Chapter 28

Which of the following statements regarding motor nerves is correct

They carry information from the CNS to the muscles.

Which of the following statements regarding motor nerves is correct?

They carry information from the CNS to the muscles.

The MOST reliable sign of a head injury is:

a decreased level of consciousness.

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

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

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

The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the:

brain and spinal cord.

The _________ is the best-protected part of the CNS and controls the functions of the cardiac and respiratory systems.

brain stem

A patient with a head injury presents with abnormal flexion of his extremities. What numeric value should you assign to him for motor response?

c

Coordination of balance and body movement is controlled by the:

cerebellum.

A temporary loss or alteration of part or all of the brain's abilities to function without physical damage to the brain MOST accurately describes a(n):

cerebral concussion.

The MOST common and serious complication of a significant head injury is:

cerebral edema.

The _________ contain(s) about 75% of the brain's total volume.

cerebrum

The five sections of the spinal column, in descending order, are the:

cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal.

It would be MOST appropriate to perform a focused secondary assessment on a patient who:

fainted and fell to the ground from a standing position.

Distraction injuries of the spine are MOST commonly the result of:

hangings.

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.

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

Which of the following statements regarding secondary brain injury is correct?

Hypoxia and hypotension are the two most common causes of secondary brain injury.

Which of the following statements regarding the cranium is correct?

Eighty percent of the cranium is occupied by brain tissue.

Which of the following statements regarding a basilar skull fracture is correct?

The absence of raccoon eyes or Battle's sign does not rule it out.

An indicator of an expanding intracranial hematoma or rapidly progressing brain swelling is:

a rapid deterioration of neurologic signs.

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.

After your partner assumes manual in-line stabilization of the patient's head, you should:

assess distal neurovascular status in the extremities.

A female patient with a suspected spinal injury is breathing with a marked reduction in tidal volume. The MOST appropriate airway management for her includes:

assisting ventilations at an age-appropriate rate.

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.

An epidural hematoma is MOST accurately defined as:

bleeding between the skull and dura mater.

The frontal and parietal bones of the skull are especially susceptible to:

compressed skull fractures.

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.

Which of the following nerves allow sensory and motor impulses to be sent from one nerve directly to another?

connecting

Common signs and symptoms of a serious head injury include all of the following, EXCEPT:

constricted pupils.

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

determine if the strength in all extremities is equal.

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

ensure that you secure the torso before securing the head.

Which of the following head injuries would cause the patient's condition to deteriorate MOST rapidly?

epidural hematoma

The hormone responsible for the actions of the sympathetic nervous system is:

epinephrine.

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

establish an adequate airway.

A 45-year-old male was working on his roof when he fell approximately 12′,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.

During your primary assessment of a semiconscious 30-year-old female with closed head trauma, you note that she has slow, shallow 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.

Bleeding within the brain tissue itself is called a(n)

intracerebral hematoma.

Bleeding within the brain tissue itself is called a(n):

intracerebral hematoma.

In contrast to a cerebral concussion, a cerebral contusion:

involves physical injury to the brain tissue.

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

it interferes with your assessment of the airway.

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

jaw-thrust maneuver.

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

level of consciousness.

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

linear

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

retrograde amnesia

Which of the following nerves carry information from the body to the brain via the spinal cord?

sensory

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

slow.

Moderate elevation in intracranial pressure with middle brain stem involvement is characterized by:

sluggishly reactive pupils, widened pulse pressure, bradycardia, and posturing.

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 the parasympathetic nervous system is activated:

the heart rate decreases and the blood vessels dilate.

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.

If you do not have the appropriate size cervical collar, you should:

use rolled towels to immobilize the patient's head.