Deck 23: Vital Signs and Measurements

Question 1

Which of the following is the average normal adult oral temperature in Celsius?

A)36.2°C
B)36.4°C  
C)37.0°C
D)37.5°C  
E)36.8°C

Answer 1

37.0°C

Question 2

Which part of the brain monitors blood temperature?

A)Meninges
B)Cerebellum  
C)Thalamus
D)Hypothalamus  
E)Pituitary gland

Answer 2

Hypothalamus  

Question 3

Which of the following terms means "slow breathing"?

A)Apnea
B)Bradypnea  
C)Tachypnea
D)Eupnea  
E)Dyspnea

Answer 3

Bradypnea  

Question 4

Which of the following best describes a pulse rate with bradycardia?

A)120 beats per minute
B)100 beats per minute  
C)40 beats per minute
D)72 beats per minute  
E)200 beats per minute

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a factor that influences body temperature?

A)Bacterial infection
B)Pregnancy  
C)Fasting
D)Time of day  
E)Gender

Question 6

Which of the following is the most important action when taking an oral temperature using a digital thermometer?

A)Instruct the patient to leave the mouth slightly open. 
B)Ask the patient to rinse the mouth with tepid water. 
C)Cover the thermometer with a sheath. 
D)Use a probe that has been disinfected.

Question 7

Which of the following is an important action when taking a radial pulse?

A)Position the patient with the arm elevated at heart level. 
B)Locate and count the pulse with the thumb. 
C)Press fingers gently over the area of the artery. 
D)Count for 15 seconds.

Question 8

Which of the following may result in inaccurate readings when using tympanic thermometers?

A)Any bacterial infection in the body
B)Impacted cerumen  
C)Pregnancy
D)Pyrexia

Question 9

Which of the following best describes the pulse rate of a well-conditioned athlete?

A)Lower than average
B)Increased  
C)Stabilized
D)No change from average

Question 10

Which of the following applies to a crowing sound heard on inspiration as a result of an obstruction of the upper airway?

A)Rales
B)Wheezes  
C)Stridor
D)Rhonchi  
E)Dyspnea

Question 11

Which of the following is the most important action when obtaining an aural temperature using a tympanic thermometer?

A)Do not cover the thermometer. 
B)Pull the earlobe outward and down. 
C)Place the probe in the canal to seal the area. 
D)Do not pull the earlobe back at all, leave it as it is.

Question 12

Which of the following best describes how to prevent patient cross-contamination when using electronic thermometers?

A)Clean with cold water.
B)Soak in disinfectant for 20 minutes. 
C)Use a disposable plastic sheath.
D)Store in a dry closed container. 
E)Clean in soap and hot water.

Question 13

Which of the following best describes the feeling of a normal artery on palpation?

A)Hard
B)Knotty  
C)Elastic
D)Wiry  
E)Tortuous

Question 14

Careful monitoring of a patient's weight may provide insight into what type of problems?

A)Metabolic
B)Nutritional  
C)Emotional
D)All of the above

Question 15

Which of the following is a term for a pulse rate greater than 100 beats per minute?

A)Bradycardia
B)Asystole  
C)Tachycardia
D)Extra systole  
E)Fibrillation

Question 16

How should the thermometer be inserted when using an electronic thermometer to take an oral temperature?

A)Under the tongue to the side of the mouth  
B)Under the tongue in the center of the mouth  
C)Under the tongue next to the teeth  
D)Between the teeth and the cheek

Question 17

Which of the following questions should the medical assistant ask the patient when taking an oral temperature using a disposable oral strip thermometer?

A)Have you been sleeping?
B)Have you been talking?  
C)Have you been smoking or drinking hot/cold liquids?
D)Have you been stressed?

Question 18

Which of the following is the most important action when taking a rectal temperature?

A)Position the patient in a prone position. 
B)Do not use a sheath. 
C)Apply lubricant for easy insertion. 
D)Insert the thermometer 1/2 to 1 inch for an adult.

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT an important action when taking an axillary temperature?

A)Have the patient fold the arm against the chest. 
B)Leave the thermometer in place according to manufacturer's instructions  
C)Use powder to dry the axilla. 
D)Use a disposable protective sheath.

Question 20

Which of the following terms means "low blood pressure"?

A)Vasodilation
B)Asystole  
C)Hypertension
D)Hypotension  
E)Diastole

Question 21

Which of the following is NOT considered a cardiovascular factor influencing blood pressure?

A)Blood volume
B)Peripheral resistance  
C)Vessel elasticity
D)Heart muscle condition  
E)Clotting capabilities

Question 22

Which of the following arteries is most commonly used to measure blood pressure?

A)Brachial
B)Axillary  
C)Coronary
D)Carotid  
E)Popliteal

Question 23

Which of the following phases of Korotkoff's sounds is noted when the cuff deflates and the sounds are muffled and fading.

A)I
B)II  
C)III
D)IV  
E)V

Question 24

Which of the following vital signs assessments is not in a normal range for adults?

A)BP 100/60
B)T 98-99 F  
C)P 100/bpm
D)R 12-16/min

Question 25

If a mercury thermometer broke, what would you do to clean it up?

A)Use household cleaners
B)Use a broom or brush  
C)Use a vacuum or Shop-Vac®
D)Use an eyedropper

Question 26

Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of pulse to be documented in assessment?

A)Volume
B)Rate  
C)Rhythm
D)Expansion

Question 27

Which of the following statements is true regarding body temperature?

A)Pyrexia and hypothermia are synonyms for fever. 
B)Febrile denotes that a fever is not present. 
C)The gradual return of an elevated body temperature to normal levels is lysis. 
D)Fever means the body is not working properly. 
E)Fluctuation of body temperature between periods of normal and fever is remittent fever.

Question 28

Where should the stethoscope be placed when taking an apical pulse?

A)Posterior portion of the heart  
B)Fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line  
C)Fourth intercostal space at the midclavicular line  
D)Fifth intercostal space at the midsternal line  
E)Fourth intercostal space at the midaxillary line

Question 29

Which of the following is the average normal range of adult diastolic blood pressure?

A)30-50 mmHg
B)60-80 mmHg  
C)110-140 mmHg
D)140-180 mmHg  
E)70-100 mmHg

Question 30

What is the rationale for securing the blood pressure cuff 1 inch above the elbow (antecubital fossa)?

A)Preventing hearing extraneous sounds  
B)Positioning cuff over all the biceps muscle  
C)Placing cuff too low on the arm will decrease blood pressure. 
D)Placing cuff too low on the arm will increase blood pressure.

Question 31

Which of the following terms is used to denote the force exerted on the arterial walls during cardiac contraction?

A)Diastole
B)Asystole  
C)Systole
D)Hyperbole

Question 32

Which of the following best describes the effect on a blood pressure if a cuff that is too large is used?

A)Has no effect on pressure reading
B)Gives an artificially high reading  
C)Gives an artificially low reading
D)Makes reading quieter

Question 33

Why is height and weight measured at the same time?

A)Helps a patient stay on a diet  
B)Essential to diagnosis  
C)Assists physician in evaluating patient's body changes  
D)Most physicians want it

Question 34

When is the auscultatory gap heard in some patients?

A)Between phases IV and V
B)Between phases III and IV or V  
C)Between phases I and II or III
D)Between phases II, III, and IV

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT considered a characteristic of respiration?

A)its involuntary
B)is triggered by varying levels of oxygen  
C)its controlled by a specific part of the brain
D)carbon dioxide affects respiration

Question 36

Which of the following is the average normal adult rate of respirations?

A)8-12
B)14-20  
C)16-24
D)20-30

Question 37

Which of the following blood pressure readings would indicate the patient is hypertensive?

A)160/100
B)120/88  
C)118/80
D)100/50

Question 38

Which of the following is the meaning of "dyspnea"?

A)Labored breathing
B)Air in the pericardium  
C)Rapid breathing
D)Abnormal gas in the pleura  
E)Breathing while upright

Question 39

Which of the following is controlled by the involuntary action of respiration?

A)Lungs
B)Diaphragm  
C)Medulla oblongata
D)Chest wall

Question 40

Which of the following terms is used to denote crackling or rattling sounds occurring in respiratory cycle?

A)Rales
B)Wheezing  
C)Stridor
D)Stertorous

Question 41

Which of the following organizations worked in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) to initiate the elimination of mercury from hospital waste systems?

A)Center for Disease Control
B)Environmental Protection Agency  
C)American Medical Association
D)Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Question 42

Match the definition with the appropriate process.

conduction

A) heat loss from the skin through air currents passing over it, such as a fan
B) heat loss through normal body functions such as respiration
C) heat loss through the skin to surrounding cooler objects such as clothing
D) heat loss from the skin to surrounding cooler environments
E) heat loss using heat absorption by vaporizing perspiration

Question 43

Temporal thermometers should be cleaned between patients by which method?

A)Bleach
B)Alcohol  
C)Hydrogen peroxide
D)Betadine®

Question 44

What can cause an occasional premature contraction while checking a patient's pulse?

A)Alcohol
B)Nicotine  
C)Caffeine
D)All of the above

Question 45

Which of the following is NOT a recommended alternative type to replace mercury thermometers for use in the health care setting?

A)Digital
B)Electronic  
C)Paper
D)Tympanic

Question 46

What pulse location is used during emergency situations?

A)Femoral
B)Apical  
C)Temporal
D)Carotid

Question 47

Occasionally, as with medication dosages, the MA may be required to convert pound weight into kilogram weight.To do so they must know which of the following?

A)1 kg = 1.2 pounds
B)1 kg = 2.2 pounds  
C)1 kg = 2.1 pounds
D)1 kg = 1.1 pounds

Question 48

Which pulse site is the most commonly used site for obtaining a pulse rate?

A)Carotid
B)Brachial  
C)Temporal
D)Radial

Question 49

Match the definition with the appropriate process.

elimination

A) heat loss from the skin through air currents passing over it, such as a fan
B) heat loss through normal body functions such as respiration
C) heat loss through the skin to surrounding cooler objects such as clothing
D) heat loss from the skin to surrounding cooler environments
E) heat loss using heat absorption by vaporizing perspiration

Question 50

What could cause a temporal temperature to be inaccurate?

A)Eating or drinking
B)Exercise  
C)Perspiration
D)Cerumen

Question 51

Match the definition with the appropriate process.

radiation

A) heat loss from the skin through air currents passing over it, such as a fan
B) heat loss through normal body functions such as respiration
C) heat loss through the skin to surrounding cooler objects such as clothing
D) heat loss from the skin to surrounding cooler environments
E) heat loss using heat absorption by vaporizing perspiration

Question 52

When using an electronic sphygmomanometer, what is not needed?

A)Cuff
B)Bulb  
C)Stethoscope
D)Dial

Question 53

What type of thermometer is used to measure the temperature of the skin surface over an artery?

A)Temporal
B)Tympanic  
C)Axillary
D)Rectal

Question 54

Match the definition with the appropriate process.

convection

A) heat loss from the skin through air currents passing over it, such as a fan
B) heat loss through normal body functions such as respiration
C) heat loss through the skin to surrounding cooler objects such as clothing
D) heat loss from the skin to surrounding cooler environments
E) heat loss using heat absorption by vaporizing perspiration