Trauma Management Flashcards
7 cards from real Paramedics Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Trauma Management flashcards as text
A patient presents with Beck's triad after a stab wound to the chest. Which condition does this indicate?
Answer: Traumatic cardiac tamponade
Beck's triad (hypotension, JVD, muffled heart sounds) is the classic presentation of traumatic cardiac tamponade requiring rapid transport for pericardiocentesis or thoracotomy.
When immobilizing a pediatric patient on a long backboard, what modification is necessary for children under 8 years old?
Answer: Pad under the thorax to maintain neutral alignment
Children under 8 have proportionally larger heads, so padding under the thorax raises the body to maintain a neutral cervical spine position and prevent inadvertent flexion.
A construction worker fell 30 feet onto his back. He has no sensation or movement below T4 and his BP is 80/50 with HR 52. What type of shock is this?
Answer: Neurogenic shock
Neurogenic shock results from cervical or high thoracic spinal cord injury causing loss of sympathetic tone, presenting with hypotension and paradoxical bradycardia.
Which burn depth classification involves destruction of the epidermis, dermis, and underlying subcutaneous tissue?
Answer: Full thickness (third-degree)
Full-thickness burns destroy all skin layers including subcutaneous tissue, appearing leathery and white/charred, with no pain sensation due to nerve destruction.
Using the Parkland formula, what is the 24-hour fluid requirement for an 80 kg patient with 40% TBSA burns?
Answer: 12,800 mL
Parkland formula: 4 mL × weight (kg) × %TBSA = 4 × 80 × 40 = 12,800 mL over 24 hours, with half given in the first 8 hours.
A trauma patient has an open skull fracture with brain matter visible. What is the most appropriate prehospital management?
Answer: Cover loosely with a moist sterile dressing
Open skull fractures with visible brain matter should be covered loosely with a moist sterile dressing—never apply pressure, irrigate, or manipulate brain tissue.
In a patient with suspected thoracic aortic injury after a high-speed deceleration MVC, which prehospital sign is most suggestive?
Answer: Midscapular back pain with pulse differential between arms
Midscapular pain combined with blood pressure or pulse differences between upper extremities suggests traumatic aortic injury requiring rapid surgical intervention.