Series 4-7a: Diagnosing Injuries and Establishing Priorities for Treatment

The “Diagnosing Injuries and Establishing Priorities for Treatment” section of the Alberta School Bus Knowledge Test assesses a driver’s ability to quickly evaluate injuries and prioritize care in emergency situations.

Alberta School Bus Test - SERIES 4-7a: Diagnosing Injuries and Establishing Priorities for Treatment 1

1 / 30

A “wet check” or rapid body survey is used to detect:

Spinal alignment

Internal organ function

Hidden severe external and internal bleeding

Concussion

2 / 30

When head, neck, or spinal injuries are suspected, you should:

Turn their head to see if it hurts

Not move the person unless there is immediate danger

Sit the person up to help breathing

Make them walk to check leg strength

3 / 30

Dressings must be:

Sticky and fluffy to cushion the wound

Reused if they look clean

Made only of cotton wool

Sterile, absorbent, lint free, non-sticky and large enough

4 / 30

In the ABC priorities, “C” primarily refers to:

Consciousness level

Circulation – severe bleeding and shock

Cardiac medications

Chest injuries only

5 / 30

If there is no response and unconsciousness is suspected, you must remember that:

Unconsciousness always means spinal injury

Unconsciousness requires immediate food intake

Unconsciousness means the heart has stopped

Unconsciousness is a breathing emergency

6 / 30

After a collision, what should you do before starting treatment?

Move all injured people off the road immediately

Remove seat belts from all casualties

Give everyone something to drink

Determine the number of casualties and severity of injuries

7 / 30

After two slow breaths, if there is a pulse but no breathing, you should:

Start full CPR with compressions

Continue with artificial respiration

Place them in recovery position only

Stop and wait for medical aid

8 / 30

Shock is best described as:

A loss of circulation often present with injury or illness

A brief fainting episode with no risk

Only an emotional reaction

A broken bone

9 / 30

If breathing is ineffective, you should first:

Move the person into a sitting position

Cover them with a blanket and wait

Assess the rate and depth and assist if needed

Give them water

10 / 30

Having a person take a deep breath and cough helps you assess for:

Serious chest injury

Head injury

Allergic reaction

Leg fractures

11 / 30

To check for breathing you should:

Check the pulse only

Look at the chest, listen and feel for breathing

Ask the person to say their name

Shake the person firmly

12 / 30

Asking a person to pull in their stomach and blow out again helps you assess for:

Internal injury or internal bleeding

Broken ribs

Stroke

Facial fractures

13 / 30

You should continue artificial respiration until:

The ambulance is more than 30 minutes away

Five minutes have passed

The person breathes unassisted or medical aid takes over

The person opens their eyes

14 / 30

A major sign that internal bleeding may be present is:

Mild itching

Sneezing

Massive bruising

Runny nose

15 / 30

When performing artificial respiration, you should pinch the nose and:

Only blow air into the nose

Ensure a good mouth-to-mouth seal

Cover both mouth and nose with your hand

Leave the mouth slightly open

16 / 30

Bandages are used to:

Cool burned areas

Hold dressings, maintain pressure, support and immobilize

Clean wounds

Replace dressings completely

17 / 30

To open the airway when no spinal injury is suspected, use:

Neck rotation

Jaw thrust with no head tilt

Head-tilt chin-lift

Shoulder lift

18 / 30

If blood soaks through the first dressing, you should:

Remove the soaked dressing and replace it

Apply powder to the wound

Add more dressings without removing the first

Stop pressing on the wound

19 / 30

In a multiple-casualty situation, what injuries must you check and treat first?

Emotional distress

Minor cuts and bruises

Life-threatening injuries (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)

Fractures only

20 / 30

If the person is not breathing, the initial action is to:

Start chest compressions only

Place them in recovery position immediately

Give two slow breaths

Give them something to drink

21 / 30

To bring severe bleeding under control, you should primarily:

Apply ice only

Apply direct, even pressure over the wound

Elevate the opposite limb

Use a tourniquet immediately in all cases

22 / 30

Artificial respiration for a child is given at a rate of:

One breath every three seconds

Two breaths every ten seconds

One breath every five seconds

One breath every ten seconds

23 / 30

After bleeding has stopped, you should:

Remove the dressing to let air in

Massage the area

Lower the limb below heart level

Apply a bandage to secure the dressing

24 / 30

To open the airway when spinal injury is suspected, use:

Neck extension

Side-lying position

Head-tilt chin-lift

Jaw thrust with NO head tilt

25 / 30

In the ABC priorities, “B” stands for:

Bandaging

Blood Loss

Burns

Not Breathing

26 / 30

When checking a responsive person, asking “Where does it hurt?” helps you know:

They are not in shock

Their blood pressure is normal

They have no fractures

Their airway is open and breathing is effective

27 / 30

In the ABC priorities, “A” stands for:

Alertness

Alignment

Assessment

Airway

28 / 30

Artificial respiration for an adult is given at a rate of:

One breath every five seconds

One breath every ten seconds

Two breaths every ten seconds

One breath every two seconds

29 / 30

For severe external bleeding, the first step is to:

Apply a cold pack through clothing

Sit the person up

Give the person water

Expose the wound

30 / 30

A possible indication of internal bleeding from the lungs is:

Hoarseness

Clear mucus

Coughed up frothy blood

Dry cough

Your score is

Candidates are tested on identifying life-threatening conditions, such as severe bleeding, breathing difficulties, or unconsciousness, and understanding the importance of treating the most critical injuries first. This section emphasizes the need for calm, clear decision-making and knowing when to call for professional medical assistance. Mastery of these skills ensures that school bus drivers can provide effective initial care, helping to stabilize injured passengers until emergency responders arrive on the scene.