PHTLS - Prehospital Trauma Life Support Prehospital Trauma Life Support Airway and Ventilation 1

Question 1

What is the recommended ventilation rate when providing BVM ventilation to an apneic adult trauma patient?

Accepted Answer

One breath every 5–6 seconds (10–12 breaths/min)

Answer

One breath every 3 seconds (20 breaths/min)

Answer

One breath every 8–10 seconds (6–8 breaths/min)

Answer

Two rapid breaths followed by a 30-second pause

Question 2

A restrained driver involved in a high-speed collision becomes increasingly agitated and then unresponsive. Assessment reveals absent breath sounds on the left, distended neck veins, and hypotension. What is the priority prehospital intervention?

Accepted Answer

Needle decompression of the affected side

Answer

Immediate endotracheal intubation

Answer

Spinal immobilization and rapid transport only

Answer

Application of a thoracic pressure dressing

Question 3

A nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) is preferred over an oropharyngeal airway (OPA) in which of the following trauma scenarios?

Accepted Answer

A semiconscious patient with an active gag reflex

Answer

A deeply unresponsive patient with no gag reflex

Answer

A patient with suspected basilar skull fracture

Answer

A patient with active epistaxis and facial trauma

Question 4

What is the most clinically significant limitation of pulse oximetry (SpO2) monitoring in a hemorrhagic trauma patient?

Accepted Answer

It may display falsely normal readings in the presence of poor peripheral perfusion or carbon monoxide poisoning

Answer

It cannot be applied to fingers, only earlobes

Answer

It directly measures arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2)

Answer

It requires a minimum blood pressure of 80 mmHg to function

Question 5

In the prehospital setting, when is a surgical airway (cricothyrotomy) indicated for a trauma patient?

Accepted Answer

After failed endotracheal intubation attempts when oxygenation cannot be maintained by BVM alone

Answer

As the first-line airway for any unconscious trauma patient

Answer

When SpO2 falls below 94% despite supplemental oxygen

Answer

When a suspected cervical spine injury prevents head-tilt maneuvers

Question 6

What is the correct tidal volume target when ventilating an adult trauma patient with a bag-valve-mask device?

Accepted Answer

Sufficient to produce visible chest rise, approximately 500–600 mL

Answer

Maximum volume the bag can deliver with each compression

Answer

A fixed volume of 1,000 mL regardless of patient size

Answer

Determined solely by age and body weight formulas