ATI RN
EMT Vital Signs Assessment Questions
Question 1 of 5
A 78-year-old client is admitted to the emergency department with numbness and weakness of the left arm and slurred speech. Which nursing intervention is priority?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Schedule for a STAT computer tomography (CT) scan of the head. This is the priority intervention because the client is showing symptoms of a possible stroke, such as slurred speech and weakness. A CT scan will help determine if the symptoms are indeed caused by a stroke and guide further treatment. Administering rt-PA (choice A) should only be done after confirming a diagnosis of ischemic stroke to prevent complications. Discussing precipitating factors (choice B) and consulting a speech pathologist (choice D) are important but not as urgent as ruling out a stroke with a CT scan.
Question 2 of 5
A physical therapist assesses a patient's perception of pain using a visual analog scale (VAS). What type of data does the VAS provide?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Ordinal. A visual analog scale (VAS) provides data that can be ranked in order of magnitude (e.g., mild pain, moderate pain, severe pain). This indicates an ordinal scale, where the categories have a meaningful order but the differences between them may not be equal. Nominal data (choice A) is used for categories with no inherent order. Interval (choice C) and ratio (choice D) scales involve equal intervals and a true zero point, which are not present in VAS data.
Question 3 of 5
A physical therapist completes an evaluation on a patient with a T12 spinal cord injury. Which functional outcome is MOST likely based on this level of injury?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because a T12 spinal cord injury typically results in intact upper extremity function, allowing the patient to use crutches for ambulation with bilateral KAFOs for stability. Choice B is incorrect as a single-point cane is not typically sufficient for this level of injury. Choice C is incorrect as T12 injury usually allows for some level of independence in mobility. Choice D is incorrect as requiring a power wheelchair for community mobility is less likely with a T12 injury.
Question 4 of 5
A physical therapist evaluates a patient with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Which exercise is MOST appropriate to target the vastus medialis oblique (VMO)?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Terminal knee extensions. This exercise specifically targets the VMO due to the positioning of the knee at the end range of extension, where the VMO is most activated. This helps to strengthen and stabilize the patella. Straight leg raises (A) mainly target the hip flexors. Short arc quadriceps exercises (B) primarily activate the entire quadriceps muscle group. Step-down exercises (C) focus on overall lower limb strength and control, not specifically targeting the VMO. Thus, terminal knee extensions are the most appropriate choice to isolate and strengthen the VMO in the context of patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Question 5 of 5
What is the primary purpose of performing light palpation during an abdominal examination?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The primary purpose of performing light palpation during an abdominal examination is to evaluate surface characteristics and tenderness. This technique allows the examiner to feel for any abnormalities in the skin, muscles, and superficial organs. Light palpation is not used to detect deep masses (A), which would require deeper palpation. Organ enlargement (B) is better assessed through deep palpation or percussion. Assessing bowel motility (D) is typically done through auscultation rather than palpation. Therefore, choice C is correct as it aligns with the standard procedure for light palpation during an abdominal examination.