Ch 29 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

In which of the following situations would the EMT be the least likely to immobilize a patient's spine?

No distracting injuries or evidence of intoxication

The meninges, along with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that circulates in between each meningeal layer, function by:

acting as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord.

When immobilizing a seated patient with a short backboard or vest-style immobilization device, you should apply a cervical collar:

after assessing distal neurovascular functions.

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

avoid excessive pressure when applying the bandage.

Which of the following sets of vital signs depicts Cushing triad?

blood pressure, 190/110 mm Hg; pulse, 55 beats/min; respirations, 30 breaths/min

Rapid deceleration of the head, such as when it impacts the windshield, causes:

compression injuries or bruising to the anterior portion of the brain and stretching or tearing to the posterior portion of the brain.

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

head

In the setting of a head injury, hypertension, bradycardia, and Biot respirations indicate:

herniation of the brain stem.

The effectiveness of positive pressure ventilations when treating a head-injured patient can only be determined by:

immediate reassessment following the intervention.

A 45-year-old male was working on his roof when he fell approximately 12 feet, landing on his feet. He is conscious and alert and complains of an ache in his lower back. He is breathing adequately and has stable vital signs. You should:

immobilize his spine and perform a focused secondary exam.

Once a cervical collar has been applied to a patient with a possible spinal injury, it should not be removed unless:

it causes a problem managing the airway.

A tight-fitting motorcycle helmet should be left in place unless:

it interferes with your assessment of the airway.

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

place padding under the child's shoulders as needed.

When activated, the sympathetic nervous system produces all of the following effects, except:

pupillary constriction

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

retrograde amnesia

When assessing a patient with a head injury, you note the presence of thin, bloody fluid draining from his right ear. This indicates:

rupture of the tympanic membrane following diffuse impact to the head.

You should be most suspicious that a patient has experienced a significant head injury if his or her pulse is:

slow

During your primary assessment of a 19-year-old unconscious male who experienced severe head trauma, you note that his respirations are rapid, irregular, and shallow. He has bloody secretions draining from his mouth and nose. You should:

suction his oropharynx for up to 15 seconds.

When immobilizing a trauma patient's spine, the EMT manually stabilizing the head should not let go until:

the patient has been completely secured to the backboard.