FCE Functional Capacity Evaluation Principles 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the ADA, what obligation does an employer have when FCE results reveal a worker cannot meet all essential job functions?
- Immediately terminate the employee
- Consider reasonable accommodations before any employment decision (Correct answer)
- Require the employee to repeat the FCE within 30 days
- Transfer all physical tasks to other workers permanently
Correct answer: Consider reasonable accommodations before any employment decision
The ADA requires employers to explore reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities before making adverse employment decisions based on FCE findings.
Question 2: In FCE reporting, what does 'functional work capacity' primarily describe?
- The client's maximum possible effort under ideal conditions
- The level of physical demand a client can sustain safely over a work day (Correct answer)
- The client's subjective rating of their own abilities
- The physician's estimate of long-term disability duration
Correct answer: The level of physical demand a client can sustain safely over a work day
Functional work capacity describes the level of physical work demand (e.g., sedentary, light, medium) a client can safely sustain throughout a full work day.
Question 3: Which physiological measure is most commonly used to determine safe aerobic work capacity during an FCE?
- Blood pressure response to maximal lifting
- Heart rate as a percentage of age-predicted maximum (Correct answer)
- Oxygen saturation via pulse oximetry
- Respiratory rate during static posture holding
Correct answer: Heart rate as a percentage of age-predicted maximum
Heart rate as a percentage of age-predicted maximum (typically 220 minus age) is the most common measure used to assess and limit aerobic work intensity during FCE.
Question 4: What is the primary difference between an FCE and a Physical Capacities Evaluation (PCE)?
- FCEs measure cognitive function; PCEs measure physical strength only
- FCEs assess work-related function comprehensively; PCEs typically provide more limited physical measurements (Correct answer)
- FCEs are only performed by physicians; PCEs are performed by therapists
- FCEs use only objective measures; PCEs include subjective pain ratings
Correct answer: FCEs assess work-related function comprehensively; PCEs typically provide more limited physical measurements
An FCE provides a comprehensive work-related functional assessment, while a PCE typically offers a more limited set of physical measurements without full work capacity determination.
Question 5: When an FCE report states a client is at 'medium' work capacity per DOT classifications, what maximum occasional lift weight does this imply?
- 10 pounds
- 20 pounds
- 50 pounds (Correct answer)
- 100 pounds
Correct answer: 50 pounds
The DOT defines medium work as involving occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds and frequent lifting of up to 25 pounds.
Question 6: Which of the following behaviors during FCE testing would most strongly suggest a client is exhibiting symptom magnification?
- Requesting rest breaks between test items
- Performing better on formal tests than during observed functional tasks (Correct answer)
- Reporting pain during overhead reaching
- Showing reduced grip strength compared to normative data
Correct answer: Performing better on formal tests than during observed functional tasks
Performing better on formal isolated tests than during observed functional tasks is a classic indicator of symptom magnification or inconsistent effort.
Question 7: Which concept explains why an FCE evaluator must match test conditions to typical job task demands rather than testing isolated maximum strength?
- Ecological validity (Correct answer)
- Test-retest reliability
- Normative benchmarking
- Concurrent validity
Correct answer: Ecological validity
Ecological validity requires that FCE conditions mirror real-world job task demands so that results are meaningful and applicable to actual work performance.
FCE Functional Capacity Evaluation Principles 3
Under the ADA, what obligation does an employer have when FCE results reveal a worker cannot meet all essential job functions?