olecranon
Correct answer: Radial head and coronoid process
The terrible triad of the elbow is posterior dislocation combined with radial head fracture and coronoid process fracture, leading to significant instability.
Question 3: In which scenario is a sugar tong splint most appropriately indicated?
- Isolated metacarpal fracture
- Distal radius fracture with swelling (Correct answer)
- Stable proximal fibula fracture
- Patellar stress fracture
Correct answer: Distal radius fracture with swelling
A sugar tong splint immobilizes the wrist and prevents forearm rotation, making it ideal for acute distal radius and ulna fractures when swelling precludes circumferential casting.
Question 4: Under standard infection control guidelines, an orthopaedic technologist should perform hand hygiene at minimum at which of the following times?
- Only before and after procedures
- Before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after touching patient surroundings (Correct answer)
- Only when hands are visibly soiled
- Once at the start and once at the end of each shift
Correct answer: Before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid exposure, after patient contact, after touching patient surroundings
WHO's 'Five Moments for Hand Hygiene' requires hand hygiene before patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after body fluid risk, after patient contact, and after touching patient surroundings.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a greenstick fracture?
- A fracture with multiple bone fragments
- An incomplete fracture where one cortex is broken and the other is bent (Correct answer)
- A fracture through a bone weakened by disease
- A fracture along the epiphyseal plate
Correct answer: An incomplete fracture where one cortex is broken and the other is bent
A greenstick fracture is an incomplete fracture typically seen in children where one cortex breaks and the opposite cortex bends, analogous to breaking a green stick.
Question 6: Which casting complication is suggested when a patient reports burning or localized heat under a freshly applied plaster cast?
- Cast syndrome
- Thermal burn from exothermic reaction of plaster (Correct answer)
- Infection under the cast
- Allergic reaction to the stockinette
Correct answer: Thermal burn from exothermic reaction of plaster
Plaster of Paris generates heat as it sets through an exothermic chemical reaction; thick applications or water that is too warm can cause thermal burns under the cast.
Question 7: When educating a patient on cast care at discharge, which instruction is MOST important to emphasize?
- The cast can be submerged in water if it is fiberglass
- Do not insert objects under the cast to scratch the skin (Correct answer)
- Loosen the cast at home if swelling occurs
- Remove the cast if it feels tight during the first 24 hours
Correct answer: Do not insert objects under the cast to scratch the skin
Inserting objects under a cast to relieve itching can cause skin breakdown, pressure sores, or infection, making this the most critical safety instruction for cast care.
OTC Orthopaedic Technologist 5
Which position places the knee in approximately 20–30 degrees of flexion and is recommended for a long leg posterior splint?