INSTRUCTIONS: Answer the following exercises by marking the lettered response that best answers the question or best completes the sentence or by writing the answer in the space provided.
After you have answered all of the exercises, scroll down to “Solutions to Exercises” at the bottom of the page and check your answers. For each exercise answered incorrectly, reread the lesson material referenced with the solution.
1. You are monitoring a casualty with an acute abdomen. How should the casualty be positioned?
a. Flat on his back.
b. On his back with his knees flexed.
c. On his back with his feet elevated higher than the level of his heart.
d. On his side with the uninjured side down.
2. If you find that the casualty has two abdominal wounds (entry and exit wounds), which wound should you treat first?
a. The entry wound.
b. The exit wound.
c. The more serious wound.
3. A casualty has a small open abdominal wound. Which of the following is correct?
a. You should begin treating the casualty for shock; then dress the open wound.
b. You should dress the open wound; then treat for shock if signs and symptoms of shock develop.
c. You should dress the open wound and ignore any signs and symptoms of shock.
4. A casualty has an open abdominal wound. A loop of intestine is protruding from the wound and lying on the ground. What should you do?
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5. When securing the tails of a field dressing applied to an open abdominal wound, the bandages should be tied:
a. Loose enough to avoid putting pressure on the wound but tight enough to keep the dressing in place.
b. Tight enough to control the bleeding but not tight enough to stop blood circulation.
c. As tightly as possible.
6. If you reinforce the abdominal dressings, where should you tie the knot of the reinforcing bandage?
a. Directly over the wound.
b. On the casualty’s side, but not on the same side where the tails of the field dressing were tied.
c. On the casualty’s side next to the knot where the tails of the field dressing are tied.
7. Which of the following is/are correct procedures?
a. If the plastic envelope from the field dressing is large enough to cover the wound and any eviscerated organs, apply the envelope (sterile side down) before applying the dressing.
b. If an eviscerated organ is present, wash the organ with water from a canteen before you dress the wound.
c. The procedures given in a and b are correct.
8. Which of the following should be treated for shock?
a. A casualty with an open abdominal wound.
b. A casualty with a closed abdominal injury with internal bleeding.
c. A casualty with an acute abdomen.
d. All of the above.
9. You have treated a casualty with an abdominal injury. The casualty says that he is hungry and thirsty. What should you do?
a. Give the casualty something to eat and drink.
b. Give the casualty something to drink, but nothing to eat.
c. Give the casualty some fruit that will help to satisfy both his hunger and his thirst.
d. Moisten the casualty’s lips with a damp cloth, but do not give him anything to eat or drink.
Check Your Answers
SOLUTIONS TO EXERCISES, LESSON 4
1. b (para 4-14)
2. c (para 4-3)
3. a (para 4-5)
4. Use clean material to pick up the intestine loop, place it on the casualty’s abdomen, and cover the intestine and the wound with plastic and a dressing. (paras 4-6e; 4-7c, d)
5. a (para 4-8c)
6. b (para 4-10)
7. a (paras 4-6c, e; 4-7c, d)
8. d (paras 4-5, 4-14)
9. d (paras 4-11b, 4-14)