Question 1

When assessing a patient with a crush injury, which of the following findings would indicate that toxins have entered the central circulation?
A) Hot, red skin
B) Increased urine output
C) Cardiac arrhythmia
D) Central hyperventilation syndrome

Accepted Answer

Cardiac arrhythmia is a potential sign of toxin entry into the central circulation in cases of crush injury. Hot, red skin and increased urine output may be signs of systemic inflammation or compensation, while central hyperventilation syndrome may be related to respiratory distress rather than toxin entry.

Question 2

You are called to the scene of a vehicle crash in which a car was rear-ended while stopped at a stop sign. Which of the following laws of physics serves as the basis for analyzing the mechanism of injury and the associated index of suspicion for injuries?
A) The amount of energy transmitted to an object is inversely proportional to its rate of deceleration.
B) Energy can neither be created nor destroyed.
C) A body at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an outside force.
D) A body in motion will remain in motion unless acted on by an outside force.

Accepted Answer

C

Question 3

Which of the following factors is NOT a consideration in the severity of injury related to falls?
A) Landing surface
B) Wind resistance
C) The initial point of impact
D) Distance of the fall

Accepted Answer

Wind resistance is not a consideration in the severity of injury related to falls. The other factors listed (landing surface, initial point of impact, and distance of the fall) all play a role in determining the severity of injuries sustained from a fall.

Question 4

Which pathway of patient travel results in higher mortality with a frontal impact collision?
A) Vertical
B) Straight
C) Up-and-over
D) Down-and-under

Accepted Answer

In an up-and-over pathway, the patient's body is thrown up and over the steering wheel/dashboard, resulting in a higher likelihood of head and neck injuries. This pathway has been associated with higher mortality rates in frontal impact collisions compared to other pathways.

Question 5

Which of the following is TRUE of the differences between adult and pediatric pedestrians when struck by a vehicle?
A) Adults tend to be thrown under the vehicle.
B) Children tend to be thrown onto the hood of the vehicle.
C) Children tend to be thrown under the vehicle.
D) Adults tend to have injuries higher on the body.

Accepted Answer

Children, due to their smaller size, are more likely to be thrown under the vehicle when struck, whereas adults, being taller, tend to have injuries higher on the body.

Question 6

Vehicle supplemental restraint systems (air bags) are meant to:
A) prevent unrestrained occupants from taking the down-and-under pathway in frontal impacts.
B) protect infants and children who ride in the front seat of the vehicle.
C) prevent injury from secondary impacts.
D) absorb the energy exchange of rapid deceleration.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Vehicle supplemental restraint systems (air bags) are...

Question 7

Applying Newton's second law of motion to a vehicle traveling 70 miles per hour, crashing into which of the following would transfer the most force to the patient?
A) Bridge abutment
B) Shrubbery
C) A body of water
D) Signpost

Accepted Answer

Newton's second law of motion states that force is equal to mass times acceleration (F=ma). In this scenario, the vehicle has a certain mass (which we'll assume to be constant) and is traveling at a certain velocity (70 miles per hour). When the vehicle crashes into an object, the force that is transferred to the patient inside the vehicle is the force required to stop the vehicle. Since the mass and velocity of the vehicle are constant, the force required to stop the vehicle will depend on the object it crashes into.

Of the options given, a bridge abutment would transfer the most force to the patient. This is because a bridge abutment is a solid, immovable object that is capable of exerting a large amount of force on the vehicle. When the vehicle crashes into the bridge abutment, the force required to stop the vehicle will be very high, which means that the force transferred to the patient will also be very high.

In contrast, shrubbery and a body of water are not solid objects, and are therefore not capable of exerting as much force on the vehicle. A signpost may be solid, but it is likely to be less sturdy than a bridge abutment, so it would not transfer as much force to the patient as a bridge abutment would.

Question 8

When a patient falls, which section of the spinal column is the most prone to compression injury?
A) Sacral
B) Cervical
C) Thoracic
D) Lumbar

Accepted Answer

The lumbar section of the spinal column is the most prone to compression injury when a patient falls, due to its weight-bearing role and the mechanical stress it undergoes.

Question 9

Which of the following is TRUE regarding a motorcycle collision?
A) Frontal impact can result in intraabdominal, pelvic, and femur injuries.
B) A rider who "lays down the bike" will generally receive more severe injuries than a rider who stays with the bike.
C) The structural steel of the vehicle absorbs most of the kinetic energy in a motorcycle collision.
D) The use of helmets has drastically reduced the incidence of cervical spine injuries.

Accepted Answer

Frontal impact can cause a rider to be thrown forward and result in injuries such as intraabdominal, pelvic, and femur injuries. Injuries to the chest, head, and spine are also commonly associated with motorcycle collisions.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a complication of crush injury?
A) Renal failure
B) Difficult-to-control hemorrhage
C) Cardiac arrhythmias
D) Systemic alkalosis

Accepted Answer

Systemic alkalosis is not a recognized complication of crush injury. The other options (renal failure, difficult-to-control hemorrhage, and cardiac arrhythmias) are all potential complications.

Question 11

Which of the following injuries is MOST likely in a rear-end collision?
A) Thoracic and abdominal injuries
B) Head and neck injuries
C) Pelvic fractures
D) Lumbar spine injuries

Accepted Answer

In a rear-end collision, the sudden impact can cause the head and neck to jolt forward and then snap back, leading to whiplash injuries, concussions, or other head and neck injuries. The other options are less likely in a rear-end collision.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes why the occupants of a vehicle moving at 50 miles per hour will be injured when the vehicle strikes a tree, but not when it brakes to a stop?
A) Braking allows the kinetic energy to be absorbed evenly into the frame of the vehicle, rather than concentrating it at the point of impact.
B) The energy gradually dissipates as heat due to the friction of braking, rather than transferring to the vehicle and its occupants.
C) The inertia of the tree increases the kinetic energy transmitted to the occupants by a factor of 10.
D) None of the above describes why.

Accepted Answer

Braking allows the vehicle to gradually slow down, dissipating kinetic energy as heat through friction, reducing the force experienced by the occupants. In contrast, a sudden stop from hitting a tree transfers the kinetic energy abruptly to the vehicle and its occupants, causing injury.

Question 13

The two factors that refer to the rate of change of speed are:
A) deceleration and velocity.
B) mass and weight.
C) acceleration and deceleration.
D) acceleration and inertia.

Accepted Answer

The rate of change of speed is determined by acceleration and deceleration, as these are the factors that affect how quickly an object's speed changes. Mass and weight are not directly related to the rate of change of speed, and inertia is simply the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion.

Question 14

Your patient, a 23-year-old woman who is 6 months pregnant, was the unrestrained driver of a vehicle that rear-ended a parked car. The air bag deployed. Considering the likelihood of organ collision, for which of the following injuries should you maintain a high index of suspicion?
A) Cardiac contusion
B) Anterior flail segment
C) Abruptio placentae
D) Fractured sternum

Accepted Answer

Abruptio placentae, or premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, is a potential complication in pregnant women who experience significant blunt trauma to the abdomen, such as from a motor vehicle collision. This can be potentially life-threatening to both the mother and the fetus, and should be considered a high-priority concern in any pregnant patient who has been involved in a severe accident. Therefore, a high index of suspicion should be maintained for this injury in this patient. While the other injuries listed (cardiac contusion, anterior flail segment, and fractured sternum) may also occur from the mechanism described, they are not as likely to be present or as critical to diagnose urgently in this specific patient population.

Question 15

Which of the following injuries is NOT associated with the use of vehicle restraint systems?
A) Traumatic brain injury
B) Abrasions and contusions to the clavicle and chest area
C) Lumbar spine trauma
D) Abdominal injury

Accepted Answer

Traumatic brain injury is not typically associated with the use of vehicle restraint systems like seat belts, which are designed to prevent such injuries by restraining the body during a crash. The other options are known types of injuries that can result from the pressure and force exerted by seat belts and airbags during a collision.

Question 16

Which of the following best defines the term energy?
A) The ability to deform solid objects
B) The rate of motion related to time
C) The capacity to do work
D) The amount of heat generated through friction

Accepted Answer

Energy is defined as the capacity to do work. Work involves applying a force over a distance, and energy is the ability to perform this work. Energy comes in many forms, including potential energy, kinetic energy, thermal energy, and electromagnetic energy.

Question 17

For which of the following impacts should you maintain a higher index of suspicion because the degree of injury may be greater than the damage alone indicates?
A) Rear-end
B) Oblique
C) Lateral
D) Frontal

Accepted Answer

Lateral impacts often cause more severe injuries than the damage to the vehicle might suggest, due to the limited space between the occupant and the point of impact, leading to greater force transfer to the body.

Question 18

Which of the following is MOST likely to be fractured from a fall onto outstretched hands?
A) Carpals
B) Metacarpals
C) Clavicle
D) Ulna

Accepted Answer

The clavicle is the most commonly fractured bone when a person falls onto an outstretched hand, as it absorbs much of the impact force.

Question 19

Upon arriving at the scene of a single-vehicle collision in which the vehicle struck a utility pole, you note that the windshield is "starred," and that the driver is not restrained. Which of the following injuries is MOST likely?
A) Whiplash injury of the neck muscles
B) Compression injury of the cervical spine
C) Distraction injury of the cervical spine
D) Ligamentous neck injury due to rotation beyond the range of motion

Accepted Answer

A "starred" windshield indicates that the driver's head most likely struck the windshield during the collision, making a compression injury of the cervical spine the most likely injury.

Question 20

People in which of the following age groups are prone to significant trauma due to falls?
A) College-aged adults
B) Geriatric population
C) Pediatric population
D) Teenagers

Accepted Answer

The geriatric population is prone to significant trauma due to falls. This can be attributed to factors such as chronic health conditions, medication use, decreased mobility and balance, and age-related changes in vision and cognition. Falls can lead to serious injuries such as hip fractures, head trauma, and spinal cord injuries, which can significantly impact an older adult's quality of life and independence.

Quiz 2: Mechanism of Injury

When assessing a patient with a crush injury, which of the following findings would indicate that toxins have entered the central circulation?

You are called to the scene of a vehicle crash in which a car was rear-ended while stopped at a stop sign. Which of the following laws of physics serves as the basis for analyzing the mechanism of injury and the associated index of suspicion for injuries?

Which of the following factors is NOT a consideration in the severity of injury related to falls?

Which pathway of patient travel results in higher mortality with a frontal impact collision?

Which of the following is TRUE of the differences between adult and pediatric pedestrians when struck by a vehicle?

Vehicle supplemental restraint systems (air bags) are meant to:

Applying Newton's second law of motion to a vehicle traveling 70 miles per hour, crashing into which of the following would transfer the most force to the patient?

When a patient falls, which section of the spinal column is the most prone to compression injury?

Which of the following is TRUE regarding a motorcycle collision?

Which of the following is NOT a complication of crush injury?

Which of the following injuries is MOST likely in a rear-end collision?

Which of the following best describes why the occupants of a vehicle moving at 50 miles per hour will be injured when the vehicle strikes a tree, but not when it brakes to a stop?

The two factors that refer to the rate of change of speed are:

Your patient, a 23-year-old woman who is 6 months pregnant, was the unrestrained driver of a vehicle that rear-ended a parked car. The air bag deployed. Considering the likelihood of organ collision, for which of the following injuries should you maintain a high index of suspicion?

Which of the following injuries is NOT associated with the use of vehicle restraint systems?

Which of the following best defines the term energy?

For which of the following impacts should you maintain a higher index of suspicion because the degree of injury may be greater than the damage alone indicates?

Which of the following is MOST likely to be fractured from a fall onto outstretched hands?

Upon arriving at the scene of a single-vehicle collision in which the vehicle struck a utility pole, you note that the windshield is "starred," and that the driver is not restrained. Which of the following injuries is MOST likely?

People in which of the following age groups are prone to significant trauma due to falls?