NHA PCT- Review 2

A patient care technician should identify that which of the following tasks requires the use of sterile gloves?

A. emptying an indwelling urinary drainage bag

B. inserting an intermittent urinary catheter

C. applying a condom catheter

D. removing an indwelling urinary catheter

B. inserting an intermittent urinary catheter

A patient care technician is lifting boxes from a cart into a patient's room. which of the following actions should the technician take to ensure proper body mechanics?

A. Hold the boxes close to the body

B. Maintain a narrow base of support

C. Bend at the waist to pick up the boxes

D. Twist at the torso when turning to pick up the boxes.

A. Hold the boxes close to the body

A patient care technician is preparing to perform a venipuncture for a patient who speaks a different language than the technician. which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Use a loud tone of voice when speaking to the patient

B. anticipate the patient's responses

C. interpret the patient nodding as an indication of understanding

D. provide the patient with a professional translator

D. provide the patient with a professional translator

A patient care technician attended an in-service about performing CPR on a patient. when performing CPR, which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. apply 60 to 80 compressions per minute, followed by two slow breaths.

B. apply 100 to 120 compressions per minute, followed by four slow breaths.

C. apply 100 to 120 compressions per minute, followed by two slow breaths.

D. apply 60 to 80 compressions per minute, followed by four slow breaths.

B. apply 100 to 120 compressions per minute, followed by two slow breaths.

A nurse asks a patient care technician to empty a patient's ostomy bag. The technician is unfamiliar with this task. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. ask for instructions for the nurse before attempting the task

B. ask another technician how to perform the task

C. refuse to perform the task

D. perform the task as requested by the nurse

A. ask for instructions for the nurse before attempting the task

A PCT is documenting in a patient's electronic health record. The technician should identify that which of the following abbreviations is on the The Joint Commission's approved list of abbreviations?

A. NPO

B. U

C. IU

D. MgSO4

A. NPO

A PCT obtains an EKG and notes the presence of a wandering baseline. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Move the patient's bed away from the wall

B. Clean the patient's skin under the electrodes with alcohol and gauze

C. Ask the patient to take slow, deep breaths

D. Instruct the patient to place their hands, palms down, under their buttocks.

B. Clean the patient's skin under the electrodes with alcohol and gauze

Which of the following devices should a patient care technician use to help a patient maintain balance while being weighed on a scale ?

A. Walker

B. Elevation bar

C. Cane

D. Balance bar

A. Walker

Two patient care technicians are transferring a patient who is deceased from a bed to a morgue gurney. To avoid injury, the technicians should use which of the following body mechanics?

A. ​Roll the patient gently from the bed to the gurney.

B. Use a draw sheet to lift the patient

C. Have one technician lift the head, the other lift the feet, and allow the momentum to move the patient.

D. Use a mechanical lift with a sling to move the body.

B. Use a draw sheet to lift the patient

A patient care technician is caring for a patient following the application of an immobility splint. Which of the following actions should the technician take to ensure the patient's safety?

A. Lower the bed's side rails.

B. Raise the bed to the technician's working height.

C. Ensure that the splint remains moist.

D. Place the call light within the patient's reach.

D. Place the call light within the patient's reach.

A patient care technician is preparing to collect and transport a bilirubin blood specimen. The technician should use a tube that is which of the following colors?

A. Light Blue

B. Amber

C. Green

D. Yellow

C. Green

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is 24-hr postoperative following a total hip arthroplasty and has a surgical wound. Which of the following findings should the technician identify as an indication of potential wound infection?

A. Serosanguineous drainage

B. General discomfort at the incision site

C. Oral temperature 36.8° C (98.2° F)

D. Increased warmth around the incision site

D. Increased warmth around the incision site

A patient care technician is preparing to discontinue a patient's peripheral IV. The technician assembles all the needed equipment and performs hand hygiene. Which of the following actions should the technician take next?

A. Explain the procedure to the patient.

B. Remove any overlying tape.

C. Turn the IV roller clamp off.

D. Apply pressure to the IV site for 2 to 3 min.

A. Explain the procedure to the patient.

A patient care technician is applying sequential compression devices (SCDs) to a patient who is postoperative. The technician should identify that CDs are used to reduce the risk for which of the following conditions?

A. Edema

B. Deep-vein thrombosis

C. Varicose veins

D. Pneumonia

B. Deep-vein thrombosis

A patient care technician is caring for a 75-year-old patient who was admitted for malnutrition. The patient's family manages the finances and grocery shopping for the patient. Which of the following hospital departments should the technician expect to intervene in this patient's care?

A. Dietitian

B. Pastoral care

C. Social worker

D. Occupational therapy

C. Social worker

A patient care technician in a hospice setting is caring for a patient who has terminal cancer and states, "I need to live long enough to see my child get married." The technician should identify that the patient is in which of the following stages of grief?

A. Bargaining

B. Denial

C. Acceptance

D. Anger

A. Bargaining

A patient care technician is performing post mortem care of a patient. Which of the following is a correct technique for preparing the body?

A. Remove any dentures as soon as possible.

B. Place the body supine, with one hand crossed over the other.

C. Ensure all tubes, drains, and bandages are removed.

D. Place a folded towel under the head.

D. Place a folded towel under the head.

A patient care technician is preparing to obtain a 12-lead EKG for a patient who had a left arm amputation. In which of the following locations should the technician attach the left arm lead?

A. Right sternal border

B. On the amputation site

C. Anterior axillary line

D. Left deltoid

D. Left deltoid

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has a two-piece colostomy system in place. Which of the following actions should the technician take when providing ostomy care?

A. Apply pressure for 30 seconds when applying the skin barrier wafer.

B. Cut the skin barrier wafer to be 0.64 cm (0.25 in) larger than the stoma.

C. Verify that the stoma is moist and reddish-pink in color.

D. Cleanse the skin around the stoma with hot, soapy water.

C. Verify that the stoma is moist and reddish-pink in color.

A patient care technician enters a patient's room and is approached by visitors requesting test results. Which of the following responses by the technician is appropriate?

A. "The doctor needs to give you that information."

B. "The lab values were all within the expected reference range."

C. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you that information."

D. "I'll ask the nurse to give you that information."

C. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you that information."

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is nonverbal. The technician should identify that which of the following findings can indicate the patient is experiencing pain?

A. Decreased temperature

B. Restlessness

C. Change in level of consciousness

D. Dry skin

B. Restlessness

A patient care technician is preparing to document information in a patient's electronic health record (HR). Which of the following actions should the technician plan to take?

A. Record care before it is provided.

B. Note patient response to an analgesic.

C. Record the patient's vital signs as reported by the nurse.

D. Use generalized phrases when documenting.

B. Note patient response to an analgesic.

Which of the following findings should a patient care technician report to a nurse?

A. A 1-year-old patient who has a pulse rate of 50/min

B. A 12-year-old patient who has a pulse rate of 76/min

C. A 40-year-old patient who has a pulse rate of 88/min

D. An 89-year-old patient who has a pulse rate of 85/min

A. A 1-year-old patient who has a pulse rate of 50/min

A patient care technician is obtaining a patient's apical pulse. The technician should measure this pulse at which of the following locations?

A. The first intercostal space

B. The fifth intercostal space

C. The seventh intercostal space

D. The tenth intercostal space

B. The fifth intercostal space

When collecting a multi-draw venous sample, which of the following sites should the patient care technician attempt to draw from first?

A. Median cubital

B. Basilic

C. Cephalic

D. Radial

A. Median cubital

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has colon cancer. Which of the following findings should the technician expect?

A. Blood in the stool

B. Small lymph nodes

C. Weight gain

D. Indigestion

A. Blood in the stool

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has an ostomy. The technician should expect the fecal material to be more solid and less irritating to the skin if the stoma is placed in which of the following locations?

A. In the ileum

B. In the ascending colon

C. In the sigmoid colon

D. In the cecum

C. In the sigmoid colon

A patient care technician is performing ostomy care for a patient. Which of the following findings should the technician report to the nurse?

A. The stoma has a small amount of bloody drainage.

B. The stoma is red in color.

C. The stoma is leaking around the wafer.

D. The stoma remains the same size.

C. The stoma is leaking around the wafer.

Which of the following provides specific definitions about the scope of practice for patient care technicians?

A. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

B. The doctrine of informed consent

C. The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA)

D. The state nurse practice acts

D. The state nurse practice acts

A patient care technician should report which of the following as possible elder abuse or neglect?

A. A patient who refuses to take prescribed medications

B. A patient who reports receiving phone calls from family, but never any visits

C. A patient who reports his checking account is being mismanaged by his adult grandchild

D. A patient whose provider has refused to sign paperwork to allow for renewal of the patient's driver's license

C. A patient who reports his checking account is being mismanaged by his adult grandchild

patient care technician is preparing to obtain a 12-lead EKG for a patient who is being evaluated for chest pain in the emergency department.Which of the following actions should the technician take if the patient expresses fear of the procedure?

A. Advise the patient that the test is painless.

B. Require the patient to remove all clothing.

C. Inform the patient that refusal is not an option due to the presenting symptom.

D. Caution the patient that jewelry near the wires and electrodes might cause sparks.

A. Advise the patient that the test is painless.

A patient care technician is collecting a urine specimen and accidentally spills it on the floor. Which of the following actions should the technician take to clean the spill?

A. Use a clean, dry towel.

​B. Use a disinfectant that contains bleach.

C. Call the hazardous materials team.

D. Use a mop with hot, soapy water.

​B. Use a disinfectant that contains bleach.

The choice to perform a capillary puncture is best determined by which of the following factors?

A. Patient weight

​B. Patient diagnosis

C. Test results

​D. Test ordered

​D. Test ordered

A patient care technician is assisting with the physical examination of a patient. Which of the following identifiers should the technician use to verify the patient's identity?

A. Age

B. Date of birth

C. Room number

D. Diagnosis

B. Date of birth

A patient care technician should identify that the provider will stop an exercise stress test if a patient develops which of the following symptoms?

A. Mild fatigue

B. Syncope

C. Perspiration

D. Increased respiratory rate

B. Syncope

A patient care technician is performing an EKG for a patient who has a pacemaker. Which of the following controls should be adjusted to ensure an accurate EKG tracing?

A. Lead selector

B. Artifact filter

C. Heart rate limits

D. Speed

B. Artifact filter

A patient care technician is performing perineal care for a patient who is at risk for skin breakdown. Which of the following products should the technician use to prevent skin breakdown?

A. ​Barrier cream

​B. Silver sulfadiazine cream

​C. Moisturizing cream

D. Permethrin cream

A. ​Barrier cream

A patient care technician is preparing to perform a venipuncture for a patient. The patient states, "I'm pretty anxious about this since it's my first time having blood drawn." Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Explain the reason the provider prescribed the test in detail.

B. Inform the patient about all possible complications.

C. Prepare an ammonia inhalant for the patient.

D. Describe the procedure to the patient.

D. Describe the procedure to the patient.

A patient care technician is wearing gloves while assisting to insert a urinary catheter. Which of the following parts of the chain of infection is the technician interrupting?

A. Reservoir

B. Infectious agent

C. Portal of entry

D. Susceptible host

D. Susceptible host

A patient care technician should identify that which of the following rhythms should be reported to a nurse because it indicates that a patient might become unresponsive?

A. Sinus tachycardia

B. Ventricular tachycardia

C. Junctional tachycardia

D. Premature atrial complexes

B. Ventricular tachycardia

A patient care technician is reinforcing teaching with a patient who has a Holter monitor. Which of the following statements should the technician make?

A. "Remove the wires at bedtime."

B. "Take tub baths instead of showers."

C. "Avoid adjusting the electrodes during the monitoring period."

D. "Set the time on the digital clock at the beginning of the monitoring period."

C. "Avoid adjusting the electrodes during the monitoring period."

Which of the following actions should a patient care technician take when preparing to transfer a patient from a bed to a stretcher?

A. Elevate the bed to a position equal to the height of the stretcher.

B. Elevate the bed to a position lower than the height of the stretcher.

C. Reach across the stretcher to assist the patient.

D. Elevate the bed to a position higher than the height of the stretcher.

A. Elevate the bed to a position equal to the height of the stretcher

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has right-sided heart failure. Which of the following findings should the technician expect?

A. Hypertension

B. Pallor

C. Tachycardia

D. Swelling of the legs

D. Swelling of the legs

A patient care technician is collecting a patient's sputum specimen. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Instruct the patient to perform shallow coughs.

B. Collect a minimum of 5 tsp of sputum.

C. Have the patient use an alcohol-based mouthwash prior to collection.

D. Obtain the specimen first thing in the morning.

D. Obtain the specimen first thing in the morning.

A patient care technician is preparing to obtain and process a urine drug test for a patient. Which of the following actions should the technician plan to take?

A. Seal the specimen lid with the label from the chain of custody form.

B. Check the specimen's temperature within 10 min of receiving the specimen.

C. Ship the specimen to the testing laboratory the next day.

D. Instruct the patient to flush the toilet following voiding.

A. Seal the specimen lid with the label from the chain of custody form.

A patient care technician is transferring a non-weight-bearing patient from the bed to a wheelchair. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Keep the bed at the most comfortable working height.

B. Place hands under the patient's arms to provide support.

C. Lock the wheels of the bed and wheelchair.

D. Instruct the patient to remove socks and shoes.

C. Lock the wheels of the bed and wheelchair.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is unable to void her bladder and is crying in pain. Her attending provider has not yet made rounds and her primary nurse is unavailable. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Immediately insert a straight catheter to alleviate the patient's pain.

​B. Report the patient's pain to the charge nurse.

C. Ask another nurse for permission to catheterize the patient.

D. Contact the patient's on-call provider.

​B. Report the patient's pain to the charge nurse.

A patient care technician is caring for a new patient. The technician should recognize that which of the following procedures requires medical aseptic or clean technique?

A. Assisting to apply a sterile dressing

B. Inserting a urinary catheter

C. Changing bed linens

D. Cleaning an operating room

C. Changing bed linens

Which of the following is the most important action a patient care technician can take to help prevent the spread of infection?

A. Wearing personal protective equipment

B. Performing hand hygiene between contact with patients

C. Covering the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing

D. Disposing of all used needles in the sharps container

B. Performing hand hygiene between contact with patients

A patient care technician is performing an EKG for a pediatric patient. In which of the following locations should the technician place lead V6?

A. On the anterior axillary line

B. On the midaxillary line

C. Halfway between leads V2 and V4

D. On the fourth intercostal space, left sternal border

B. On the midaxillary line

A patient care technician is using massage to stimulate circulation for a patient who is immobile. Which of the following areas should the technician massage?

A. The patient's back

B. The patient's lower legs

C. Reddened areas

D. Bony prominences

B. The patient's lower legs

A patient care technician is about to perform a venipuncture for a patient. Which of the following equipment should the technician use to prevent hemolysis of the blood sample?

A. A small-volume tube with a 21-gauge butterfly needle

B. A large-volume tube with a 23-gauge butterfly needle

C. A large-volume syringe with a 25-gauge needle

D. A small-volume syringe with a 25-gauge needle

D. A small-volume syringe with a 25-gauge needle

A patient care technician is documenting a patient's intake and output. Which of the following measurements should the technician include when recording output for the end-of-shift totals?

A. Serous fluid on a wound dressing

B. Nasogastric suction volume

C. Solid stool from a colostomy

D. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) administered

B. Nasogastric suction volume

A patient care technician is caring for a number of patients following a shift change. Which of the following patients should the technician assess first?

A. A patient who has a temperature of 37.3° C (99.1° F)

B. A patient who is disoriented

C. A patient who is comatose

D. A patient who is incontinent

B. A patient who is disoriented

A patient care technician in a long-term care facility is caring for a patient who requires restraints. For which of the following reasons should a technician expect a provider to prescribe restraints?

A. To prevent patients from injuring themselves or others

B. To prevent patients from falling out of bed

C. To provide convenience for the nursing staff

D. To allow patients to independently reposition themselves

A. To prevent patients from injuring themselves or others

A patient care technician is preparing to perform passive range-of-motion exercises on a patient's knee. Which of the following types of exercise should the technician perform?

A. Abduction

B. Extension

C. Inversion

D. External rotation

B. Extension

Which of the following is a consequence of mislabeling a blood bank specimen?

A. A HIPAA violation

B. A transfusion reaction

C. A medical transcription error

D. A pharmaceutical reaction

B. A transfusion reaction

Which of the following can reduce abnormal marks on an EKG tracing that are caused by patient movement or muscle tremors?

A. Speed control

B. Calibration

C. Artifact filter

D. Gain control

C. Artifact filter

A patient care technician is performing a 12-lead EKG for a patient who has tachycardia. Which of the following paper speed settings should the technician expect the provider to prescribe?

A. 50 mm/sec

B. 25 mm/sec

C. 5 mm/sec

D. 10 mm/sec

A. 50 mm/sec

A patient care technician is assisting with the care of a patient who has diabetes mellitus. The technician should know that which of the following is a sign of hyperglycemia?

A. Cool, clammy skin

B. Fever

C. Frequent urination

D. Rapid, shallow respirations

C. Frequent urination

A patient care technician is assisting with the care of a patient who is on strict 1&0. How often should the technician record the patient's I&O?

A. ​Every 1 hr

​B. Every 2 hr

C. ​Every 8 hr

​D. Every 6 hr

B. ​Every 2 hr

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who had a cerebrovascular accident and is nonambulatory. Which of the following findings should the technician report to the nurse immediately?

A. Skin discoloration that subsides with repositioning

B. Chronic loss of feeling in one extremity

C. One episode of incontinence

D. Change in size and shape of a pressure ulcer

D. Change in size and shape of a pressure ulcer

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is terminally ill. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Encourage the patient to remain optimistic about their diagnosis.

B. Determine how the patient's family is coping.

C. Evaluate the patient's mental health.

D. Inform the nurse if the patient expresses feelings of grief.

D. Inform the nurse if the patient expresses feelings of grief

Which of the following is the purpose of using standard precautions in the health care setting?

A. To ensure that all health care workers receive the necessary immunizations

B. To protect staff and patients from airborne illnesses

C. To guarantee that patients understand infection control guidelines before signing informed consent

D. To reduce the transmission of bloodborne pathogens when providing care

D. To reduce the transmission of bloodborne pathogens when providing care

Which of the following blood specimens should a patient care technician keep chilled during transfer to the laboratory?

A. Ammonia

B. Bilirubin

C. Glucose

D. Potassium

A. Ammonia

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has end-stage pancreatic cancer. The patient's family expresses concern because the patient has refused admission to the hospice program and is seeking additional medical treatment. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Encourage the patient to enter the hospice program.

B. Tell the patient that further treatment is not an option.

C. Acknowledge the family's concern and notify the nurse.

D. Recommend alternative treatment options for the patient.

C. Acknowledge the family's concern and notify the nurse.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has a prescription for antiembolism stockings. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Avoid rolling the stockings partially down the patient's legs.

B. Remove the stockings once every 24 hr.

C. Inform the patient that the stockings help to prevent falls.

D. Instruct the patient to cross their legs for 10 min every hour.

A. Avoid rolling the stockings partially down the patient's legs.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient and notices a fire in the waste basket. Which of the following actions should the technician take first?

A. Close all the doors to the patient's room.

B. Remove the patient from the room.

C. Activate the emergency alarm.

D. Extinguish the fire.

B. Remove the patient from the room.

A patient care technician obtains a sputum specimen from a patient. The technician should expect the specimen to have which of the following characteristics?

A. Pink-tinged color

B. Yellow color

C. Watery consistency

D. Thick consistency

C. Watery consistency

A patient care technician receives a needlestick injury during a routine venipuncture. Which of the following actions should the technician take first?

A. Report the incident to the supervisor.

B. See a provider for evaluation.

C. Wash the site with antimicrobial soap.

D. Get tested for HIV infection.

C. Wash the site with antimicrobial soap.

A patient care technician is preparing to ambulate a patient who requires the use of a gait belt. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Walk on the patient's stronger side while ambulating.

B. Walk slightly in front of the patient while ambulating.

C. Apply the gait belt over the patient's clothing at the waist.

D. Grasp the gait belt on each side with palms facing downward.

C. Apply the gait belt over the patient's clothing at the waist.

A patient care technician is assisting a patient to perform passive range-of-motion exercises. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Position the patient's bed at the lowest level.

B. Instruct the patient to flex his head.

C. Place the patient in high-Fowler's position.

D. Move the patient's arm away from the side of his body.

D. Move the patient’s arm away from the side of his body

A patient care technician should identify that which of the following patients requires contact precautions?

A. A patient who has rotavirus

B. A patient who has tuberculosis

C. A patient who has measles

D. A patient who has influenza

A. A patient who has rotavirus

A patient care technician is assisting with the care of a patient who has active tuberculosis (TB). Which of the following types of masks should the technician wear when in the patient's room?

A. Face mask

B. N95 respirator mask

C. Venturi respirator mask

D. Nonrebreather respirator mask

B. N95 respirator mask

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has vision loss. Which of the following actions should the technician take when assisting the patient with meals?

A. Offer to feed the patient.

B. Cut all solid food items into small pieces.

C. Withhold liquids until after the patient has finished eating.

D. Describe the location of food on the tray using the face of a clock as a reference.

D. Describe the location of food on the tray using the face of a clock as a reference.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is to receive continuous tube feedings. The technician should place the patient into which of the following positions?

A. Semi-Fowler's

B. Dorsal recumbent

​C. Supine

​D. Prone

A. Semi-Fowler's

A patient care technician is preparing to perform urinary catheter care for a female patient. Which of the following actions should the technician plan to take?

A. Place the patient supine with thighs slightly abducted.

B. Use normal saline to cleanse the meatus.

C. Clean around the meatus with antiseptic solution.

D. Tape the cleaned catheter snugly to the lower leg.

C. Clean around the meatus with antiseptic solution.

A patient care technician tears their gloves while cleaning a soiled mattress and gets some of the cleaning solution on their hands. After cleaning their hands, which of the following actions should the technician take next?

A. Seek medical attention.

B. File a workers' compensation claim.

C. Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the cleaning solution.

D. Submit a report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

C. Review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for the cleaning solution.

A patient care technician is preparing to dispose of a dressing that is heavily soiled and leaking fluid. In which of the following locations should the technician dispose of the dressing?

A. Toilet

B. Biohazard bag

C. Moisture-resistant bag

D. Trash can

B. Biohazard bag

A patient care technician in a facility sustained a needlestick injury. Which of the following should the technician notify following the incident?

A. The nurse

B. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

C. The patient

D. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

A. The nurse

A patient care technician is obtaining a blood specimen for coagulation testing. The technician should select a tube that contains which of the following additives?

A. Sodium citrate

B. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)

C. Heparin

D. Potassium oxalate

A. Sodium citrate

A patient care technician receives a needlestick injury. The technician should report third injury at which of the following times?

A. Within 72 to 96 hr

B. Before the start of their next shift

C. By the end of the documented pay period

D. Before leaving the facility at the end of their shift

D. Before leaving the facility at the end of their shift

A patient care technician is planning care for a patient who is on contact precautions. When entering the patient's room, the technician should apply which of the following?

A. ​Surgical mask

​B. N95 respirator

​C. Gown

​D. Shoe covers

​C. Gown

A patient care technician is instructed to measure a patient's pulse manually. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Locate the radial artery, feel for the pulse with the index and middle fingers, and count pulses felt for 1 min.

B. Locate the radial artery and use the thumb to count each pulse felt for 1 min.

C. Locate the brachial pulse using the thumb, count pulses felt for 30 seconds, and multiply by 2.

D. Place the center of the palm over the patient's chest and count each pulse felt for 2 min.

A. Locate the radial artery, feel for the pulse with the index and middle fingers, and count pulses felt for 1 min.

A patient care technician is performing an EKG and the patient reports chest pain and discomfort. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Reposition the patient's chest electrodes.

B. Perform another EKG recording.

C. Notify the patient's provider.

D. Check the patient and the room for causes of artifact interference.

C. Notify the patient's provider.

A patient care technician obtains a stool specimen from a patient. Which of the following actions should the technician take when labeling the specimen?

A. Apply the label to the side of the specimen container.

B. Apply the label to the lid of the specimen container.

C. Apply the label to seal the lid onto the specimen container.

D. Apply the label to the outside of the sealed biohazard bag that holds the specimen container.

A. Apply the label to the side of the specimen container.

A patient care technician is teaching a newly hired technician about percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes. Which of the following statements should the technician make?

A. "PEG tubes are easier to dislodge than nasogastric tubes."

B. "Patients who are disoriented or confused are less likely to dislodge the tube."

C. "Patients who are receiving enteral nutrition via a PEG tube have an increased risk for aspiration."

D. "If a patient requires enteral nutrition for more than 2 weeks, a nasogastric tube should be used."

C. "Patients who are receiving enteral nutrition via a PEG tube have an increased risk for aspiration."

A patient care technician is assisting a nurse to set up suction equipment for a patient who has a tracheostomy. Which of the following actions should the technician take to maintain the sterility of the equipment?

A. Place a prepackaged drape under the tracheostomy site.

B. Use the dominant hand to turn on the suction machine.

C. Use clean gloves to open the suction catheter kit.

D. Open the suction catheter kit and place the tip of the catheter on a towel.

A. Place a prepackaged drape under the tracheostomy site

A patient care technician should recognize that which of the following scenarios requires an aseptic dressing change?

A. Changing the surgical wound dressing of a patient who is 1-day postoperative

B. Changing a patient's triple-lumen catheter dressing

C. Changing the dressing of a patient who has a deep wound drain

D. Changing the dressing of a patient who has superficial decubiti

D. Changing the dressing of a patient who has superficial decubiti

A patient care technician obtains an EKG and notes the presence of a wandering baseline. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Move the patient's bed away from the wall.

B. Clean the patient's skin under the electrodes with alcohol and gauze.

C. Ask the patient to take slow, deep breaths.

D. Instruct the patient to place their hands, palms down, under their buttocks.

B. Clean the patient's skin under the electrodes with alcohol and gauze.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has COPD and is receiving oxygen therapy. The technician notes that the patient appears restless and is short of breath. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Increase the flow of oxygen to the patient.

B. Notify the nurse immediately.

C. Assist the patient to ambulate.

D. Lower the head of the bed.

B. Notify the nurse immediately.

A patient care technician is to perform a venous blood draw for a 91-year-old patient. The technician should use which of the following methods?

A. Butterfly needle and syringe

B. Hand draw

C. Capillary collection

D. Vacutainer collection

A. Butterfly needle and syringe

A patient care technician has assisted a patient into bed. In which of the following locations should the technician place the drainage bag for the patient's indwelling urinary catheter?

A. Resting on the floor

B. Secured to a side rail

C. Hanging from the IV pole

D. Secured to the frame of the bed

D. Secured to the frame of the bed

A patient care technician schedules hygiene care measures to be performed at the same time as other care measures. Which of the following terms best describes the technician's action?

A. Continuity of care

B. Care plan

C. Coordination of care

D. Hygiene care schedule

C. Coordination of care

A patient care technician is preparing to disinfect a contaminated piece of equipment. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Scrub the equipment with a bleach solution.

B. Rinse the equipment with warm water.

C. Process the equipment in an autoclave.

D. Soak the equipment in cold water.

A. Scrub the equipment with a bleach solution.

A patient care technician is preparing to perform a venipuncture for a patient using the antecubital area. At which of the following angles should the technician insert the needle?

A. 5° to 10°

B. 15° to 30°

C. 40° to 45°

D. 50° to 60°

B. 15° to 30°

A patient care technician is preparing a patient for hospital discharge. The patient states, "I'm afraid to go back home to my partner." Which of the following responses by the technician is appropriate?

A. "Would you like to speak with a police officer?"

B. "If your partner is abusing you at home, would you tell me immediately?"

C. "Your partner loves you, and you have no reason to be afraid."

D. "Can you tell me if something happened that made you feel unsafe?"

D. "Can you tell me if something happened that made you feel unsafe?"

A patient care technician is caring for a group of older adults. The technician should recognize that which of the following types of injury poses the greatest risk for accidental death in this age group?

A. Burns

B. Falls

C. Entrapment

D. Poisoning

B. Falls

A patient care technician should identify that which of the following patients requires droplet precautions?

A. A patient who has influenza

B. A patient who has scabies

C. A patient who has pediculosis

D. A patient who has hepatitis A

A. A patient who has influenza

A nurse asks a patient care technician to empty a patient's ostomy bag. The technician is unfamiliar with this task. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

A. Ask for instructions from the nurse before attempting the task.

B. Ask another technician how to perform the task.

C. Refuse to perform the task.

D. Perform the task as requested by the nurse.

A. Ask for instructions from the nurse before attempting the task.