Part of the Trauma practice questions exam area.
This page holds 200 free practice questions for Chapter 35, Head and Spine Trauma, covering brain and spine anatomy and cerebral perfusion, scalp wounds and skull fractures, concussion and intracranial hematomas, increased ICP and herniation, GCS scoring and TBI airway and ventilation targets, spinal cord syndromes and neurogenic shock, spinal motion restriction and helmet removal, and older adults on anticoagulants, children, sports concussion, and autonomic dysreflexia. They are written for paramedic and EMT students working through Nancy Caroline's Emergency Care in the Streets, 9th edition. Every question shows the correct answer with a short explanation as soon as you tap, so you learn while you test rather than waiting until the end.
Study it two ways: the 10 Question Blitz, a quick round where every right answer lights a siren and any misses lead into Lights & Sirens, a 5-in-a-row drill on that section, or the full 100-question test drawn at random from the whole chapter. After each test you get a score and a section-by-section breakdown. Progress on the full test is saved on your device, so you can stop and pick up later.
A depressed skull fracture lies directly over one of the large dural venous sinuses. This location is dangerous mainly because:
Answer: D. Lifting the fragment may cause hemorrhage
Bone fragments over a dural venous sinus may be plugging a torn sinus, so disturbing them can cause massive bleeding or air embolism. Such fractures are left alone in the field and managed surgically. The sinuses carry large volumes of venous blood, and this injury does not always cause arrest.
Scalp lacerations tend to bleed heavily mainly because the scalp:
Answer: A. Is very vascular and its vessels constrict poorly
The scalp has a rich blood supply, and its vessels are held open by the dense connective tissue around them, so they do not retract and constrict. The skin is actually thick, and clotting is normal.
Secondary brain injury refers to damage that:
Answer: A. Follows the impact from hypoxia, hypotension, or swelling
Primary injury happens at impact and cannot be reversed by EMS; secondary injury evolves over minutes to days from hypoxia, hypotension, raised ICP, and other insults. Preventing it is the main goal of prehospital TBI care.
Most students use the 10 Question Blitz for daily practice and take the full 100-question test in the days before a class exam or NREMT practice. Lights & Sirens after a blitz is the fastest way to close gaps the night before a test.
Every question in this chapter is also listed by section, with answers, on the topic pages above. See all paramedic topics or take the NREMT paramedic practice test.
Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 Ch. 6 Ch. 7 Ch. 8 Ch. 9 Ch. 10 Ch. 11 Ch. 12 Ch. 13 Ch. 14 Ch. 15 Ch. 16 Ch. 17 Ch. 18 Ch. 19 Ch. 20 Ch. 21 Ch. 22 Ch. 23 Ch. 24 Ch. 25 Ch. 26 Ch. 27 Ch. 28 Ch. 29 Ch. 30 Ch. 31 Ch. 32 Ch. 33 Ch. 34 Ch. 35 Ch. 36 Ch. 37 Ch. 38 Ch. 39 Ch. 40 Ch. 41 Ch. 42 Ch. 43 Ch. 44 Ch. 45 Ch. 46 Ch. 47 Ch. 48 Ch. 49 Ch. 50 Ch. 51 Ch. 52 Ch. 53
These practice questions were written for this site. They are not the publisher's test bank and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Jones & Bartlett Learning, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, or the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. Use them alongside your textbook and your instructor's objectives.