EMT BASIC: Face & Neck Injuries

The mastoid process is located approximately:

1″ posterior to the external opening of the ear.

Which of the following statements regarding the vitreous humor is correct?

It is a clear, jellylike fluid near the back of the eye that cannot be replaced if it is lost.

Which of the following statements regarding anterior nosebleeds is correct?

They usually originate from the septum area and bleed slowly.

Following blunt trauma to the face, a 21-year-old male complains of a severe headache and decreased ability to move his eyes. This patient's clinical presentation is MOST consistent with

a blowout fracture.

Abnormal variations in pupil size and reaction would MOST likely be observed in a patient with:

a brain injury

A patient who is complaining of seeing flashing lights, specks, or "floaters" in his or her field of vision has MOST likely experienced:

a detached retina.

A young female was involved in a motor vehicle crash. She complains of pain to her left eye, which appears to have a piece of glass impaled in it. Further assessment reveals a large laceration to her left forearm with active venous bleeding. As your partner manually stabilizes the patient's head, you should:

apply direct pressure to her arm wound.

The term "hyphema" is defined as:

blood in the anterior chamber of the eye.

Which of the following findings would be LEAST suggestive of a head injury?

briskly constricting pupils when exposed to light

A 50-year-old male was splashed in the eyes with radiator fluid when he was working on his car. During your assessment, he tells you that he wears soft contact lenses. You should:

carefully remove the contact lenses and then irrigate his eyes with saline.

A 30-year-old female presents with redness, inflammation, and pain to her left eye. During your assessment, you note that she is having difficulty keeping her eyes open. You should suspect that she is experiencing:

conjunctivitis.

A 40-year-old male was in his woodworking shop when he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his left eye. Your assessment reveals a small splinter of wood embedded in his cornea. You should

cover both of his eyes and transport to the hospital.

Bleeding from soft-tissue injuries to the face is MOST effectively controlled with:

direct pressure using dry, sterile dressings.

The eyeball itself is referred to as the:

globe

You are assessing a 59-year-old male and note that his pupils are unequal. He is conscious and alert. When obtaining his medical history, it is MOST pertinent to ask him if he:

has a history of eye surgeries.

A factory worker was splashed in the eyes with a strong acid chemical. He complains of intense pain and blurred vision. Your ambulance does not carry bottles of sterile saline or water. You should:

irrigate both eyes continuously for 20 minutes with plain water.

A 22-year-old male was walking on the beach and had sand blown into his eyes. He complains of pain and decreased vision to his right eye. Treatment should include:

irrigating his right eye laterally.

The cricoid cartilage:

is the only complete circular cartilage of the trachea.

When a light is shone into the pupil:

it should become smaller in size.

The superficial temporal artery can be palpated:

just anterior to the tragus.

The conjunctiva are kept moist by fluid produced by the

lacrimal gland.

Following direct trauma to the upper part of the anterior neck, a young male presents with labored breathing, loss of voice, and subcutaneous emphysema in the soft tissues around his neck. You should suspect a(n):

laryngeal fracture.

A 29-year-old male has an anterior nosebleed after he was accidentally elbowed in the nose. His is conscious and alert with adequate breathing. The MOST appropriate care for this patient includes:

leaning him forward and pinching his nostrils together.

The lower jawbone is called the:

mandible

A 44-year-old male sustained a laceration to his left ear during a minor car accident. Your assessment reveals minimal bleeding. Appropriate care for this injury includes:

padding between the ear and the scalp

The opening in the center of the iris, which allows light to move to the back of the eye, is called the:

pupil

A 6-year-old female was riding her bicycle and struck a clothesline with her throat. She is breathing, but with obvious difficulty. Your assessment reveals a crackling sensation in the soft tissues of her neck and facial cyanosis. In addition to the appropriate airway management, the intervention that will MOST likely improve her chance of survival is:

rapidly transporting her to the hospital.

The optic nerve endings are located within the:

retina

Frequent reassessments of the patient with face or neck injuries are MOST important because:

such injuries can affect the respiratory system.

A 30-year-old female was robbed and assaulted by a gang as she was leaving a nightclub. She has massive facial trauma and slow, gurgling respirations. As your partner manually stabilizes her head, you should:

suction her oropharynx for 15 seconds.

The Adam's apple is:

the upper part of the larynx that is formed by the thyroid cartilage.

The small, rounded, fleshy bulge immediately anterior to the ear canal is called the:

tragus

A 4-year-old female has a peanut lodged in the external auditory canal of her right ear. You should:

transport her to the emergency department.

You are transporting an immobilized patient with severe facial trauma. As you are preparing to give your radio report to the hospital, the patient begins vomiting large amounts of blood. You should:

turn the backboard onto its side.

When caring for a patient with an open facial injury, the EMT must:

wear gloves and facial protection.