pt assessment 26-50 Flashcards
When assessing a patient's conjunctivae, you note they are injected. This means that the conjunctivae are: A. red. B. pale. C. yellow. D. cyanotic. Choose one 
A
You are transporting a conscious middle-aged woman who fell from a second-story balcony while watering her plants. Full spinal motion restriction precautions have been implemented, supplemental oxygen is being administered, and an IV line of normal saline is in place. With a 15-minute estimated time of arrival at the hospital, the patient’s mental status markedly decreases and her respirations become shallow and are making a gurgling sound. Your FIRST action should be to:

A. immediately suction her oropharynx.
B. perform immediate endotracheal intubation.
C. insert a nasal airway and assist ventilations.
D. contact the receiving facility to update them.
A
Situational depression is:
A. often characterized by violent bouts of rage.
B. ongoing and does not appear to have a cause. C. a condition that usually requires inpatient care. D. a reaction to a stressful event in a patient’s life.
D
A conscious patient's respiratory rate should be measured: A. by auscultating the lungs. B. by looking at the abdomen. C. with his or her prior knowledge. D. for a minimum of 30 seconds. Choose one 
D
Which of the following is an example of a pertinent negative?
A. A family member states that the patient has hypertension.
B. A patient tells you that he has developed a plan for suicide.
C. A patient with chest discomfort denies shortness of breath.
D. An agitated patient tells you that he did not request your help.
C
The body's reaction to increased internal or external temperature would MOST likely cause the skin to become: A. warm and dry. B. hot and dry. C. pale and hot. D. hot and moist.

D
Which of the following questions will yield the LEAST reliable information when assessing a patient with abdominal pain?
A. “In your opinion, how severe is the pain?”
B. “Are you experiencing any other symptoms?”
C. “Does the pain radiate to your chest or back?”
D. “Have you ever experienced pain like this before?”

C
A 29-year-old woman is in active labor. During your visual exam, you see a limb protruding from her vagina. Upon noting this, it is MOST important to: A. contact online medical control. B. prepare for immediate transport. C. position the patient on her side. D. start an IV line of normal saline.
B
It is MOST important to identify the age and sex of your patient because:
A. age and sex can change how your patient presents.
B. the differential diagnosis is modified for older patients.
C. this is required information for the patient care report.
D. the patient should be assessed by a medic of the same sex.
A
Pausing to consider something significant that you have just been told is called:
A. reflection.
B. interpretation.
C. facilitation.
D. clarification.

A
Upon completing your rapid exam of an unresponsive trauma patient’s head and neck, you should next:
A. log roll the patient onto a long backboard.
B. assess the integrity of the 12 cranial nerves.
C. ventilate the patient at 12 to 20 breaths/min.
D. apply a properly sized rigid cervical collar.

D
A deformed steering wheel in conjunction with a deployed air bag indicates that the:
A. driver wore a lap belt only. B. driver was not wearing a seat belt. C. driver has intrathoracic hemorrhage. D. driver's legs struck the steering wheel.  
B
When caring for a patient who is mentally challenged:
A. it is highly unlikely that you will obtain a reliable medical history.
B. you may have to obtain the medical history from a family member.
C. your priority should be to transport the patient to a psychiatric facility.
D. you should speak to the patient as though he or she is younger in age.


B
If a patient does not respond to a question within a couple of seconds, he or she:
A. must be assumed to have an altered mental status until proven otherwise.
B. should immediately be asked another question to facilitate gathering data.
C. should have the question repeated back to him or her using different terms.
D. may be deciding if he or she can trust you enough to answer the question.
D
If manual positioning of a patient’s head is required to keep his or her airway open, you should:
A. intubate the trachea.
B. insert an airway adjunct.
C. suction the oropharynx.
D. ventilate with a bag-mask device.
B
Which of the following factors would likely NOT skew a pulse oximetry reading?
A. Hypertension
B. Cold temperature
C. Carbon monoxide
D. Sickle-cell disease
A
Using casual nicknames can be especially problematic when:
A. the patient is a male who was involved in an assault.
B. assessing geriatric patients who fear losing their independence.
C. the patient is critically ill or injured and is semiconscious.
D. cultural differences exist between the patient and the paramedic.


D
Your patient will MOST likely develop a good first impression of you if you:
A. look and act professional and confident.
B. tell him or her that everything will be okay.
C. address him or her as “dear” or “honey.”
D. quickly determine his or her chief complaint.

A
If a hostile family member suddenly leaves the room, especially in the middle of a conversation with him or her, you should:
A. immediately depart the scene and notify law enforcement personnel.
B. ignore the family member’s departure and continue to assess your patient.
C. have your partner follow the person, while working to defuse the situation.
D. ask the patient to follow the person in an attempt to reason with him or her.
C
When asking a patient if he or she uses illegal drugs, you will MOST likely get accurate information if you:
A. remain professional and nonjudgmental.
B. reassure the patient that you can be trusted and will not tell anyone.
C. question the patient in the presence of a trusted family member.
D. tell the patient that withholding such information from you is illegal

A
When determining whether a patient is sick, your MOST effective tool is often:
A. a quick visual assessment. B. the patient's chief complaint. C. past medical history findings. D. the patient's baseline vital signs.  
A
It is appropriate to ask, “Would you say the pain is similar to or worse than with previous episodes?” when determining the \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ of a patient's pain. A. severity B. quality C. region D. progression
A
To appreciate the S1 sound:
A. the patient should be sitting upright and leaning slightly backward.
B. ask the patient to breathe normally and hold his or her breath on expiration.
C. the patient should be supine with his or her body tilted to the right.
D. ask the patient to breathe normally and hold his or her breath on inhalation.

B
What are Korotkoff sounds?
A. Abnormal sounds heard over the carotid arteries
B. The sounds heard when taking a blood pressure
C. Sounds that indicate a significant heart murmur
D. Sounds over an artery that indicate turbulent blood flow
B
