OT Master of Occupational Therapy MCQ 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which splint design is MOST appropriate for a client with a radial nerve injury resulting in wrist drop?
- Resting hand splint
- Wrist cock-up splint (wrist extension splint) (Correct answer)
- Thumb spica splint
- Ulnar gutter splint
Correct answer: Wrist cock-up splint (wrist extension splint)
A wrist cock-up splint positions the wrist in extension to compensate for the lost wrist extensor function caused by radial nerve injury.
Question 2: During a dynamic systems theory approach to motor development, which factor is considered the RATE LIMITER for a skill such as walking?
- Genetic programming alone
- The weakest or least developed component system needed for the task (Correct answer)
- Age and developmental milestones
- Cortical maturation only
Correct answer: The weakest or least developed component system needed for the task
Dynamic systems theory identifies the rate limiter as the subsystem that is least developed, which constrains emergence of the new motor skill.
Question 3: An OT working in hand therapy documents a grip strength of 15 kg on the right and 30 kg on the left in a right-handed client. The right grip strength represents approximately what percentage of the norm?
- 25%
- 50% (Correct answer)
- 75%
- 100%
Correct answer: 50%
The right grip (15 kg) is 50% of the left grip (30 kg), indicating significant deficit; the expected dominant-to-nondominant ratio is approximately 10% greater.
Question 4: A client with Parkinson's disease is having difficulty walking through doorways due to freezing of gait. Which OT cueing strategy is MOST effective?
- Verbal instructions to slow down
- Rhythmic auditory cueing (metronome or music) (Correct answer)
- Proprioceptive taping of the lower extremities
- Visual field reduction
Correct answer: Rhythmic auditory cueing (metronome or music)
Rhythmic auditory cues provide an external timing signal that bypasses the disrupted basal ganglia circuitry and helps initiate and maintain gait in Parkinson's disease.
Question 5: Which evidence level is considered HIGHEST in the evidence-based practice hierarchy?
- Expert opinion
- Case study
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- Systematic review of RCTs (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Systematic review of RCTs
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of multiple RCTs represent the highest level of evidence because they synthesize rigorous controlled data across multiple studies.
Question 6: A client with rheumatoid arthritis asks about joint protection during kitchen tasks. Which principle reflects BEST practice for joint protection?
- Use the smallest joint available to avoid fatiguing large muscles
- Avoid any kitchen tasks during flare-ups
- Use the largest joint available to distribute force and avoid small joint stress (Correct answer)
- Perform tasks only with the dominant hand to ensure precision
Correct answer: Use the largest joint available to distribute force and avoid small joint stress
Joint protection principles direct clients to use larger, stronger joints (e.g., elbow instead of fingers) to distribute mechanical stress and protect vulnerable small joints.
Question 7: When an OT receives a referral for a client but believes the prescribed intervention is not in the client's best interest, the MOST appropriate first action is to:
- Refuse treatment and discharge the client
- Follow the referral exactly without question to maintain professional boundaries
- Communicate concerns directly with the referring physician and discuss alternative approaches (Correct answer)
- Implement a different intervention without notifying the referral source
Correct answer: Communicate concerns directly with the referring physician and discuss alternative approaches
Professional ethics and best practice require the OT to communicate concerns to the referring provider collaboratively, advocating for the client while working within the team.
OT Master of Occupational Therapy MCQ 5
Which splint design is MOST appropriate for a client with a radial nerve injury resulting in wrist drop?