Chapter 30

Question 1

Which type of wound has a small opening into the skin, but may be quite deep, and is often caused by instruments such as nails, ice picks, or pencils?

Answer 1

puncture

Question 2

A wound in which the epidermis is scraped away with minimal bleeding, such as commonly occurs when a child falls on his knees on a sidewalk, is called a(n):

Answer 2

abrasion

Question 3

Which of the following is true concerning lacerations?

Answer 3

They may be caused by penetrating trauma.
They may indicate deeper underlying tissue damage.
They may be caused by blunt trauma.

Question 4

Bleeding from soft-tissue injuries should initially be controlled with which one of the following techniques?

Answer 4

direct pressure

Question 5

Which of the following is required in the management of all open soft-tissue injuries?

Answer 5

use of standard precautions of the emt

Question 6

You are dispatched to an auto repair shop for an “accident.” You arrive and are told by the owner that one of the workers apparently got his hand in the way while using a high-pressure grease gun and injected the grease into his hand. You find the patient seated in a chair with a coworker applying ice to the injured hand. Your examination reveals a minor round laceration in the hand. The patient is complaining of pain in the area but wants to let the wound take care of itself and go back to work. What should you do?

Answer 6

Remove the ice from the wound, then elevate and splint the limb. Transport the patient high priority.

Question 7

While assessing a 78-year-old male patient who escaped an apartment fire with partial thickness burns to both arms, the EMT must be aware of which of the following?

Answer 7

medical conditions may be aggravated by the burns

Question 8

Which of the following best describes a partial thickness burn?

Answer 8

the skin is red and moist with blister formation.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a major function of the skin?

Answer 9

Regulates the pH balance of the body

Question 10

When using the rule of palm to estimate the approximate body surface area burned, the patient’s palm equals about what percentage of the body’s surface area (BSA)?

Answer 10

1 percent

Question 11

While assessing a patient with partial thickness burns to his chest and neck, what should be your highest priority (even if there are no symptoms presently)?

Answer 11

airway

Question 12

Your patient is a 25-year-old man who picked up an iron skillet with a very hot handle. He has a reddened area with blisters across the palm of his hand. Which of the following must be avoided in the prehospital management of this wound?

Answer 12

application of antibiotic ointment

Question 13

Your patient is a 40-year-old male who has been exposed to a dry chemical powder and is complaining of severe pain on both of his hands, the site of the contact. He is working in an illegal chemical manufacturing plant and there is no decontamination shower on site. Which of the following would be the best way to manage this situation?

Answer 13

Brush away as much of the powder as possible and then have the patient hold his hands under running water from a faucet or regular garden hose.

Question 14

Which of the following layers of the skin is the most important in insulating the body against heat loss?

Answer 14

subcutaneous layer

Question 15

You assess a 35-year-old female patient with a chemical burn to her right forearm and hand. As you assess the burn, you notice a white powder on the burn. What should be your next step?

Answer 15

Brush the powder off the patient’s arm and hand, and then flush with copious amounts of water.

Question 16

You are dispatched to an industrial plant for a burn. You arrive and find a 60-year-old male who came in contact with a broken steam line and appears to have partial thickness burns on both hands and arms. He is lying on the ground and coworkers are gently spraying him with water from a nearby hose. What should you do?

Answer 16

Care for the burn and do a complete patient assessment, including cervical spine precautions.

Question 17

Which of the following is of concern in a patient who received burns to his hand when he grabbed a live electrical wire?

Answer 17

The extent of tissue damage may be much greater than it appears on the surface.

Question 18

You are dispatched to a local industrial plant for an “electrical injury.” You arrive on-scene and find a 46-year-old male lying supine in front of an electrical panel. You are told he was attempting to make a repair and somehow received an electrical shock and was thrown to the ground. The scene is safe and the electricity is off. Your initial exam reveals a conscious person, breathing adequately. Vital signs are normal and there are no obvious signs of burns. Coworkers state that he was unconscious until your arrival. What is the next step?

Answer 18

While on the scene, rapidly do a complete assessment, provide oxygen, provide care for potential spine injuries, and transport as soon as possible after the exam.

Question 19

When managing an electrical burn, the EMT should:

Answer 19

check for a source and ground burn injury

Question 20

Which of the following is a desirable characteristic of dressings used in the prehospital management of most open wounds?

Answer 20

sterile