Question 1

Which of the following statements is TRUE of the permanent cavity created by penetrating trauma?
A) It is filled with disrupted tissues, some air, fluid, and debris.
B) It is the damage done when the projectile fragments penetrate.
C) It is a space created by a projectile as tissue moves rapidly away in its path.
D) It is a potential space, not an actual space.

Accepted Answer

The permanent cavity created by penetrating trauma is filled with disrupted tissues, some air, fluid, and debris, as it represents the actual physical damage caused by the projectile.

Question 2

If you were to design a bullet to have the highest energy exchange, what would you do?
A) Decrease the drag.
B) Increase the caliber.
C) Decrease the bullet's trajectory.
D) Design the bullet to become more unstable.

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you were to design a bullet...

Question 3

The branch of physics dealing with objects in motion and energy exchanges that occur as these objects collide is called what?
A) Kinematics
B) Kinetics
C) Inertia
D) Force

Accepted Answer

Kinetics is the branch of physics dealing with objects in motion and energy exchanges that occur as these objects collide. Kinematics is the study of the motion of objects without considering the forces causing the motion. Inertia is the tendency of an object at rest to remain at rest, and an object in motion to remain in motion in a straight line at constant speed. Force is any interaction that can cause a change in motion.

Question 4

Your patient is a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right anterior chest. He is unresponsive. Which of the following should you do first?
A) Check for a carotid pulse.
B) Seal the chest wound.
C) Auscultate breath sounds.
D) Check for breathing.

Accepted Answer

The first action in any unresponsive patient is to assess for breathing. In this case, the gunshot wound to the chest is a potential cause of respiratory distress, making assessment of breathing even more critical. Once it is determined if the patient is breathing, further interventions can be taken as needed.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about low-velocity penetrating trauma is TRUE?
A) Shorter knives and ice picks may be removed if they are left in the wound.
B) There is no pressure shock wave with a knife wound as there is with an arrow wound.
C) More injuries are sustained from arrows than from knives.
D) Knives, arrows, ice picks, and similar weapons cause damage only in their direct path.

Accepted Answer

Low-velocity penetrating trauma, such as that caused by knives, arrows, and ice picks, typically causes damage only along the direct path of the object. Unlike high-velocity projectiles like bullets, these objects do not create a significant pressure shock wave that can cause damage to surrounding tissues.

Question 6

Your patient is an 8-year-old boy with a pencil impaled 2 centimeters inferior to the xiphoid process. You note that the pencil is pulsating. Which of the following is the best action?
A) Start an IV and request orders for analgesia and sedation.
B) Remove the pencil and apply direct pressure to the wound; transport to a trauma center if the bleeding does not stop with direct pressure.
C) Stabilize the pencil in place and transport to a trauma center.
D) Stabilize the pencil in place and transport to the nearest medical facility.

Accepted Answer

In cases of impalement injuries, the object should be stabilized in place to prevent further movement and damage to surrounding structures. In this case, the pencil is pulsating, indicating that it may be in contact with an artery and removing it could lead to significant bleeding. The patient should be transported to a trauma center where a surgical team can safely remove the pencil while also managing any potential bleeding. Starting an IV and providing pain management can be done during transport. Direct pressure may not be effective in controlling bleeding in this case, and transporting to the nearest medical facility may not have the necessary resources to manage this type of injury.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is NOT true of occupant ejection in motor vehicle collisions?
A) Ejection accounts for 27 percent of motor vehicle fatalities.
B) The number of occupant impacts increases with ejection.
C) Ejection has not been reported with lateral-impact collisions.
D) Ejection is most often associated with frontal-impact collisions.

Accepted Answer

Ejection can occur with any type of collision, including lateral-impact collisions. Therefore, statement C is not true.

Question 8

Which type of motor vehicle collision is most common in rural areas?
A) Frontal
B) Lateral
C) Rollover
D) Rear-end

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which type of motor vehicle collision is...

Question 9

Your patient is a 30-year-old woman with a stab wound to the neck. She is sitting up and appears very anxious and short of breath. Minimal external bleeding is noted, but there is bubbling from the wound. Which of the following should you suspect, based on the mechanism of injury and assessment findings?
A) Laceration of the trachea
B) An injury to the spinal cord at the level of the stab wound
C) Laceration of the ipsilateral carotid artery
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

The bubbling from the wound suggests air escaping from an airway structure, indicating a laceration of the trachea. This is consistent with the symptoms of anxiety and shortness of breath.

Question 10

A penetrating injury to which of the following organs is LEAST likely to result in severe hemorrhage?
A) Liver
B) Kidney
C) Spleen
D) Ureter

Accepted Answer

The ureter is a small, muscular tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. It does not contain a significant amount of blood vessels, so a penetrating injury to the ureter is less likely to result in severe hemorrhage compared to other organs listed such as the liver, kidney, and spleen which are highly vascular.

Question 11

A vehicle is struck in its right front as it passes through an intersection, resulting in an oblique impact. Which of the passengers is subjected to the greatest acceleration forces?
A) The right-rear passenger
B) The left-rear passenger
C) The front-seat passenger
D) The driver

Accepted Answer

The answer of A vehicle is struck in its right...

Question 12

Which of the following statements about the impact of motorcycle helmet usage is TRUE?
A) Helmet use moderately increases the incidence of cervical spine injury.
B) Helmet use moderately decreases the incidence of cervical spine injury.
C) Helmet use substantially decreases the incidence of cervical spine injury.
D) Helmet use neither increases nor decreases the incidence of cervical spine injury.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements about the...

Question 13

Which of the following may result from aggressive ventilation of the blast patient?
A) Emboli
B) Pericardial tamponade
C) Hemorrhage
D) Acidosis

Accepted Answer

Aggressive ventilation can lead to excess pressure in the lungs, causing air to travel into the bloodstream and potentially form emboli that can block blood vessels and cause organ damage. Pericardial tamponade and hemorrhage are potential complications from blast injury, but not directly related to ventilation. Acidosis may also occur in blast patients, but is not unique to aggressive ventilation.

Question 14

Which of the following mechanisms in a motor vehicle collision would MOST likely result in a tear of the liver at the ligamentum teres?
A) Gradual deceleration
B) Sudden acceleration
C) Sudden deceleration
D) Gradual acceleration

Accepted Answer

Sudden deceleration is a common mechanism of injury for liver tears at the ligamentum teres. The ligamentum teres attaches to the liver and the umbilicus, and sudden deceleration can cause the liver to move rapidly and tear at this attachment point. Gradual deceleration or acceleration would not create the sudden force necessary to cause this type of injury.

Question 15

Which of the following mechanisms may result in a conventional explosion?
A) Fumes
B) Dust
C) Natural gas
D) All of the above

Accepted Answer

All three mechanisms listed (fumes, dust, and natural gas) are capable of producing a conventional explosion. A conventional explosion happens when an explosive material is mixed with air and ignited, causing a rapid release of energy in the form of a shock wave and high-pressure gases. Fumes and dust can create explosive atmospheres when they accumulate in confined spaces with insufficient ventilation, while natural gas can become explosive when it leaks from pipelines or storage tanks and mixes with air in a certain ratio. Therefore, it is important to take precautions and follow safety regulations to prevent conventional explosions from occurring.

Question 16

Which of the following is TRUE of supplemental restraint systems?
A) They may deploy during rescue operations, injuring the patient and/or EMS personnel.
B) When worn incorrectly, they may cause spinal injury or decapitation.
C) They guard against thoracic impact with the steering wheel.
D) They are primarily useful in preventing injury to infants and children riding in the front seat.

Accepted Answer

Supplemental restraint systems, such as airbags, can deploy unexpectedly during rescue operations, posing a risk to both patients and EMS personnel.

Question 17

Which of the following is TRUE of the pressure wave that accompanies high-velocity penetrating trauma?
A) Hollow organs are less tolerant of the stress than solid organs are.
B) Pressure waves cause no injury to surrounding tissues; they only momentarily disrupt function.
C) Elastic tissues are less tolerant of the stress than non-elastic tissues.
D) The pressure wave may be transmitted through blood, resulting in damage to blood vessels some distance from the primary wound.

Accepted Answer

The pressure wave can be transmitted through blood and cause damage to blood vessels some distance from the primary wound. Choice A is incorrect as hollow organs are typically more elastic and better able to tolerate pressure waves than solid organs. Choice B is incorrect as pressure waves can cause injury to surrounding tissues. Choice C is incorrect as elastic tissues are typically able to withstand pressure waves better than non-elastic tissues.

Question 18

The pathway of injury left in the wake of a penetrating mechanism of injury is called:
A) cone of injury.
B) cavitation.
C) profile.
D) trajectory.

Accepted Answer

Cavitation refers to the cavity or pathway created by a penetrating object, such as a bullet, as it travels through tissue, causing damage beyond the direct path of the object.

Question 19

You have responded to a soccer field on which two 13-year-olds have collided during a game. Which of the following findings in either patient requires ambulance transport for further evaluation in the emergency department?
A) Weakness in the upper extremities
B) Complaint of "getting the wind knocked out of me"
C) Contusion to the thigh
D) Minor epistaxis

Accepted Answer

Weakness in the upper extremities could indicate a possible spinal cord injury and requires further evaluation in the emergency department. The other options are less severe and can be evaluated on-site.

Question 20

Which of the following is most important when assessing the damage done by a gunshot?
A) The type of gun used
B) The size of the bullet
C) The distance from the shooter
D) Whether there was an upward or a downward trajectory when the bullet was fired

Accepted Answer

The distance from the shooter is the most important factor when assessing the damage done by a gunshot. This is because the force of the bullet decreases with distance, so a closer shot is likely to cause more damage than a shot from farther away. The type of gun and size of the bullet can also play a role in the damage done, but distance is the most critical factor. The direction of the trajectory can be important in determining the angle of entry and exit wounds, but it is not as crucial as the distance from the shooter.

Quiz 2: Mechanism of Injury

Which of the following statements is TRUE of the permanent cavity created by penetrating trauma?

If you were to design a bullet to have the highest energy exchange, what would you do?

The branch of physics dealing with objects in motion and energy exchanges that occur as these objects collide is called what?

Your patient is a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right anterior chest. He is unresponsive. Which of the following should you do first?

Which of the following statements about low-velocity penetrating trauma is TRUE?

Your patient is an 8-year-old boy with a pencil impaled 2 centimeters inferior to the xiphoid process. You note that the pencil is pulsating. Which of the following is the best action?

Which of the following statements is NOT true of occupant ejection in motor vehicle collisions?

Which type of motor vehicle collision is most common in rural areas?

A penetrating injury to which of the following organs is LEAST likely to result in severe hemorrhage?

A vehicle is struck in its right front as it passes through an intersection, resulting in an oblique impact. Which of the passengers is subjected to the greatest acceleration forces?

Which of the following statements about the impact of motorcycle helmet usage is TRUE?

Which of the following may result from aggressive ventilation of the blast patient?

Which of the following mechanisms in a motor vehicle collision would MOST likely result in a tear of the liver at the ligamentum teres?

Which of the following mechanisms may result in a conventional explosion?

Which of the following is TRUE of supplemental restraint systems?

Which of the following is TRUE of the pressure wave that accompanies high-velocity penetrating trauma?

The pathway of injury left in the wake of a penetrating mechanism of injury is called:

You have responded to a soccer field on which two 13-year-olds have collided during a game. Which of the following findings in either patient requires ambulance transport for further evaluation in the emergency department?

Which of the following is most important when assessing the damage done by a gunshot?