💡 Question: What are the normal vital sign ranges for an adult?
✅ Answer:
Temperature: 97.8 - 99.5°F (36.5 - 37.3°C)
Pulse: 60 - 100 bpm
Respirations: 12 - 20 breaths/min
Blood Pressure: <120/80 mmHg
Oxygen Saturation: ≥ 95%
💡 Question: What are the 4 primary techniques used in physical assessment?
✅ Answer: Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, Auscultation
💡 Question: What are the different patient positions and their uses?
✅ Answer:
Supine: Lying flat on back (general assessment)
Prone: Lying on stomach (assessing back/lungs)
Fowler’s (High/Low): Upright 45°-90° (breathing issues)
Lateral: Side-lying (reduces pressure ulcers)
Lithotomy: Supine, legs in stirrups (pelvic exams)
Trendelenburg: Head lower than feet (hypotension/shock)
💡 Question: What are the three main types of IV fluids and their uses?
✅ Answer:
Isotonic (0.9% NS, LR, D5W) - Expands intravascular volume (for dehydration, blood loss)
Hypotonic (0.45% NS, D5W in body) - Moves fluid into cells (for intracellular dehydration)
Hypertonic (D5NS, D5LR, 3% NS) - Pulls fluid out of cells into bloodstream (for cerebral edema, hyponatremia)
💡 Question: Which IV fluid is best for a burn patient?
✅ Answer: Lactated Ringer’s (LR) – Replaces fluids and electrolytes
💡 Question: Which IV solution should never be given to a patient with ICP (increased intracranial pressure)?
✅ Answer: Hypotonic solutions (e.g., 0.45% NS) – Can cause brain swelling
💡 Question: What are the 5 types of isolation precautions?
✅ Answer:
Standard Precautions: Hand hygiene, gloves (all patients)
Contact Precautions: Gloves, gown (MRSA, C. diff)
Droplet Precautions: Mask, gloves (Flu, Mumps)
Airborne Precautions: N95 mask, negative pressure room (TB, Measles, Varicella)
Protective/Neutropenic: Mask, no fresh flowers (immunocompromised patients)
💡 Question: What PPE should be worn for a C. difficile patient?
✅ Answer: Gown & gloves (Contact Precautions) – Must wash hands with soap & water (alcohol does NOT kill C. diff)
💡 Question: What is the correct order for donning PPE?
✅ Answer: Gown → Mask → Goggles → Gloves
💡 Question: What is the correct order for doffing PPE?
✅ Answer: Gloves → Goggles → Gown → Mask
💡 Question: What are the types of documentation methods?
✅ Answer:
Narrative: Traditional, detailed notes in paragraph format
SOAP: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan
PIE: Problem, Intervention, Evaluation
DAR (Focus Charting): Data, Action, Response
💡 Question: What does SBAR stand for in communication?
✅ Answer: Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation
💡 Question: What is the golden rule of documentation?
✅ Answer: If it wasn’t documented, it wasn’t done!
💡 Question: What are the stages of sleep?
✅ Answer:
NREM Stage 1: Light sleep, easy to wake
NREM Stage 2: Slightly deeper sleep
NREM Stage 3: Deep sleep (tissue repair, immune function)
REM Sleep: Dreaming, memory consolidation
💡 Question: How does lack of sleep affect the body?
✅ Answer: Increases risk of heart disease, weakens immune system, causes cognitive impairment
💡 Question: How do you calculate intake and output (I&O)?
✅ Answer: Total intake - Total output = Net fluid balance
(Fluids include IV, PO, tube feeds, urine, drains, etc.)
💡 Question: 1 oz = ___ mL?
✅ Answer: 30 mL
💡 Question: A patient drank 8 oz of juice, 4 oz of milk, and 2 oz of water. How many mL is this?
✅ Answer: (8+4+2) x 30 = 420 mL
💡 Question: What are the levels of Maslow’s hierarchy?
✅ Answer:
Physiological (breathing, food, water, sleep)
Safety (security, health, stability)
Love/Belonging (relationships, support)
Esteem (self-worth, respect, recognition)
Self-Actualization (growth, purpose)
💡 Question: Which patient needs attention first?
✅ Answer: Airway, Breathing, Circulation (ABCs) ALWAYS come first!
💡 Question: What are the 3 steps of fire safety (RACE)?
✅ Answer: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish
💡 Question: What is the PASS method for using a fire extinguisher?
✅ Answer: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep
💡 Question: A patient is having anaphylaxis. What is the priority action?
✅ Answer: Give epinephrine, maintain airway, call for help!
💡 Question: What is a common side effect of opioids?
✅ Answer: Respiratory depression, constipation, sedation
💡 Question: What is a major risk of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen)?
✅ Answer: GI bleeding, kidney damage
💡 Question: What medication can cause ototoxicity (hearing loss)?
✅ Answer: Aminoglycosides (Gentamicin), Furosemide (Lasix)
💡 Question: What are the 5 types of pain?
✅ Answer:
Acute pain – Short-term, sudden (surgery, injury)
Chronic pain – Long-term, persistent (arthritis)
Neuropathic pain – Nerve damage (diabetes, shingles)
Nociceptive pain – Tissue damage (burns, fractures)
Referred pain – Pain felt in a different location (MI → arm pain)
💡 Question: What is the most reliable indicator of pain?
✅ Answer: The patient’s self-report!