PCA Emergency Response & First Aid 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a client suddenly becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, what is the FIRST action a PCA should take?
- Call 911 (or have someone else call) and begin CPR (Correct answer)
- Reposition the client and wait for a response
- Administer oxygen from a bedside tank
- Contact the supervising nurse before doing anything
Correct answer: Call 911 (or have someone else call) and begin CPR
Activating emergency services and starting CPR immediately maximizes the chance of survival for a client in cardiac arrest.
Question 2: A PCA notices a client has a small superficial cut that is bleeding. What is the appropriate first-aid response?
- Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or gloved hand (Correct answer)
- Apply a tourniquet above the wound immediately
- Clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide and leave it open
- Call 911 before touching the wound
Correct answer: Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or gloved hand
Applying direct pressure is the standard first step to control minor bleeding and prevent infection.
Question 3: A client tells the PCA they are experiencing crushing chest pain radiating to their left arm. What should the PCA do?
- Call 911 immediately and keep the client calm and still (Correct answer)
- Give the client water and have them rest
- Ask the client to walk to the car to drive to the hospital
- Administer the client's nitroglycerin without consulting anyone
Correct answer: Call 911 immediately and keep the client calm and still
These are classic signs of a heart attack requiring immediate emergency services; keeping the client calm minimizes cardiac stress.
Question 4: Which of the following is the correct hand placement for adult CPR chest compressions?
- Center of the chest on the lower half of the sternum (Correct answer)
- On the left side of the chest over the heart
- On the upper third of the sternum near the collarbone
- On the abdomen just below the ribcage
Correct answer: Center of the chest on the lower half of the sternum
Compressions on the lower half of the sternum effectively pump blood from the heart to vital organs.
Question 5: A client begins to choke and cannot speak, cough, or breathe. What should the PCA do?
- Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) immediately (Correct answer)
- Encourage the client to drink water to dislodge the object
- Perform back blows only and wait to see if it clears
- Call 911 and take no further action until help arrives
Correct answer: Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) immediately
Abdominal thrusts create upward pressure to expel a foreign-body airway obstruction in a conscious adult.
Question 6: A client has fallen and is complaining of severe hip pain with their leg appearing shortened and rotated. What should the PCA do?
- Keep the client still and call 911; do not attempt to move the client (Correct answer)
- Gently assist the client back to bed to check for bruising
- Apply ice and wait 30 minutes to see if pain improves
- Perform a range-of-motion assessment of the hip
Correct answer: Keep the client still and call 911; do not attempt to move the client
A shortened, rotated leg after a fall is a sign of a possible hip fracture; moving the client can worsen the injury.
Question 7: When should a PCA use an AED (Automated External Defibrillator)?
- When a client is in cardiac arrest and an AED is available (Correct answer)
- Whenever a client loses consciousness for any reason
- Only after a physician gives verbal authorization
- When a client has an irregular heartbeat but is still conscious
Correct answer: When a client is in cardiac arrest and an AED is available
An AED is designed for use in cardiac arrest; it analyzes the rhythm and delivers a shock only if indicated.
PCA Emergency Response & First Aid 1
When a client suddenly becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, what is the FIRST action a PCA should take?