Patient Assessment & Clinical Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Assessment & Clinical Evaluation flashcards as text
A patient taking chemotherapy reports fragile, difficult-to-locate veins. Which assessment step is MOST important before venipuncture?
Answer: Evaluate the best available vein by palpation and consider a smaller gauge needle
Chemotherapy damages vessel walls; careful palpation to find the most accessible vein and using a smaller gauge needle reduces risk of vein collapse.
Which of the following questions is ESSENTIAL to ask during patient assessment before a glucose tolerance test (GTT)?
Answer: Have you fasted for the required duration and avoided strenuous activity?
GTT results are invalidated by eating or vigorous exercise; verifying the required fast and activity restriction is essential for test validity.
A patient's arm appears bruised with multiple failed venipuncture marks. What should the collector document in the assessment?
Answer: Location and appearance of existing bruising and any patient-reported tenderness
Documenting existing bruising and tenderness establishes a baseline, guides site selection away from damaged tissue, and protects the collector from liability.
When reviewing the test requisition during patient assessment, the collector notices an order for a PKU test on a 2-day-old newborn. What is the correct timing consideration?
Answer: The infant should have had at least 24 hours of protein feeding before collection
Phenylalanine accumulates only after protein intake; collecting before 24 hours of feeding can produce false-negative results for PKU.
A patient undergoing radiation therapy to the left arm asks whether it matters which arm you use. The collector should:
Answer: Use the non-irradiated right arm to avoid the compromised tissue
Radiation damages local tissue, impairs healing, and increases infection risk, so venipuncture should be performed on the non-irradiated limb.
During assessment, a patient hands you a list of supplements including fish oil and vitamin E. Why is this clinically significant?
Answer: They can inhibit platelet aggregation and increase bleeding risk
Fish oil and vitamin E have antiplatelet and anticoagulant properties that can prolong bleeding time after venipuncture.
A patient's medical record indicates they have polycythemia vera. What should the collector anticipate during assessment?
Answer: Patient may have thickened, sluggish blood and potential clotting issues
Polycythemia vera involves excess red blood cell production, leading to increased blood viscosity and a higher risk of thrombosis and clotting during or after collection.