ATI RN
EMT Vital Signs Assessment Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is performing a neurological assessment and asks the patient to squeeze their hands. Which of the following is being tested?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Motor function and strength. When the nurse asks the patient to squeeze their hands, they are assessing the patient's ability to generate force through muscle contractions, which tests motor function and strength. This action primarily involves the upper extremity muscles and requires intact nerve pathways from the brain to the muscles. Incorrect Choices: A: Cerebellar function is responsible for coordination, balance, and muscle tone, not squeezing hands. C: Sensory function involves detecting stimuli like touch, pain, temperature, and vibration, which are not directly tested by squeezing hands. D: Coordination is tested through tasks requiring precise movements and smooth performance, such as finger-to-nose or heel-to-shin tests, not squeezing hands.
Question 2 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 3 of 5
The nurse is performing a respiratory assessment and hears crackles in the lower lung fields. What is the most likely cause of this finding?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The crackles heard in the lower lung fields suggest fluid accumulation, characteristic of pulmonary edema. This condition occurs when there is an excess of fluid in the lungs, often due to heart failure. Pneumothorax (choice B) involves air in the pleural space, not fluid. Asthma (choice C) and COPD (choice D) typically present with wheezing and airway obstruction, not crackles. Overall, crackles in the lower lung fields are most indicative of pulmonary edema.
Question 4 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 5 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.