PCM Exam | Verified Exam Questions and Answers | Latest Updated
Study Material 2026
Question:
1. What are the at-
tributes of a pa-
tient that are as- 3. Signs of Distress
sessed as part of 4. Skin Color and Obvious Lesions
the general ap-
pearance exam?
(11)
Answer:
1. Apparent State of Health
2. Level of Consciousness
5. Dress, Grooming, and Personal Hygiene
6. Facial Expression
7. Odors of the Body and Breath
8. Posture, Gait, and Motor Activity
9. Height and Weight
10. Calculating the BMI
11. Waist Circumference
Question:
2. How to select
the correct size
blood pressure
cuff?
Answer:
ÏWidth of the inflatable bladder of the cuff should be about 40% of upper arm
circumference (about 12 to 14 cm in the average adult).
ÏLength of the inflatable bladder should be about 80% of upper arm circumfer-
ence (almost long enough to encircle the arm).
ÏThe standard cuff is 12 × 23 cm, appropriate for arm circumferences up to 28 cm.
If the cuff is too small (narrow), the blood pressure will read high; if the cuff is too
large (wide), the blood pressure will read low on a small arm and high on a large
arm
Question:
3. Steps to en-
sure an accurate measurement.
,blood pressure
measurement
Answer:
1. The patient should avoid smoking, caffeine, or exercise for 30 minutes prior to
2. The examining room should be quiet and comfortably warm.
3. The patient should sit quietly for 5 minutes in a chair with feet on the floor,
rather than on the examining table.
4. The arm selected should be free of clothing, fistulas for dialysis, scars from
brachial artery cutdowns, or lymphedema from axillary node dissection or radia-
tion therapy.
5. Palpate the brachial artery to confirm a viable pulse and position the arm so
that the brachial artery, at the
antecubital crease, is at heart
level-roughly level with the
fourth interspace at its
junction with the sternum.
Question:
6. If the patient is seated, rest the arm on a table a little above the patient's waist;
if standing, try to support the patient's arm at the midchest level.
Answer:
Question:
4. What is the prop- 1. Select the correct size blood pressure cuff
er technique for 2. Ensure that the conditions are good
obtaining blood
pressure?
Answer:
3. Position the cuff and the arm (arm at heart level)
4. Estimate the systolic pressure and add 30 mmHG
5. Position the stethoscope bell over the brachial artery
6. Identify the systolic blood pressure
7. Identify the diastolic blood pressure
8. Average two or more readings
Question:
5. What is the prop- Observe the rate, rhythm, depth, and effort of breathing. Count the number of
er technique for respirations in 1 minute either by visual inspection or by subtly listening over the
obtaining respi-
ratory rate?
,Answer:
patient's trachea with your stethoscope during your examination of the head and
neck or chest.`
Question:
6. What is the prop- The radial pulse is commonly used to assess the heart rate (Fig. 4-8). With the
er technique for pads of your index and middle fingers, compress the radial artery until a maximal
obtaining a heart pulsation is detected. If the rhythm is regular and the rate seems normal, count
rate?
Answer:
the rate for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. If the rate is unusually fast or slow, count
for 60 seconds.
Question:
7. How to measure Begin by palpating the radial pulse. If there are any irregularities, assess the
heart rhythm
Answer:
rhythm at the apex by listening with your stethoscope. Premature beats of low
amplitude may not be transmitted to the peripheral pulses, leading to under-
estimates of the heart rate. Is the rhythm regular or irregular? If irregular, try to
identify a pattern: (1) Do early beats appear in a basically regular rhythm? (2)
Does the irregularity vary consistently with respiration? (3) Is the rhythm totally
irregular?
Question:
8. What are the
various methods toddlers.
Answer:
Oral, Rectal, Tympanic, Temporal Artery. Rectal recommended in infants and
you can use to
obtain tempera-
ture?
Question:
9. Average heart
rate of children
ages 1-2
, Answer:
110 (70-150)
Question:
10. Average heart
rate of children
ages 2-6
Answer:
103 (68-138)
Question:
11. Average heart
rate of children
ages 6-10
Answer:
95 (65-125)
Question:
12. How does heart Decreases with age
rate change as a
Unchanged resting heart rate in elderly but they will have slower increase in HR
from stress/exercise.
Answer:
person ages?
Question:
13. How does blood Lower in pediatrics, increases with as they age. Pediatrics BPs based on percentile
Answer:
pressure change of height. Normal ranges from 80/35 as a 1yo to 105/65 as a 10yo. Threshold for
as a person gets hypertension in elderly (65+) is higher
older?
Question:
14. normal blood
pressure
Answer:
Study Material 2026
Question:
1. What are the at-
tributes of a pa-
tient that are as- 3. Signs of Distress
sessed as part of 4. Skin Color and Obvious Lesions
the general ap-
pearance exam?
(11)
Answer:
1. Apparent State of Health
2. Level of Consciousness
5. Dress, Grooming, and Personal Hygiene
6. Facial Expression
7. Odors of the Body and Breath
8. Posture, Gait, and Motor Activity
9. Height and Weight
10. Calculating the BMI
11. Waist Circumference
Question:
2. How to select
the correct size
blood pressure
cuff?
Answer:
ÏWidth of the inflatable bladder of the cuff should be about 40% of upper arm
circumference (about 12 to 14 cm in the average adult).
ÏLength of the inflatable bladder should be about 80% of upper arm circumfer-
ence (almost long enough to encircle the arm).
ÏThe standard cuff is 12 × 23 cm, appropriate for arm circumferences up to 28 cm.
If the cuff is too small (narrow), the blood pressure will read high; if the cuff is too
large (wide), the blood pressure will read low on a small arm and high on a large
arm
Question:
3. Steps to en-
sure an accurate measurement.
,blood pressure
measurement
Answer:
1. The patient should avoid smoking, caffeine, or exercise for 30 minutes prior to
2. The examining room should be quiet and comfortably warm.
3. The patient should sit quietly for 5 minutes in a chair with feet on the floor,
rather than on the examining table.
4. The arm selected should be free of clothing, fistulas for dialysis, scars from
brachial artery cutdowns, or lymphedema from axillary node dissection or radia-
tion therapy.
5. Palpate the brachial artery to confirm a viable pulse and position the arm so
that the brachial artery, at the
antecubital crease, is at heart
level-roughly level with the
fourth interspace at its
junction with the sternum.
Question:
6. If the patient is seated, rest the arm on a table a little above the patient's waist;
if standing, try to support the patient's arm at the midchest level.
Answer:
Question:
4. What is the prop- 1. Select the correct size blood pressure cuff
er technique for 2. Ensure that the conditions are good
obtaining blood
pressure?
Answer:
3. Position the cuff and the arm (arm at heart level)
4. Estimate the systolic pressure and add 30 mmHG
5. Position the stethoscope bell over the brachial artery
6. Identify the systolic blood pressure
7. Identify the diastolic blood pressure
8. Average two or more readings
Question:
5. What is the prop- Observe the rate, rhythm, depth, and effort of breathing. Count the number of
er technique for respirations in 1 minute either by visual inspection or by subtly listening over the
obtaining respi-
ratory rate?
,Answer:
patient's trachea with your stethoscope during your examination of the head and
neck or chest.`
Question:
6. What is the prop- The radial pulse is commonly used to assess the heart rate (Fig. 4-8). With the
er technique for pads of your index and middle fingers, compress the radial artery until a maximal
obtaining a heart pulsation is detected. If the rhythm is regular and the rate seems normal, count
rate?
Answer:
the rate for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. If the rate is unusually fast or slow, count
for 60 seconds.
Question:
7. How to measure Begin by palpating the radial pulse. If there are any irregularities, assess the
heart rhythm
Answer:
rhythm at the apex by listening with your stethoscope. Premature beats of low
amplitude may not be transmitted to the peripheral pulses, leading to under-
estimates of the heart rate. Is the rhythm regular or irregular? If irregular, try to
identify a pattern: (1) Do early beats appear in a basically regular rhythm? (2)
Does the irregularity vary consistently with respiration? (3) Is the rhythm totally
irregular?
Question:
8. What are the
various methods toddlers.
Answer:
Oral, Rectal, Tympanic, Temporal Artery. Rectal recommended in infants and
you can use to
obtain tempera-
ture?
Question:
9. Average heart
rate of children
ages 1-2
, Answer:
110 (70-150)
Question:
10. Average heart
rate of children
ages 2-6
Answer:
103 (68-138)
Question:
11. Average heart
rate of children
ages 6-10
Answer:
95 (65-125)
Question:
12. How does heart Decreases with age
rate change as a
Unchanged resting heart rate in elderly but they will have slower increase in HR
from stress/exercise.
Answer:
person ages?
Question:
13. How does blood Lower in pediatrics, increases with as they age. Pediatrics BPs based on percentile
Answer:
pressure change of height. Normal ranges from 80/35 as a 1yo to 105/65 as a 10yo. Threshold for
as a person gets hypertension in elderly (65+) is higher
older?
Question:
14. normal blood
pressure
Answer:
