Musculoskeletal Trauma Flashcards
7 cards from real TNCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Musculoskeletal Trauma flashcards as text
Which assessment finding distinguishes a complete spinal cord injury from an incomplete spinal cord injury?
Answer: Loss of sacral sensation and motor function
In a complete spinal cord injury, there is complete loss of motor and sensory function below the injury level, including the sacral segments (S4–S5), evidenced by no perianal sensation or voluntary anal contraction.
A nurse suspects a scaphoid fracture in a patient who fell on an outstretched hand. Which assessment finding is most specific for this injury?
Answer: Tenderness over the anatomical snuffbox
Anatomical snuffbox tenderness is the hallmark finding for scaphoid fractures, which may not be visible on initial radiographs.
When applying traction splinting for a femur fracture, which condition is an absolute contraindication?
Answer: Coexisting hip or knee injury
Hip or knee injuries are absolute contraindications to traction splinting because applying traction can displace those injuries and cause additional damage.
A patient with a calcaneal fracture after falling from a height should be assessed for which associated injury due to the axial loading mechanism?
Answer: Lumbar spine compression fracture
Calcaneal fractures from axial loading forces frequently transmit energy up the axial skeleton, causing lumbar spine fractures in up to 10% of cases.
During a primary survey, a patient has an actively bleeding extremity wound with a tourniquet already applied. The tourniquet is not controlling bleeding. What is the next intervention?
Answer: Apply a second tourniquet proximal to the first
Applying a second tourniquet proximal to the first is the recommended intervention when a single tourniquet fails to control hemorrhage from a proximal extremity wound.
A patient with a posterior hip dislocation will typically present with the affected extremity in which position?
Answer: Flexed, adducted, and internally rotated
Posterior hip dislocation (90% of dislocations) presents with the hip flexed, adducted, and internally rotated due to posterior displacement of the femoral head.
When caring for a patient with suspected long bone fractures and significant blood loss, which IV fluid strategy is currently recommended in trauma resuscitation?
Answer: Balanced blood product ratio (1:1:1 PRBC:FFP:Platelets)
Damage control resuscitation using a balanced ratio of packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets (1:1:1) minimizes coagulopathy and improves outcomes in hemorrhagic shock.