Health Practicum Review

Your patient is considerably overweight. As you measure the patient’s body weight, what should you do?

a. attempt to put the patient at-ease by saying something like, “I never would have guessed that!”
b. Tell the patient that they have gained weight since their last appointment and suggest diet and exercise
c. Record the patient’s weight in the chart and allow the physician to discuss it with the patient
d. Tell the patient the weight measurement, despite being in a busy area of the office

c. Record the patient’s weight in the chart and allow the physician to discuss it with the patient

Which of the following is the most important indicator of health of the body?

a. Level of consciousness
b. Pain and the patient’s reaction to stimuli
c. Vital signs
d. Color of the skin and size of the pupils

c. Vital signs

Which of the following described the correct technique for measuring height and weight?

a. Raise the scale’s height bar while the patient is standing on the scale platform
b. Infants are buckled onto infant scales to prevent falls
c. Keep your hand on the patient’s shoulder while recording the weight
d. Read the weight when the balance bar is centered between the upper and lower guides

d. Read the weight when the balance bar is centered between the upper and lower guides

Which of the following measurements can be used to record height?

a. Inches
b. Feet
c. Centimeters
d. All of the above

d. All of the above

Which of the following is true of vital signs?

a. It is critical you know how to measure vital signs accurately
b. Measurement of pain isn’t necessary if you have already measured the patient’s vital signs
c. Vital signs are the only indicators of a patient’s health
d. You will rarely need to measure a patient’s vital signs

a. It is critical you know how to measure vital signs accurately

What are the four main vital signs?

a. Temperature, pain, pulse, and blood pressure
b. Temperature, pulse, size of pupils, and respirations
c. Consciousness, temperature, pulse, and respirations
d. Temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure

d. Temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure

In addition to height and weight, taking infant body measurements includes which of the following?

a. Length of arms and legs
b. Chest diameter
c. Head circumference
d. Height in the sitting position

c. Head circumference

Which of the following is true of height and weight measurements?

a. There is one height-weight chart for both males and females
b. They can be used to monitor growth, dose medications, and order lab tests
c. An infant growth chart is used to document only infant weight
d. Abnormalities are not a reliable indicator of disease

b. They can be used to monitor growth, dose medication, and order lab tests

Which of the following is true of temperature?

a. Measurements can be affected by infection, activity, eating, and metabolism
b. Thermometers are either electronic, plastic, or tympanic
c. Abnormal temperature is a sign of homeostasis
d. There are three methods of measuring temperature

a. Measurements can be affected by infection, activity, eating, and metabolism

Which of the following described the correct use of a tympanic thermometer?

a. Read the temperature after 60 seconds
b. Use plastic covers to prevent the spread of infection
c. Sterilize the thermometer in disinfectant after each use
d. Place just the tip of the thermometer inside the ear canal

b. Use plastic covers to prevent the spread of infection

You just dropped and broke a mercury-filled thermometer. What should you do?

a. Clean it up later, you are already running behind
b. Immediately get someone with experience and a Hazardous Materials kit to clean it up
c. Get a dustpan and brush, sweep up the mess, and throw it in the trash can
d. All of the above

b. Immediately get someone with experience and a Hazardous Materials kit to clean it up

What does temperature measure?

a. The amount of heat gained by the body fighting an illness
b. The severity of an infection
c. The balance between heat produced and heat lost
d. The amount of heat destroyed by the body

c. The balance between heat produced and heat lost

Which of the following methods is NOT used to take a temperature?

a. On the hand
b. In the ear or mouth
c. Under the arm
d. In the rectum

a. On the hand

Your patient has an oral temperature reading of 92.8 degrees F. What should you do?

a. Alert the physician immediately
b. Assume the patient has not been eating or is sleeping a lot lately
c. Record the reading and wait for the physician to address the measurement
d. All of the above

a. Alert the physician immediately

Which of the following temperatures is considered febrile and would likely prompt a physician to administer fever-reducing medications?

a. An axillary temperature of 97 degrees F
b. An oral temperature of 100.5 degrees F
c. A rectal temperature of 100.3 degrees F
d. A tympanic temperature of 100.1 degrees F

b. An oral temperature of 100.5 degrees F

Where should the thermometer be located in the patient’s mouth for an oral reading?

a. Under the tongue, toward the side of the mouth
b. Under the tongue, toward the front of the mouth
c. Over the tongue, toward the back of the mouth
d. Over the tongue, toward the side of the mouth

a. Under the tongue, toward the side of the mouth

Which of the following shows a tympanic measurement?

a. 102.3
b. 102.3 O
c. 102.3 T
d. 102.3 E

c. 102.3 T

Which of the following shows a temperature measurement documented correctly?

a. 2/15/XX, 1600, 101.2, Gloria Jackson, MA
b. 5/2/XX, 99.8 O, Tina, MA
c. Today at 0920, 100.1
d. 10/09, I took the patient’s oral temperature at 1140 and it was 98.6. Jenn Thompson, MA

a. 2/15/XX, 1600, 101.2, Gloria Jackson, MA

Which of the following rectal temperatures indicated hyperthermia?

a. 93 degrees F
b. 99 degrees F
c. 100 degrees F
d. 105 degrees F

d. 105 degrees F

Which of the following is a definition of pulse?

a. The pressure of blood pushing against an artery as the heart beats
b. The amount of blood being circulated in the body
c. Synapses in the patient’s brain that keep blood flowing in the body
d. The amount of oxygen being transported to body organs

a. The pressure of blood pushing against an artery as the heart beats

While counting pulse, what must you also be aware of?

a. The volume and rhythm of the pulse
b. The patient’s skin temperature
c. The size of the patient’s pupils
d. The color of the patient’s skin

a. The volume and rhythm of the pulse

Which range is the average resting pulse rate for adults?

a. 60 to 100
b. 80 to 110
c. 65 to 80
d. 70 to 90

a. 60 to 100

What is a pulse deficit?

a. Fewer pulses than heartbeats means that the heart is either too weak or is beating too fast
b. The radial pulse is higher than the apical pulse, which means too much blood is being pumped by the heart
c. When a patient’s arrhythmia creates a dangerously abnormal pulse
d. When the apical pulse and radial pulse are the same

a. Fewer pulses than heartbeats means that the heart is either too weak or is beating too fast

Which pulse assessment can be described as strong, weak, thready, or bounding?

a. Pulse rhythm
b. Pulse volume
c. Pulse rate

b. Pulse volume

Where is the carotid pulse site?

a. Above the patient’s ear
b. On the patient’s wrist
c. On the side of the patient’s neck
d. Near the patient’s groin

c. On the side of the patient’s neck

Which of the following is true about pulse?

a. Privacy is required when taking a patient’s radial pulse
b. Apical pulse is palpated, or felt with the hands
c. Apical pulse should be counted for one full minute
d. Use your thumb to measure radial pulse

c. Apical pulse should be counted for one full minute

Which range is the average pulse rate for infants?

a. 100 to 160
b. 80 to 110
c. 60 to 70
d. 65 to 80

a. 100 to 160

Which is an acceptable way to measure radial pulse?

a. Count pulse for one full minute
b. Count pulse for 30 seconds and then multiply the number by 2
c. Count for 15 seconds and then multiply by 4
d. All of the above

d. All of the above

At which location is the apical pulse taken?

a. Femoral
b. Dorsalis Pedis
c. Radial
d. Apex of the heart

d. Apex of the heart

Where is the radial pulse measured?

a. Behind the patient’s knee
b. On the top of the patient’s foot
c. In the crook of the patient’s arm
d. On the underside of the patient’s wrist

d. On the underside of the patient’s wrist

Which method involves examination by listening to the sounds of the body?

a. Palpation
b. Auscultation
c. Examination
d. Bradycardia

b. Auscultation

Which is the correct way to record pulse data?

a. Strong and regular P 68
b. 68 P strong and regular
c. P 68 strong and regular
d. All of the above

c. P 68 strong and regular

Which of these items INCREASES a person’s pulse rate?

a. Depressant drugs
b. Sleep
c. Coma
d. Fever

d. Fever

Mr. Dennis states that he has an arrhythmia. What do you now know about the patient?

a. The patient will have a bounding and full pulse
b. The patient may have an abnormal pulse rhythm
c. The patient’s heartbeats are equally spaced
d. The patient will have a pulse over 70 beats per minute

b. The patient may have an abnormal pulse rhythm

A pulse rate of fewer than 60 beats per minute is described as which of the following?

a. Bradycardia
b. Pulse deficit
c. Auscultation
d. Tachycardia

a. Bradycardia

Which example is the correct way to record apical pulse?

a. 68 AP strong and regular
b. AP 68 strong and regular
c. 68 A strong and regular
d. A 68 Strong and regular

b. AP 68 strong and regular

Which of the following is a sign of cyanosis?

a. Respiration is only easy when the patient is sitting straight up
b. Skin and lips turn bluish in color
c. A pattern of short, shallow breaths followed by deeper breaths
d. Respiration above 25 breaths per minute

b. Skin and lips turn bluish in color

Which of the following respiration rates is considered normal for an adult male?

a. 18
b. 22
c. 27
d. 30

a. 18

Which respiration assessment is typically described as normal, shallow, deep, or labored?

a. Rate
b. Character
c. Rhythm
d. All of the above

b. Character

What does a pulmonary function test measure?

a. Respiration rates
b. Breathing and lung function
c. Oxygen levels
d. Presence of apnea

b. Breathing and lung function

Which respiration assessment is typically described as regular or irregular?

a. Rate
b. Character
c. Rhythm
d. All of the above

c. Rhythm

Which of the following respiration rates is considered normal for a three-month old boy?

a. 40
b. 60
c. 80
d. 100

a. 40

How is respiration measured?

a. The combined number of inhalations and exhalations per minute
b. The seconds it takes for one inhalation
c. The number of breaths per minute

c. The number of breaths per minute

Which of the following is true of respirations?

a. Dyspnea is the temporary absence of respirations
b. Patients should be told when their respirations are being assessed
c. Apnea is difficult or labored breathing
d. Respiration should be counted while your fingers are still in the position used to measure pulse

d. Respiration should be counted while your fingers are still in the position used to measure pulse

Your patient is having difficulty breathing and has a respiration rate of 5 breaths per minute. Which of the following described your patient?

a. Tachypnea
b. Apnea
c. Orthopnea
d. Bradypnea

d. bradypnea

Which of the following respiration rates is normal for a six-year old girl?

a. 5
b. 10
c. 20
d. 35

c. 20

Your adult patient’s blood pressure reading is 175 mm Hg systolic and 99 mm Hg diastolic. What should you do next?

a. Gasp and exclaim to the patient that the reading is really high
b. Write it on the patient’s chart and let the physician interpret the measurement
c. Ask the patient about stress or their diet to determine what might cause such a high reading
d. Quickly but calmly, report the reading to your supervisor

d. Quickly but calmly, report the reading to your supervisor

Which of the following is NOT true of blood pressure?

a. Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure
b. A manual sphygmomanometer is the only piece of equipment needed to measure blood pressure
c. Abnormal blood pressure for the patient should be immediately reported to your supervisor
d. When taking blood pressure and the sound heard through the stethoscope changed to become very faint or stops, the reading on the sphygmomanometer is the diastolic pressure

b. A manual sphygmomanometer is the only piece of equipment needed to measure blood pressure

Which of the following factors can affect blood pressure?

a. Patient positioning
b. Volume of the blood in the arteries
c. Force of the heartbeat
d. Elasticity of the arteries
e. All of the above

e. All of the above

Which term is used to describe high blood pressure?

a. Hypertension
b. Hypotension
c. All of the above

a. Hypertension

How high above palpatory systolic pressure should the sphygmomanometer cuff be inflated?

a. 15 mm Hg
b. 30 mm Hg
c. 40 mm Hg
d. 60 mm Hg

b. 30 mm Hg

What is blood pressure?

a. The time it takes for the ventricles of the heart to relax after contraction
b. Measurement of the volume of blood being pumped by the heart
c. The difference between the patient’s pulse and heartbeats
d. The force of blood against the artery walls

d. The force of blood against the artery walls

Which term is used to describe a blood pressure of 90 mm Hg systolic and 50 mm Hg diastolic?

a. Hypertension
b. Hypotension
c. Prehypertension
d. Orthostatic hypotension

b. Hypotension

An average normal range of less than 120 mm Hg is the standard for which blood pressure measurement?

a. Systolic
b. Diastolic
c. Pulse pressure
d. All of the above

a. Systolic

An average normal range of less than 80 mm Hg is the standard for which blood pressure measurement?

a. Systolic
b. Diastolic
c. Pulse pressure
d. All of the above

b. Diastolic

When taking blood pressure, how should the patient’s arm be positioned?

a. At heart level, supported, with palm facing up
b. Across the body with the patient’s hand facing down
c. Out to the side, not touching any surface
d. Down a long the side of the body with the wrist supported by the patient’s lap

a. At heart level, supported, with palm facing up