PHTLS Knowledge 5

Question 1

Which type of burn injury carries the HIGHEST risk of upper airway obstruction requiring early intubation?

Accepted Answer

Burns with singed nasal hairs, hoarseness, and stridor

Answer

Singed nasal hairs, hoarseness, and stridor signal inhalation injury with impending airway edema, requiring early definitive airway management.

Question 2

In PHTLS, what does the term 'index of suspicion' mean?

Accepted Answer

Anticipating hidden injuries based on mechanism of injury

Answer

Index of suspicion means using knowledge of injury mechanisms to anticipate injuries that may not yet be clinically obvious.

Question 3

Which intervention is the FIRST priority for an open (sucking) chest wound?

Accepted Answer

Occlusive dressing vented on three sides

Answer

A vented (three-sided) occlusive dressing seals the wound while allowing air to escape, preventing conversion to tension pneumothorax.

Question 4

A patient ejected from a vehicle at highway speed is most at risk for which pattern of injury?

Accepted Answer

Multi-system trauma due to secondary impact and ground impact

Answer

Ejection exposes the patient to multiple impacts — vehicle interior, air, and ground — producing multi-system, high-energy trauma.

Question 5

According to PHTLS, what is the goal of the 'platinum ten minutes' concept?

Accepted Answer

Limit scene time to 10 minutes or less for critical trauma patients

Answer

The platinum ten minutes concept emphasizes limiting on-scene time to 10 minutes or less for critical trauma patients to expedite definitive surgical care.

PHTLS - Prehospital Trauma Life Support Practice Test

PHTLS - Prehospital Trauma Life Support Practice Test

PHTLS Knowledge 5