ATI RN
Basic Nursing Care Needs of the Patient PPT Questions
Question 1 of 5
A patient is experiencing a possible neurological emergency from a blunt force closed head injury. He is found to have abnormal pupillary reactions to light and has lost the ability to move his eyes from side to side to follow your finger movements. He is also unable to identify the number of fingers you are holding up. He reports he is able to see the fingers but is not able to focus enough to identify how many fingers are present. Which of the following cranial nerves should you suspect may be involved in his injury?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Cranial nerves II, III, and IV. The patient's symptoms indicate dysfunction in vision, eye movement, and pupillary reactions, which are controlled by cranial nerves II (optic nerve), III (oculomotor nerve), and IV (trochlear nerve). The inability to identify fingers suggests optic nerve involvement, the inability to move eyes sideways indicates oculomotor nerve involvement, and abnormal pupillary reactions point to both oculomotor and optic nerve dysfunction. Choices A, B, and C do not cover the combination of cranial nerves responsible for the observed symptoms, making them incorrect.
Question 2 of 5
You are on-scene with a patient who you suspect may be experiencing a myocardial infarction. He is conscious and alert, anxious, and has dilated pupils. He complains of substernal chest pain and admits to recent cocaine use. How does the use of cocaine increase the risk of experiencing an acute myocardial infarction?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D. Cocaine causes constriction of coronary arteries, leading to decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. This constriction can increase the chance of dislodging a thrombus or plaque, ultimately causing an acute myocardial infarction. Choice A is incorrect as speeding the heart rate to the point of asystole is unlikely with cocaine use. Choice B is incorrect as cocaine-induced clotting in the periphery does not directly lead to clots traveling to the coronary arteries. Choice C is incorrect as cocaine does not numb the heart but rather affects coronary perfusion negatively.
Question 3 of 5
Venous blood samples are often obtained in the pre-hospital setting for various tests to be performed at the hospital. What color tube stopper would a paramedic want to use if law enforcement at an accident requests the patients involved have their blood drawn at the scene to be tested for the possibility of alcohol intoxication at the hospital?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Gray. Gray stopper tubes are used for blood samples to test for alcohol levels, such as for blood alcohol content (BAC). This is because gray stopper tubes contain sodium fluoride, which prevents blood from fermenting and preserves alcohol levels accurately. Other choices are incorrect: B (light blue) is used for coagulation testing, C (lavender) is used for complete blood count (CBC) and blood typing, and D (green) is used for chemistry tests.
Question 4 of 5
You are called to assist a 55-year-old male who complains of sudden onset chest pain, dyspnea, and palpitations. On arrival, he is found semi-conscious with a pulse rate too fast to palpate and a blood pressure of 80 systolic. Once on the monitor, he is exhibiting an irregularly wide complex tachycardia, with a polymorphic QRS appearance, at nearly 200 per minute. Which of the following would be the most effective intervention for this patient?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Administer defibrillation per protocol. The patient is presenting with symptoms indicative of unstable ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, which are life-threatening arrhythmias. Defibrillation is the immediate intervention to restore normal rhythm by delivering an electrical shock to the heart. In this scenario, the patient is hemodynamically unstable with a low blood pressure and loss of consciousness, making defibrillation the most appropriate and effective intervention to potentially save the patient's life. Choice A (Administer procainamide) is not the most effective intervention as this patient is in a critical condition that requires immediate action, and procainamide infusion takes time to work. Choice B (Administer adenosine) is typically used for supraventricular tachycardias and is not appropriate for wide complex tachycardias. Choice D (Administer synchronized electrical cardioversion) is indicated for stable wide complex tachycardias
Question 5 of 5
Motorcycle crash, noisy respirations, apneic, hematoma in pharynx, airway management?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: "Inserting an oropharyngeal airway." In this scenario of a motorcycle crash with noisy respirations, apnea, and a hematoma in the pharynx, the patient is likely experiencing airway obstruction. An oropharyngeal airway helps maintain a patent airway by preventing the collapse of the tongue and soft tissues in the oropharynx. It does not require visualization or manipulation of the upper airway structures, making it the most suitable initial intervention in this emergent situation. Summary of why the other choices are incorrect: B: "Inserting a nasopharyngeal airway" - Nasopharyngeal airways are not recommended in the presence of facial trauma or suspected basilar skull fracture due to the risk of exacerbating the injury. C: "Performing a surgical cricothyroidotomy" - This is an invasive procedure reserved for extreme cases of airway obstruction when other methods fail. D