TNCC - Trauma Nurse Core Curriculum Head and Neck Trauma Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient arrives following a high-speed motor vehicle collision.
During the secondary survey, the nurse notes clear fluid draining from the patient's left ear and ecchymosis over the mastoid process.
Which type of injury are these findings most indicative of?

Accepted Answer

Basilar skull fracture

Answer

Mandibular fracture

Answer

Nasal bone fracture

Answer

Cervical spine dislocation

Question 2

A trauma patient presents with significant mid-face instability. Physical examination reveals that the entire hard palate and maxillary teeth can be moved as a single unit, separate from the rest of the facial skeleton. This finding is characteristic of which type of injury?

Accepted Answer

Le Fort I fracture

Answer

Zygomatic arch fracture

Answer

Naso-orbito-ethmoid (NOE) fracture

Answer

Le Fort III fracture

Question 3

A patient is brought to the emergency department after an assault with a knife impaled in the lateral aspect of their neck, Zone II. The patient is conscious, and the airway is patent. What is the priority nursing intervention?

Accepted Answer

Apply a bulky dressing to stabilize the object in place.

Answer

Prepare for immediate removal of the knife to assess the wound.

Answer

Perform a detailed neurologic exam of all four extremities.

Answer

Obtain a stat portable chest x-ray to rule out pneumothorax.

Question 4

The clinical presentation of a brief loss of consciousness at the time of injury, followed by a period of alertness and normal conversation, and then a rapid decline in neurologic status is the classic pattern for which head injury?

Accepted Answer

Epidural hematoma

Answer

Subdural hematoma

Answer

Diffuse axonal injury

Answer

Intracerebral hemorrhage

Question 5

A patient involved in a fight was struck in the anterior neck. The nurse assesses hoarseness, neck tenderness, and palpable subcutaneous emphysema. Which of the following is the MOST critical and immediate concern for this patient?

Accepted Answer

Impending airway compromise

Answer

Cervical spine fracture

Answer

Carotid artery dissection

Answer

Esophageal perforation

Question 6

A trauma patient complains of neck pain and bilateral arm paresthesia after being thrown from a horse. The patient is awake, alert, and protecting their airway. What is the immediate priority nursing action?

Accepted Answer

Apply manual cervical spine stabilization.

Answer

Administer an anti-inflammatory medication.

Answer

Obtain a detailed history of the event.

Answer

Assess for perianal sensation.

A patient arrives following a high-speed motor vehicle collision.During the secondary survey, the nurse notes clear fluid draining from the patient's left ear and ecchymosis over the mastoid process.Which type of injury are these findings most indicative of?

A patient arrives following a high-speed motor vehicle collision.
During the secondary survey, the nurse notes clear fluid draining from the patient's left ear and ecchymosis over the mastoid process.
Which type of injury are these findings most indicative of?