EMS Chapter 28 Head and Spine Injuries

Following a head injury, a 20-year-old female opens her eyes spontaneously, is confused, and obeys your commands to move her extremities. You should assign her a GCS score of:

14

Coordination of balance and body movement is controlled by the:

cerebellum.

When immobilizing a child on a long backboard, you should:

place padding under the child's shoulders as needed.

Lacerations to the scalp:

may be an indicator of deeper, more serious injuries.

The _________ nervous system consists of 31 pairs of spinal nerves and 12 pairs of cranial nerves.

peripheral

The cervical spine is composed of _____ vertebrae.

7

Which of the following statements regarding cervical collars is correct?

A cervical collar is used in addition to, not instead of, manual immobilization.

What is the BEST definition of a step-off?

A deformity of the spine, where the spinous process may be palpable.

A score of 9 on the Glasgow Coma Scale may indicate:

A moderate dysfunction

A vacuum mattress can be used on a patient in which position? Sitting Standing Supine

All of these answers are correct.

A motor vehicle crash is most likely to result in which kind of skull fracture?

Basilar skull fracture

Which part of the brain is the most primitive and controls virtually all the functions that are necessary for life, including the cardiac and respiratory systems?

Brain stem

Rotation-flexion injuries of the spine that are the result of rapid acceleration forces are more likely to happen at which two cervical vertebrae?

C1 and C2

The brain, which is a part of the central nervous system (CNS), is divided into the:

Cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.

Hyperextension of the spine can cause all of the following injuries, EXCEPT:

Concussions

During immobilization of a patient with a possible spinal injury, manual stabilization of the head must be maintained until:

The patient's head and torso have been completely secured to a backboard.

Which of the following statements regarding the cranium is correct?

Eighty percent of the cranium is occupied by brain tissue.

In supine patients with head trauma, remember to immobilize the spine during transport. What else should an EMT do during transport?

Elevate the patients head 30 degrees.

The FIRST step in treating a patient with a head injury is to:

Establish and maintain an airway

Which of the following would create an axial loading injury?

Falling from a height and landing on feet in upright position.

When placing a patient onto a long backboard, the EMT at the patient's _________ is in charge of all patient movements.

Head

Which one of these symptoms is NOT part of Cushing triad?

Hypervolemia

What should you consider doing after you open the airway of a patient with a possible spinal injury?

Insert an oropharyngeal airway

Which type of hematoma involves bleeding within the brain itself?

Intracerebral

An EMT should always remove a helmet from a patient who:

Is in cardiac arrest

You should NOT remove an injured football players helmet if:

It does not interfere with assessment and treatment of airway or ventilation problems.

Which of the following skull fractures would be the LEAST likely to present with palpable deformity or other outward signs?

Linear

Which kind of fractures account for approximately 80% of all fractures to the skull?

Linear skull fractures

All of the following are indications that the patient's head cannot be moved any farther, EXCEPT:

Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the neck area.

What should you do to minimize the risk of injury when a patient is on a backboard?

Place padding under the patient

A young male was involved in a motor vehicle collision and has experienced a closed head injury. He has no memory of the events leading up to the accident, but remembers that he was going to a birthday party. What is the correct term to use when documenting his memory loss?

Retrograde amnesia

What is the most prominent and most easily palpable spinous process?

Seventh cervical vertebra

How many EMTs does it take to immobilize a patient found in a standing position?

Three

What is the primary function of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

To act as a shock absorber

If you are unable to provide a patent and open airway using the jaw-thrust maneuver, what is acceptable for you to do next, even if this might cause further injury to the spine?

Use the head tilt-chin lift maneuver.

The body's functions that occur without conscious effort are regulated by the _________ nervous system.

autonomic

When controlling bleeding from a scalp laceration with a suspected underlying skull fracture, you should:

avoid excessive pressure when applying the bandage.

You are assessing a man who has a head injury and note that cerebrospinal fluid is leaking from his ear. You should recognize that this patient is at risk for:

bacterial meningitis.

When assessing a conscious patient with an MOI that suggests spinal injury, you should:

determine if the strength in all extremities is equal.

The MOST important immediate treatment for patients with a head injury, regardless of severity, is to:

establish an adequate airway.

During your primary assessment of a semiconscious 30-year-old female with closed head trauma, you note that she has slow, irregular breathing and a slow, bounding pulse. As your partner maintains manual in-line stabilization of her head, you should:

instruct him to assist her ventilations while you perform a rapid assessment.

When opening the airway of a patient with a suspected spinal injury, you should use the:

jaw-thrust maneuver.

A high school football player was injured during a tackle and complains of neck and upper back pain. He is conscious and alert and is breathing without difficulty. The EMT should:

leave his helmet and shoulder pads in place.

When caring for a patient with a possible head injury, it is MOST important to monitor the patient's:

level of consciousness.

A patient who cannot remember the events that preceded his or her head injury is experiencing:

retrograde amnesia.