Vital Signs and Patient Assessment Flashcards
7 cards from real CMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Vital Signs and Patient Assessment flashcards as text
Which scale is most commonly used to assess pain in a standard adult patient assessment?
Answer: Numeric Rating Scale (0–10)
The 0–10 Numeric Rating Scale is the most widely used pain assessment tool for cognitively intact adults in clinical settings.
When taking a patient's medical history, the abbreviation 'CC' stands for:
Answer: Chief Complaint
CC stands for Chief Complaint, the primary reason the patient is seeking medical care today.
A blood pressure cuff that is too small for the patient will produce a reading that is:
Answer: Falsely high
A cuff that is too small requires greater inflation to compress the artery, resulting in a falsely elevated blood pressure reading.
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a drop in systolic BP of at least how many mmHg upon standing?
Answer: 20 mmHg
Orthostatic hypotension is defined as a systolic BP decrease of ≥20 mmHg (or diastolic ≥10 mmHg) within 3 minutes of standing.
The apical pulse is auscultated at which location on the chest?
Answer: Fifth intercostal space, midclavicular line
The apical pulse is heard at the 5th intercostal space along the left midclavicular line, the point of maximum impulse (PMI).
Which of the following is NOT a component of the SAMPLE history mnemonic used in patient assessment?
Answer: Physical Examination
SAMPLE stands for Signs/Symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past history, Last oral intake, and Events — Physical Examination is not part of the acronym.
A patient's temperature of 38.5°C is best described as:
Answer: Low-grade fever
A temperature of 38.5°C (101.3°F) falls within the low-grade fever range of 38.1–38.9°C.