Initial Assessment and Triage Flashcards
6 cards from real TNCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Initial Assessment and Triage flashcards as text
During the primary survey, which life-threatening condition should be identified and treated during the 'C' (Circulation) assessment?
Answer: Uncontrolled external hemorrhage
The 'C' component of the primary survey focuses on circulation and hemorrhage control, including identifying and controlling life-threatening external bleeding and assessing for signs of shock.
The secondary survey in trauma assessment is best described as:
Answer: A head-to-toe physical examination performed after life threats are addressed
The secondary survey is a systematic head-to-toe physical examination performed after the primary survey is complete and all immediately life-threatening conditions have been identified and treated.
Which vital sign change is the EARLIEST indicator of hypovolemic shock in an adult trauma patient?
Answer: Tachycardia
Tachycardia is typically the earliest vital sign change in hypovolemic shock, as the heart rate increases to compensate for decreased stroke volume before blood pressure drops.
A trauma patient arrives with injuries from a motorcycle collision. Using the AMPLE history mnemonic, the 'E' represents:
Answer: Events and environment related to the injury
In the AMPLE history, 'E' stands for Events/Environment related to the injury — the mechanism of injury, protective equipment used, environmental factors, and pre-hospital treatment.
Which triage category is assigned to a walking trauma patient in the Emergency Severity Index (ESI)?
Answer: It depends on vital signs, mechanism of injury, and resource needs
Unlike field triage systems, ESI does not automatically assign a level based on the ability to walk. ESI considers acuity, expected resource needs, vital signs, and clinical presentation to assign one of five levels.
During trauma triage, the nurse identifies a patient with a penetrating abdominal wound, blood pressure 88/50, and heart rate 128. The correct triage decision is:
Answer: Activate the trauma team for immediate resuscitation
This patient has penetrating trauma with hemodynamic instability (hypotension, tachycardia), meeting criteria for the highest triage acuity and immediate trauma team activation.