WFR - Wilderness First Responder Musculoskeletal and Spine Injuries Questions and Answers

Question 1

A hiker takes a tumbling fall 20 feet down a steep, rocky embankment.
They are awake, alert, and complaining of severe neck pain.
They are also shivering and their hands feel cold.
According to WFR spinal injury management protocols, which of the following is the MOST appropriate immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Protect the spine from further trauma, treat for hypothermia, and then conduct a thorough assessment when the patient is stable.

Answer

Apply a cervical collar and immediately begin a litter evacuation.

Answer

Perform a focused spine assessment to determine if the spine can be cleared.

Answer

Encourage the patient to sit up slowly to see if the pain increases with movement.

Question 2

When splinting a suspected fracture of the mid-shaft of the tibia in a wilderness setting, which of the following principles is most critical for a WFR to follow?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring the splint is rigid enough to prevent all movement at the knee and ankle.

Answer

Splinting the limb in the exact position it was found, regardless of deformity.

Answer

Wrapping the splint as tightly as possible to provide maximum compression.

Answer

Checking Circulation, Sensation, and Motion (CSM) only once after the splint is applied.

Question 3

A member of your group dislocates their shoulder for the first time while scrambling. You are more than 24 hours from the trailhead. After a thorough patient assessment, you find good distal CSM. According to WFR protocols for simple dislocations, when is attempting a reduction appropriate?

Accepted Answer

If there are signs of compromised circulation, such as a weak or absent radial pulse.

Answer

A reduction should never be attempted in the field by a WFR.

Answer

Only if the patient has dislocated that same shoulder multiple times before.

Answer

Immediately, to reduce pain and allow the patient to walk out.

Question 4

Which of the following is a critical component of a focused spine assessment (FSA) used to 'clear' a spine in the wilderness?

Accepted Answer

The patient must be reliable, cooperative, sober, and alert.

Answer

The patient must be able to walk at least 10 feet without assistance.

Answer

The mechanism of injury must be minor, such as a ground-level fall.

Answer

The patient reports a complete absence of any pain anywhere in their body.

Question 5

You are treating a patient with a painful, swollen, and deformed ankle after they slipped on a wet log. Before and after applying a splint, you assess CSM. Which of these checks evaluates the 'Sensation' component?

Accepted Answer

Lightly touching a toe and asking the patient, 'Can you feel this?'

Answer

Feeling for a pedal pulse on the top of the foot.

Answer

Asking the patient to wiggle their toes.

Answer

Noting if the skin of the foot is pale and cool to the touch.

Question 6

A patient has a suspected closed fracture of their forearm. Which of the following describes the most appropriate improvised splinting technique?

Accepted Answer

Using a rolled-up sleeping pad and two trekking poles to create a rigid 'sandwich' splint, secured with straps.

Answer

Tightly lashing a single, large tree branch to the top of the forearm.

Answer

Placing the arm in a sling without any additional rigid support.

Answer

Encasing the entire arm and hand in a thick layer of mud to create a natural cast.

A hiker takes a tumbling fall 20 feet down a steep, rocky embankment.They are awake, alert, and complaining of severe neck pain.They are also shivering and their hands feel cold.According to WFR spinal injury management protocols, which of the following is the MOST appropriate immediate action?

A hiker takes a tumbling fall 20 feet down a steep, rocky embankment.
They are awake, alert, and complaining of severe neck pain.
They are also shivering and their hands feel cold.
According to WFR spinal injury management protocols, which of the following is the MOST appropriate immediate action?