Trauma Practice Flashcards
You are called to the scene of a pedestrian struck by a car. Upon examination, you notice clear fluid leaking from the patient’s ear that you believe to be cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).
What injury is commonly associated with CSF leaking from the ears?
Basilar skull fracture
What does PMS stand for during your assessment of a patient’s lower extremity?
Pulse, Motor, Sensation
Asess PMS before and after splinting and extremity.
Your patient is a 17-year old male found face down in a swimming pool. He is currently being held face up at the surface of the water. He is unconscious but breathing and has a pulse. What is the best course of action for this patient?
Apply cervical and spinal immobilization while the patient is still in the pool
EXP: You dont know what caused the patient to become unconscious, spinal precautions need to be taken while the patient is still in the pool.
A laceration, spurting bright red blood, most likely means what type of injury?
Arterial
The brighter the blood, the more oxygen it holds. Since arterial blood comes from the heart, it is rich in oxygen.
Your patient has a laceration to the right leg, intersecting the femoral artery. You have applied direct pressure to the wound, but it continues to soak through the bandages. What should you do next?
Elevate The Leg
EXP: Elevating the leg above the heart can help control bleeding.
When there is penetrating trauma, there is a permanent cavity formed by the projectile contacting the tissues. How is a temporary cavity formed?
By energy transferring off of the projectile
EXP: When a projectile is traveling through space it is giving off energy as it pushes away the air molecules. When it impacts with human tissue, kinetic energy is transferred from the projectile to the tissue. When this projectile is a high-velocity missile, the tissue which absorbs this energy transfer is often damaged but not disrupted enough to be permanently damaged.
The way a patient is injured is often referred to as the _______________?
Mechanism of Injury
EXP: The mechanism of injury transfers energy to the patient, causing a pattern of injury which is predictable.
For example, a frontal impact auto accident is considered a mechanism of injury. This allows the clinician to predict the type of injuries the patient may have and expect their response to treatment.
or example, a frontal impact auto accident is considered a mechanism of injury. This allows the clinician to predict the type of injuries the patient may have and expect their response to treatment.
What type of fracture would this be?
Open
EXP: Any time there is open skin over a fracture it is considered an open fracture. A greenstick is generally found in children whose bones have not fully ossified. Comminuted is a fracture resulting from extreme forces causing many smaller fractures at the fracture site.
