Essential Study Resources and Strategies for Passing the PCT NHA Exam

1. THE LAVENDER-TOPPED TUBE CONTAINS: A. NO ADDITIVE B. SPS C. NA+ CITRATE D. EDTA - CORRECT ANSWERD. EDTA 1. THE ADDITIVE IN A GRAY-TOPPED TUBE IS: A. K+ OXALATE B. NA+ CITRATE C. EDTA D. NONE OF THE ABOVE - CORRECT ANSWERA. K+ OXALATE 1. WHICH OF THE NEEDLE HAS THE LARGEST GAUGE? A. 16 G B. 20 G C. 21 G D. 25 G - CORRECT ANSWERA. 16 G 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING GAUGE NEEDLE IS USED FOR THE TYPICAL ADULT VENIPUNCTURE? A. 23 G B. 16 G C. 21 G D. 25 G - CORRECT ANSWERC. 21 G 1. THE VENIPUNCTURE EQUIPMENT THAT CONSISTS OF A NEEDLE ATTACHED TO A PLASTIC TUBING IS KNOWN AS: A. SYRINGE B. EVACUATED TUBE C. WINGED INFUSION SET D. MICRO-COLLECTION CONTAINER - CORRECT ANSWERC. WINGED INFUSION SET 1. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE TRUE ABOUT WINGED INFUSION SETS EXCEPT: A. COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A BUTTERFLY B. COMES IN NEEDLES SIZES OF 16G AND 18G C. USED ON FRAGILE VEINS D. PREFERRED OVER A SYRINGE - CORRECT ANSWERB. COMES IN NEEDLES SIZES OF 16G AND 18G 1. YOU ARE ABOUT TO DRAW A FBG ON A PATIENT AND THE PATIENT STATES THAT HE TOOK HIS MEDICATIONS WITH SOME ORANGE JUICE THIS MORNING. WHAT WOULD YOU DO NEXT? A. DRAW THE PATIENT'S BLOOD B. EXPLAIN TO THE PATIENT THAT YOU CANNOT DRAW HIS BLOOD WITHOUT SPEAKING TO HIS PHYSICIAN FIRST C. TELL THE PATIENT TO CALL HIS PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY ASK THE PATIENT TO LEAVE AND COME BACK TOMORROW - CORRECT ANSWERB. EXPLAIN TO THE PATIENT THAT YOU CANNOT DRAW HIS BLOOD WITHOUT SPEAKING TO HIS PHYSICIAN FIRST 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS IS INCORRECT WHEN PERFORMING A DERMAL PUNCTURE? A. USING A 2.0 MM LANCET ON A CHILD B. PUNCTURING THE PLANTAR SURFACE OF THE HEEL C. ALLOWING THE ALCOHOL TO DRY ONSITE PRIOR TO PUNCTURE D. COLLECTING THE FIRST DROP OF BLOOD - CORRECT ANSWERD. COLLECTING THE FIRST DROP OF BLOOD 1. THE FUNCTION OF VEINS IS TO: A. CARRY OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD TO THE HEART B. FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD AND DEOXYGENATED BLOOD C. CARRY DEOXYGENATED BLOOD AWAY FROM THE HEART D. CARRY DEOXYGENATED BLOOD TO THE HEART - CORRECT ANSWERD. CARRY DEOXYGENATED BLOOD TO THE HEART 1. THE FUNCTION OF ARTERIES IS TO: A. FACILITATE THE EXCHANGE OF OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD AND DEOXYGENATED BLOOD B. CARRY OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD AWAY FROM THE HEART C. CARRY DEOXYGENATED BLOOD TO THE HEART D. PUMP BLOOD TO ALL PARTS OF THE BODY - CORRECT ANSWERB. CARRY OXYGEN-RICH BLOOD AWAY FROM THE HEART 1. THE AVERAGE HEART RATE IS: A. 72 BPM B. 62 BPM C. 82 BPM D. 92 BPM - CORRECT ANSWERA. 72 BPM 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS SHOULD THE PCT TAKE IF THE BASELINE OF THE ECG IS OFF CENTER? A. ADJUST THE STANDARDIZATION BUTTON B. ADJUST THE SENSITIVITY C. ADJUST THE STYLUS (ALTHOUGH ECG MACHINES NO LONGER HAVE STYLUSES) D. ADJUST THE PAPER FEEDER - CORRECT ANSWERC. ADJUST THE STYLUS (ALTHOUGH ECG MACHINES NO LONGER HAVE STYLUSES) 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE INNER LAYER OF THE HEART? A. PERICARDIUM B. ENDOCARDIUM C. EPICARDIUM D. MYOCARDIUM - CORRECT ANSWERB. ENDOCARDIUM 1. WHAT IS THE UNIVERSAL STANDARD FOR RECORDING AN ECG? A. 20 MM/SEC B. 25 MM/SEC C. 30 MM/SEC D. 35 MM/SEC - CORRECT ANSWERB. 25 MM/SEC 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STRUCTURES SEPARATES THE RIGHT ATRIUM FROM THE RIGHT VENTRICLE? A. AORTIC VALVE B. MITRAL VALVE C. BICUSPID VALVE D. TRICUSPID VALVE - CORRECT ANSWERD. TRICUSPID VALVE 1. THE APPROXIMATE TIME FOR ONE CARDIAC CYCLE IS A. 1.0 SEC B. 0.25 SEC C. 0.8 SEC D. 0.08 SEC - CORRECT ANSWERD. 0.08 SEC 1. THE LOWER CHAMBERS OF THE HEART ARE THE A. VENTRICLES B. ATRIA C. SEPTUM D. APEX - CORRECT ANSWERA. VENTRICULES 1. A TERM THAT MEANS "DEFICIENCY OF RED BLOOD CELLS" IS A. ERYTHOCYTOPENIA B. ATHEROMA C. ERYTHROCYTOSIS D. HEMATEMESIS - CORRECT ANSWERA. ERYTHOPENIA 1. THE TERM THROMBOPHLEBITIS MEANS A. PAIN IN A VESSEL B. INFLAMMATION OF A VEIN IN THE PRESENCE OF A CLOT C. CLOTTING CELL D. NONE OF THE ABOVE - CORRECT ANSWERB. INFLAMMATION OF THE VEIN IN THE PRESENCE OF A CLOT 1. THE TERM ANGIOEDEMA MEANS A. SWELLING OF AN ARTERY B. NARROWING OF THE AORTA C. SWELLING OF A VESSEL D. RUPTURE OF A LYMPHATIC VESSEL - CORRECT ANSWERC. SWELLING OF A VESSEL 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS THE PROPER CONDUCTION SEQUENCE: A. SA NODE -> AV NODE -> BUNDLE OF HIS -> PURKINJE FIBERS B. AV NODE -> SA NODE -> PURKINJE FIBERS -> BUNDLE OF HIS C. SA NODE -> BUNDLE OF HIS -> PURKINJE FIBERS -> AV NODE D. SA NODE -> AV NODE -> PURKINJE FIBERS -> BUNDLE OF HIS - CORRECT ANSWERA. SA NODE -> AV NODE-> BUNDLE OF HIS-> PURKINJE FIBERS 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IS TRUE REGARDING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION? A. PRESENTING SYMPTOMS MAY BE DIFFERENT IN WOMEN THAN IN MEN B. INDIVIDUALS WITH CHEST PAIN SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DRIVE THEMSELVES TO THE HOSPITAL RATHER THAN WAITING ON AN AMBULANCE C. CONFUSION AND HALLUCINATIONS ARE A COMMON SYMPTOM THE TEST THAT IS CONSIDERED MOST RELIABLE IN DIAGNOSING AN MI IS THE ECG - CORRECT ANSWERA. PRESENTING SYMPTOMS MAY BE DIFFERENT IN WOMEN THAN IN MEN 1. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS IS TRUE REGARDING HEART FAILURE? A. THE RIGHT VENTRICLE IS THE PART OF THE HEART MOST EFFECTED B. THOSE AT GREATEST RISK FOR DEVELOPING HEART FAILURE INCLUDE AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE ELDERLY C. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS INCLUDE PAIN IN THE CHEST, JAW, AND LEFT ARM THE MOST USEFUL TEST FOR DIAGNOSING HEART FAILURE IS THE ECG - CORRECT ANSWERTHOSE AT GREATEST RISK FOR DEVELOPING HEART FAILURE INCLUDE AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE ELDERLY 1. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE REGARDING ANEURYSM EXCEPT: A. IT IS AN ABNORMAL DILATION OF THE WALL OF A BLOOD VESSEL BY MORE THAN 50% DUE TO WEAKNESS IN THE VESSEL B. BRAIN ANEURYSMS, WHICH ARE USUALLY CONGENITAL, ARE MOST COMMON IN ADULT WOMEN C. A COMMON EXAMINATION FINDING IN THOSE WITH BRAIN ANEURYSM IS A MURMUR D. RUPTURE OF AN ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM CAUSES PAIN IN THE ABDOMEN OR BACK, AND IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY - CORRECT ANSWERC. A COMMON EXAMINATION FINDING IN THOSE WITH BRAIN ANEURYSM IS A MURMUR 1. A 67-YEAR-OLD MAN PRESENTS TO THE URGENT CARE CLINIC COMPLAINING OF A SQUEEZING SENSATION IN HIS CHEST AND DIFFICULTY BREATHING. THE PCT SHOULD RESPOND IN ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WAYS EXCEPT: A. ESCORTING HIM TO A TREATMENT ROOM, APPLYING OXYGEN, AND HAVING HIM REST WHILE WAITING HIS TURN TO BE SEEN B. TAKING HIM TO A TREATMENT ROOM BY A WHEELCHAIR AND OBTAINING A SET OF VITAL SIGNS C. PREPARING TO OBTAIN AN IMMEDIATE ECG PREPARING TO ADMINISTER ASPIRING AND NITROGLYCERIN - CORRECT ANSWERESCORTING HIM TO A TREATMENT ROOM, APPLYING OXYGEN, AND HAVING HIM REST WHILE WAITING HIS TURN TO BE SEEN 2. THE PCT UNDERSTANDS THAT THE CARDIOLOGIST EVALUATES PATIENTS FOR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEART DISEASE SUCH AS: A. FLAT NECK VEINS B. UPPER EXTREMITY EDEMA C. LUNG CONGESTION D. SKIN RASHES - CORRECT ANSWERC. LUNG CONGESTION 1. THE PCT UNDERSTANDS THAT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE TRUE REGARDING ECG EXCEPT: A. THE PAPER USED IN ECG MACHINES IS PRESSURE AND HEAT SENSITIVE B. BETWEEN BOLD VERTICAL LINES (FIVE TINY BOXES) REPRESENTS 0.2 SECONDS OF TIME C. ELECTRODES THAT TRANSMIT DATA ABOUT CARDIAC ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY TO THE ECG MACHINE ARE PLACED ON THE PATIENT'S ARMS, LEGS AND CHEST D. MOST MEDICAL OFFICES TODAY USE METAL DISKS, RUBBER BANDS, AND SUCTION CUPS TO ATTACH ELECTRODES AND KEEP THEM IN PLACE - CORRECT ANSWERD. MOST MEDICAL OFFICES TODAY USE METAL DISKS, RUBBER BANDS, AND SUCTION CUPS TO ATTACH ELECTRODES AND KEEP THEM IN PLACE 1. THE PCT WHO IS TEACHING HER PATIENT ABOUT AN EVENT RECORDER REALIZES THAT THE PATIENT NEEDS FURTHER INSTRUCTION WHEN HE STATES A. "THIS IS A SMALL, PORTABLE MONITOR THAT I CAN WEAR AROUND MY NECK OR PUT IN MY SHIRT POCKET." B. "I WILL HAVE TWO ELECTRODES ON MY CHEST THAT I CAN ACTIVATE IF I FEEL ANY SYMPTOMS." C. "THIS DEVICE WILL SEND AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO MY HEART IF I NEED IT." D. "I SHOULD ONLY HAVE TO WEAR THIS DEVICE FOR 24 HOURS." - CORRECT ANSWERC. "THIS DEVICE WILL SEND AN ELECTRIC SHOCK TO MY HEART IF I NEED IT"