Question 1

You are able to feel vibrations through the chest wall as your patient speaks. This is called:

Accepted Answer

Tactile fremitus is the vibration or palpable sensation felt on the chest wall when a patient speaks. Egophony is when the sound of "ee" changes to "ay" when auscultated over areas of consolidation or fluid. Auscultation is listening to sounds produced by the body using a stethoscope. Whispered pectoriloquy is when a whispered phrase is clear and loud during auscultation over areas of consolidation or fluid.

Question 2

To check for symmetrical chest expansion, you should place your hands on the patient's chest, with the thumbs resting on the ________, and ask the patient to inhale.

Accepted Answer

Placing hands on the costal margins and asking the patient to inhale allows for assessment of symmetrical chest expansion as the chest should expand equally on both sides. The other options (B, C, D) do not provide a clear indication of symmetrical chest expansion.

Question 3

Physical exam techniques include all of the following EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Association is not a physical exam technique. The other options are valid physical exam techniques. Palpation involves feeling the body with the fingertips to identify masses, tenderness, and other abnormalities. Auscultation involves using a stethoscope to listen to body sounds, such as the heartbeat or lung sounds. Inspection involves visually examining the body for signs of abnormalities or issues.

Question 4

A light, popping, nonmusical sound heard upon auscultation of the lungs is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Crackles are described as a light, popping, nonmusical sound heard upon auscultation of the lungs. Wheezing is described as a high-pitched musical sound, stridor is a harsh, high-pitched sound usually heard during inspiration, and rhonchi are low-pitched snoring or rattling sounds.

Question 5

You would like to test a patient's visual acuity, but a visual acuity card or wall chart is not available. You can still test for visual acuity by:

Accepted Answer

While asking the patient to indicate the farthest object they can see and checking the pupils may provide some limited information about their visual acuity, the most reliable option presented is to have the patient count your raised fingers. This test, known as finger counting, involves holding up your fingers at a specific distance from the patient and asking them to count them. This provides a more accurate measure of visual acuity as it tests the patient's ability to distinguish between shapes at a specific distance, which is the basis of visual acuity. Covering one eye and testing for light accommodation is not a test of visual acuity, but rather a test of the pupillary reflex.

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the technique of evaluating plantar reflexes?

Accepted Answer

The technique of evaluating plantar reflexes involves stroking the lateral aspect of the sole of the foot from heel to ball, curving medially. This is known as the Babinski reflex test. Dorsiflexing the foot and striking the Achilles tendon is used to assess the ankle jerk reflex. Tapping the patellar tendon is used to evaluate the patellar or knee jerk reflex. Striking the triceps along the posterior aspect of the distal humerus is used to evaluate the triceps reflex.

Question 7

Petechiae are skin lesions characterized by:

Accepted Answer

Petechiae are small, reddish-purple spots on the skin that are less than 0.5 cm in diameter. Option A describes radial angiomas, Option B describes irregular erythema, and Option D describes purpura.

Question 8

The process in which a paramedic places a hand on a body part, then sharply taps a distal knuckle with the tip of another finger, is known as:

Accepted Answer

The given process involves tapping a body part, which is known as percussion. Palpation involves pressing on a body part to feel for abnormalities, and observation simply involves looking at the patient without touching them. Hyperresonance is a term used to describe a specific sound heard during percussion, not the act of percussing itself. Therefore, the most appropriate choice is A) percussion.

Question 9

Inspection of the maxillary sinuses is accomplished by:

Accepted Answer

Palpating under the zygomatic arches allows the healthcare provider to assess the maxillary sinuses for tenderness or swelling.

Question 10

Asking your patient to recall what he had for a meal earlier in the day would test:

Accepted Answer

Asking a patient to recall what he had for a meal earlier in the day would test his recent memory, which refers to the ability to recall events or information that occurred recently. Immediate memory refers to the ability to hold information in one's mind for a few seconds, while long-term memory refers to the ability to recall events or information from the distant past. Remote memory refers to the ability to recall events or information from the distant past, such as childhood memories or historical facts.

Question 11

A condition marked by exaggerated lumbar concavity is called:

Accepted Answer

Exaggerated lumbar concavity is a characteristic of lordosis, which is also known as swayback. The options A, C, and D all refer to different spinal conditions that are not characterized by exaggerated lumbar concavity.

Question 12

Your patient is complaining of numbness and hand pain that wakes him. Of the following, which is most likely?

Accepted Answer

Numbness and hand pain that wakes the patient is a classic symptom of carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a compression of the median nerve in the wrist. Chondromalacia affects the knee, bursitis affects joints, and plantar fasciitis affects the foot, none of which typically present with symptoms in the hands.

Question 13

You have just percussed the patient's chest and heard a loud, booming, low-pitched sound. This indicates:

Accepted Answer

A loud, booming, low-pitched sound upon percussion of the chest is indicative of a hyperinflated lung field, which can occur in conditions such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Question 14

Which of the following is included in an examination of the cardiovascular system?

Accepted Answer

Auscultating for carotid bruits is a part of the cardiovascular examination, as it helps in assessing the blood flow through the carotid arteries, which can indicate cardiovascular issues.

Question 15

All of the following characteristics indicate a normal appearance to oral mucosa EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Patches of white on the oral mucosa could indicate an abnormality such as leukoplakia, candidiasis, or lichen planus. The other characteristics listed (smooth, pink, and moist) are typically indicative of a normal oral mucosal appearance.

Question 16

One sign of gonorrhea in males is a(n):

Accepted Answer

One sign of gonorrhea in males is a profuse, yellow discharge from the penis.

Question 17

Discoloration over the umbilicus, known as ________ sign, is a(n) ________ indicator of intraabdominal bleeding.

Accepted Answer

Cullen's sign is a late indicator of intraabdominal bleeding, characterized by discoloration around the umbilicus.

Question 18

Which of the following findings is abnormal in a cardiovascular assessment?

Accepted Answer

Vibrations when palpating the carotid artery, known as a carotid bruit, can indicate turbulent blood flow often due to atherosclerotic narrowing and is considered abnormal.

Question 19

During a musculoskeletal exam, you find redness of the skin over a nontraumatized joint. Which of the following is LEAST likely to be the cause?

Accepted Answer

Dislocation typically presents with swelling, pain, and limited range of motion, but not necessarily with redness of the skin. Rheumatic fever, gout, and arthritis are all possible causes of joint redness.

Question 20

During the abdominal exam, areas that are known to be painful or tender should be examined:

Accepted Answer

It is best to examine painful or tender areas last in the abdominal exam, as this can cause discomfort or muscle guarding that may make it difficult to palpate other areas accurately. By examining these areas last, the patient will be more comfortable and the examiner will be able to assess other areas of the abdomen more thoroughly.

Quiz 5: Secondary Assessment