Medical Screening and Physical Examination Review

Vocabulary-style flashcards derived from medical screening and physical exam lecture notes, including vital signs, pulse points, and examination positions.

Chief complaint

Information that should be recorded in the patient’s own words.

Pain

The subjective-only correct statement regarding a patient's physical discomfort.

Diastole

The relaxation phase of blood pressure.

HIPAA Medical Permission

Permission that must be documented; without documentation, it is considered “not permitted.”

NKDA

An abbreviation for "No know drug allergies," entered if a patient indicates they do not have any allergies.

Febrile

A term used to describe a person with a temperature above normal.

Normal Oral Temperature Range

$$97.6\,f-99.6\,f$$

Average Pulse Rate (30s and 40s)

$60-100$ beats per minute.

Dyspnea

Difficult or labored breathing.

Tachypnea

A faster than normal rate of respiration.

Ear Irrigation

A procedure associated with the need to remove excess wax.

Pulse Oximetry

A simple, noninvasive test that measures the patient’s pulse rate and oxygen saturation (SAT) level in the blood.

Aggravating factors

Information that describes what makes symptoms worse.

Radiation

Information that describes the area the symptom covers.

Associated symptoms

Describes other minor symptoms in addition to the associated chief complaint.

Location

Describes where the symptom is found.

Alleviating factors

Describes what makes the symptoms better.

Severity

The pain associated with the symptoms.

Femoral pulse

Pulse point located midway to the groin.

Radial pulse

Pulse point on the inner surface of the wrist (thumb side).

Brachial pulse

Pulse point on the inner medial surface of the elbow.

Dorsalis pedis pulse

Pulse point located on the instep of the foot.

Carotid pulse

Pulse point located on either side of the front of the neck, just below the angle of the jaw.

Sims’ position

Used in the examination and treatment of the rectal area and for enemas, rectal temperature, and instilling rectal medications.

Dorsal recumbent position

Position in which the knees are bent, allowing for the relaxation of the abdominal muscle.

Lithotomy position

Position used for vaginal or rectal exams.

Prone position

Position where the patient is turned over so the dorsal surface may be examined.

Supine position

Used to examine and treat the anterior portion of the body including the breasts and abdominal organs.

Percussion

Means of producing sounds by tapping various parts of the body.

Inspection

Evaluation by the use of sight.

Manipulation

The passive movemanet of a joint to determine the range of extension and flexion.

Palpation

Evaluation using the sense of touch.

Auscultation

Listening to sounds made by the pts body.

Mensuration

measurment.

Audiometer

insturment used to measure one's hearing.

Rinne Test

Test where examiners strike a tunning fork and holds it against the pts mastoid bone until the patient can no longer hear the sound.

Weber Test

Test in which a vibrating tunning fork is held against the vertex of the midline fo the skull or forehead.

Spirometer

Instrument that test the capacity of the lungs.

Snellen chart

Common method of screening for near vision acuity.

Arrhythmia

Improper beating of the heart.

Tachycardia

Irregular heart rate that is too fast (over $100\,\text{bpm}$ while resting).

Bradycardia

Irregular heart rate that is too slow (less than $60\,\text{bpm}$ while resting).