CMT Vital Signs and Physical Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Oxygen saturation (SpO2) measured by pulse oximetry is considered normal at what percentage?
- 85–89%
- 90–93%
- 95–100% (Correct answer)
- 78–84%
Correct answer: 95–100%
A normal SpO2 reading is 95–100%; values below 90% indicate hypoxemia requiring intervention.
Question 2: Which position should a patient be in for the most accurate blood pressure reading?
- Lying flat with legs elevated
- Sitting with back supported, feet flat (Correct answer)
- Standing with arms at sides
- Semi-Fowler's position
Correct answer: Sitting with back supported, feet flat
The patient should be seated with back supported and feet flat on the floor with the arm at heart level for accurate BP measurement.
Question 3: A patient's temperature is 38.5°C. What is this in Fahrenheit?
- 99.3°F
- 101.3°F (Correct answer)
- 103.1°F
- 100.1°F
Correct answer: 101.3°F
Using the formula (°C × 9/5) + 32: (38.5 × 1.8) + 32 = 101.3°F.
Question 4: Pain is often referred to as which vital sign?
- Third vital sign
- Fourth vital sign
- Fifth vital sign (Correct answer)
- Sixth vital sign
Correct answer: Fifth vital sign
Pain is widely recognized as the fifth vital sign alongside temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
Question 5: Which tool uses a 0–10 numeric scale to assess a patient's pain level?
- Glasgow Coma Scale
- Numeric Rating Scale (Correct answer)
- FLACC Scale
- Wong-Baker FACES Scale
Correct answer: Numeric Rating Scale
The Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) asks patients to rate pain from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).
Question 6: During a routine physical assessment, the medical technician notices that a patient's skin is cyanotic. This finding suggests:
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Inadequate oxygenation (Correct answer)
- Hypoglycemia
Correct answer: Inadequate oxygenation
Cyanosis is a bluish discoloration of the skin caused by reduced oxygen levels in the blood.
CMT Vital Signs and Physical Assessment 2
Oxygen saturation (SpO2) measured by pulse oximetry is considered normal at what percentage?