ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Fasting blood sugar / blood glucose normal level: - CORRECT ANSWER - 65-99
100-135 = pre-diabetes
critical = >400
Hgb A1c normal values - CORRECT ANSWER - 4-6%
Optimal diabetic control = less than or equal to 7%.
Hemoglobin normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - males = 13-18
females = 13-16
(This is increased w/ dehydration or polycythemia)
Hematocrit normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - males = 40-52%
females = 36-48%
(decreased w/ overhydration and blood loss; poor dietary intake or iron / protein and certain
vitamins.
Serum albumin level normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - 3.5-5.5
Mild depletion = 2.8-3.5
Mod depletion = 2.1-2.7
Sev depletion= <2.1
(increased w/ dehydration)
(decreased with overhydration, malnutrition, and liver dx)
,Total protein level normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - 6-8
(decreased in pregnancy, burns and such disorders such as chronic alcoholism, cirrhosis, crohn's
dx and ulcerative colitis / myeloma.
Pre-albumin normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - 15-30
Mild depletion = 10-15
Mod depletion = 5-10
Sev depltion = <5
**decreased w/ undernutrition and malnutrition
Transferrin normal vals: - CORRECT ANSWER - 200-400
Mild depletion = 150-299
Mod depletion = 100-149
Sev depletion = <100
Blood pressure taking techniques: - CORRECT ANSWER - -Record readings to the
nearest 2 mmHg -duhhh
-client may sit down or lie down.
-the 'ideal' cuff should have a bladder length that is 80% and a width that is at least 40% of the
arm circumference.
Pain scale for infants = - CORRECT ANSWER - -FLACC (face, legs, activity, cry,
consolability) - infants
,Adventitious sounds = - CORRECT ANSWER - additional sounds heard over normal
breath sounds (wheezing / crackles) have the client cough to clear the airway and listen again.
Pleural friction rubs = - CORRECT ANSWER - low-pitched, dry, grating sounds
Cardiac landmarks for auscultation!!!! - CORRECT ANSWER - Aortic = 2nd ICS; RSB
Pulmonic = 2nd / 3rd ICS LSB
Erbs point 3rd ICS LSB
Mitral (apical) = 5th ICS, MCL (may be harder to feel in younger patients......
JVD: - CORRECT ANSWER - Should not be visible with a client sitting at a 45 degree
angle or more. If seen it could be caused by RV failure; pulm HTN; pulm emboli; fluid overload.
Heart failure pts have orthopnea.
Arterial insufficiency: - CORRECT ANSWER - dry, shiny, cold, pale, hairless, poor cap
refill, decreased / absent pulses, pale with elev of ext.
-ulcers = circular painful deep
-Risk factors- smoking, diabetes, obesity, high BP
Venous insufficiency: - CORRECT ANSWER - edema, reddish/blue coloration, pulses are
hard to palpate because of edema, think skin
Ulcers-superficial, irregular borders
Bowel sounds: - CORRECT ANSWER - Hyperactive- gastroenteritis, diarrhea, laxatives,
early bowel obstruction
Hypoactive- paralytic ileus after abdominal surgery, inflammation of peritoneum, late bowel
obstruction
Absent- no bowel motility, emergency situation and needs referral must listen for a full 5 mins in
order to determine if its truly absent
, Breast + lymphatic system: - CORRECT ANSWER - Screening for Cancers: Inspection
and palpation- an enlarged lymph nodes is documented if you feel anything greater than 1 cm.
malignant vs benign masses.
-benign: round or oval, firm, mobile, non-tender, may experience pain and fullness just before
the patients period.
-malignant: typically found in the upper outer quad (think deodorant). Hard, immobile, fixed,
poorly defined borders. Also assess for prominent venous patterns.
Macule: - CORRECT ANSWER - think freckles (flat, non palpable, small)
Papule: - CORRECT ANSWER - think mole or wart (elevated, palpable, solid mass)
Nodule: - CORRECT ANSWER - think keloid ( same as papule but does into the dermis
deeper)
Vesicle: - CORRECT ANSWER - think burns or chicken pox (elevated, palpable, mass
containing serous fluid)
Wheal: - CORRECT ANSWER - think mosquito bite (elevated mass, irregular borders)
Pustule: - CORRECT ANSWER - think ache (pus-filled vesicle)
Positive Babinski sign= - CORRECT ANSWER - upper motor neuron lesions
CN II: - CORRECT ANSWER - Optic (II) 2- Snellen chart, view retina and optic disk
CN III, IV, VI: - CORRECT ANSWER - Oculomotor, Trochlear, Abducens (III, IV, VI)
3,4,6- assess all 3 by having to client move his eyes in the 6 cardinal fields of gaze.