PLTW

PLTW: PBS Lesson 2.1 Study Guide


Activity 2.1.1: Building a Medical History


  • Define the following:

    • Chief complaint: The patient’s description of what they feel is their main health problem.


  • Physical signs: Pieces of evidence that indicate an illness that can be observed externally, such as a rash, coughing, or elevated temperature.


  • Symptoms: Any subjective evidence of disease a patient perceives, such as aches, nausea, or fatigue. Symptoms allow the health care provider to narrow down the possible conditions that may be affecting the patient and then run tests to make a diagnosis.


  • Diagnosis: the process of identifying a disease, condition, or injury from its signs and symptoms.


  • Explain how to have effective conversations with patients

Make a positive connection with the patient, demonstrate active listening, have a good demeanor, have tact, and have empathy so the patients can trust you. 


  • Why is knowing a patient’s family history important?

Helps indicate possibe genetic conditions or predispositions 


  • Explain the importance of both tact and empathy when interacting with patients

Empathy is important because it allows healthcare professionals to understand patients emotional and physical pain, creating a compassionate environment. Tactful is imporatant becase its knowing what is appropriate to say and allows avoid conflict, find common ground.


Activity 2.1.2: Vital Signs


  • Define Vital Sign: often referred to simply as “vitals” - are measurements of some of the body’s basic functions, especially of the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis.


  • Provide an example of a time a vital signs can help you track a patient’s condition

Home monitoring allows your doctor to monitor how much your blood pressure changes during the day and from day to day with a sphygmomanometer.




  • What is the difference between systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure?

systolic pressure. This is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. The bottom number is called diastolic pressure. This is pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.


  • For each vital sign in the table, describe the sign, what units it is measured/reported in, and the normal/healthy range:


Vital Sign

Description

Units

Normal Range

Pulse

# of times your heart beats in one minute’s time


Beats per minute 

60 to 100 beats per minute

Respiratory Rate

Measure of the # of breaths taken in one minute 


Breaths per minute

12-20bpm

Blood Pressure

When blood moves through blood vessels there is a pressure ecerted on the walls of the blood vessels called blood pressure 


Milimeters of mercury 

120/80mmHg

Oxygen Saturation

Measurement of amount of oxygen fround in the blood, measured using a pulse oximeter, reported as a percentage


%

95-99%

Body Temperature

A measurement of how warm the body is and is taken using a thermometer


Ferhighte 

97.8F to 99F

Body Mass Index

A person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters BMI can also be calculated using pounds and inches using the formula. BMI= ( weight(lbs)/height(in)squared ) times 703

lb/insquared

18.5-24.9


Activity 2.1.3: Routine Testing in the Office


  • An ophthalmoscope is used for:to detect and evaluate symptoms of retinal detachment or eye diseases such as glaucoma

  • An otoscope is used for: to help visualize and examine the condition of the ear canal and eardrum.

  • A stethoscope is used for:to listen to the sounds generated internally by your heart, lungs and intestinal tract

  • How can you identify a potentially cancerous mole?

ABCDE

  • What might abnormal heart sounds be a sign of?

    • An infection

  • Describe 3 routine tests that can be done in the office.  What is the name of the test, how is it performed, and what does it assess?

Facial Nerve function is the ability to control facial movements and expressions. Blinking, closing your eyes and puffing out your cheeks. These are performed to see if there is something restricting you from usng your face like numbness, stiffness could lead to facial disorders. 

Coordination is your brain communicating to operate your motor skills smoothly with accurate responses. Tests include walkin, running , jumping to assess balance and ability to move. if the patient wobbles or stuggles while doing this they might be uncoordinated .

A heaing test is a simple assessment to figure out if you have hearing loss and if you do how severe it is. There will be 3 beeps teywill play at different volumes/tones and the patient will speak up wherever they hear the beep.

Activity 2.1.4: Routing Testing in the Lab


  • Complete the chart below:

Blood Component

% of Whole Blood

Description/Function

Blood Plasma


55%

Take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it. 

Erythrocytes


40-45%

Carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body

Leukocytes


1%

Defend the body against infection and disease 

Thrombocytes


1%

small , colorless cell fragment in our blood that form clots and stop or prevent bleeding 


  • What is hemoglobin?  Describe its function.

allows it to pick up oxygen from the air we breathe and deliver it everywhere in the body.


  • What is anemia?  How is it diagnosed?

Anemia occurs when you do not have enough red blood cells or when your red blood cells do not function properly. It is diagnosed when a blood test shows a hemoglobin value of less than 13.5 gm/dl in a man or less than 12.0 gm/dl in a woman. 


  • What is a hematocrit test?  How is hematocrit calculated?

To determine your hematocrit, the lab spins your blood sample at a high speed. This causes the plasma and blood cells to separate, and the heavier red blood cells sink to the bottom of the tube. The amount is measured to calculate what percentage of your blood is red blood cells.


  • Compare and contrast LDL & HDL Cholesterol:

High levels of LDL cholesterol raise your risk for heart disease and stroke. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. This is sometimes called "good" cholesterol. It absorbs cholesterol in the blood and carries it back to the liver.



  • What are the healthy ranges for both LDL & HDL cholesterol?



Type of Cholesterol

Healthy Level

LDL

Less than 100 mg/dL

HDL

Greater than or equal to 60 mg/dL is best. Levels less than 50 mg/dL are considered low.


  • What is the role of a phlebotomist?


collect blood from patients and prepare the samples for testing.

  • What is the role of a hematologist?

 specialize in diseases of the blood and blood components.


Activity 2.1.5: Telehealth


  • What is insulin?

natural hormone that turns food into energy and manages your blood sugar level. 

  • Where is it produced?

paucreas

  • How does insulin affect blood sugar?

reduces the body's blood sugar levels and provides cells with glucose for energy by helping cells absorb glucose.

  • What is glucagon?

  •  a hormone that your pancreas makes to help regulate your blood glucose (sugar) levels.


  • Where is it produced?

Pancreas

  • What effect does it have on blood sugar?

Glucagon increases your blood sugar level and prevents it from dropping too low, 

  • What is the difference between positive & negative feedback?

positive feedback amplifies change while negative feedback reduces change.


  • Which type of feedback helps the body maintain homeostasis?


negative feedback loops


  • What causes type 1 diabetes?

an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). This reaction destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, called beta cells. This process can go on for months or years before any symptoms appear.

  • What causes type 2 diabetes?

Living with obesity or overweight.

  • How do treatments for type 1 and type 2 diabetics differ?

Type 1 diabetes has only one treatment: insulin replacement. There is no other treatment for Type 1 diabetes and without insulin, death is very likely. Whereas Type 2 diabetes can be managed with diet, weight loss, medications, and/or insulin.


  • How can glucose tolerance tests and insulin tests help diagnose diabetes?

The glucose tolerance test finds problems with the way the body handles sugar after a meal. As you eat, your body breaks down food into sugar. The sugar enters your blood, and the body uses the sugar for energy. But with prediabetes and diabetes, the sugar level in the blood becomes too high.



Activity 2.1.6: Patient Privacy


  • Describe two scenarios which would be violations of HIPAA:

  • Healthcare employees divulging patient information. ...

  • Medical records falling into the wrong hands





  • Under what circumstances can protected health information (PHI) be shared?

    • when they request access to, or an accounting of disclosures of, their protected health informationor in cases where there is a legitimate need for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations, as defined by HIPAA regulations.