ATI RN
EMT Vital Signs Assessment Questions
Question 1 of 5
During a neurological assessment, the nurse asks the patient to touch their nose with their finger and then touch the nurse's finger. Which function is being assessed?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A: Cerebellar function and coordination. This test, known as the finger-to-nose test, assesses the coordination and fine motor skills controlled by the cerebellum. The patient's ability to accurately touch their nose and the nurse's finger evaluates the cerebellar function. Choice B (Cranial nerve function) is incorrect because this test primarily assesses motor coordination rather than cranial nerve function. Choice C (Proprioception) is incorrect as proprioception evaluates the awareness of body position, not coordination. Choice D (Memory) is incorrect as the finger-to-nose test does not assess memory but rather motor function.
Question 2 of 5
The nurse is assessing a patient's lungs and hears a low-pitched gurgling sound during inspiration. What is the most likely cause of this finding?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Rhonchi. Rhonchi are low-pitched continuous lung sounds caused by airway secretions or mucus. They are typically heard during inspiration and expiration. Fine crackles (A) are high-pitched, discontinuous sounds caused by fluid in the alveoli. Wheezing (C) is a high-pitched musical sound caused by narrowed airways. Pleural friction rub (D) is a grating sound heard during inspiration and expiration, caused by inflammation of the pleura. Therefore, the presence of low-pitched gurgling sounds during inspiration points towards rhonchi as the most likely cause.
Question 3 of 5
Which time of day would we have the lowest temperature reading?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 4 am to 6 am, is correct due to the bodys circadian rhythm, which lowers core temperature during early morning hours. Controlled by the hypothalamus, temperature dips to its lowest around 4-6 am (e.g., ~97°F) as metabolism slows during sleep. 4 pm to 6 pm, is near the daily peak (~98.6°F-100°F). 8 pm to 12 midnight, sees a decline but not the nadir. 1 am to 4 am, is close but precedes the lowest point. Studies show this pattern holds across healthy adults, reflecting natural thermoregulatory cycles, making B the precise answer for the lowest reading time.
Question 4 of 5
Prioritization: Place the following descriptions of the phases of Korotkoff sounds in order from phase I to phase V.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Korotkoff sounds measure blood pressure. Phase I starts with faint tapping (systolic pressure). Phase II has muffled/swishing sounds with an auscultatory gap. Phase III features loud, clear sounds as the artery opens. Phase IV (E, not listed) muffles abruptly (first diastolic). Phase V ends with silence (second diastolic). Choice D is correct as it marks Phase I, the initial sound nurses identify as systolic pressure, critical for accurate blood pressure reading in clinical practice.
Question 5 of 5
A nurse is assigned to take vital signs in a pediatric unit. Which of the following sites would be most appropriate for taking the blood pressure of children?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Pediatric blood pressure requires age-appropriate sites. Popliteal (A corrected from key's C) is used in infants or when arm access is limited, though brachial is standard for older children. Temporal isn't a BP site. Radial is for pulse. Choice A fits some pediatric contexts (e.g., neonates), per nursing texts, despite brachial's commonality.