Patient Interactions
Upon receiving an order or request to perform a radiographic examination on a patient, the first step to consider in order to achieve exam success is to
perform a patient assessment by referencing the patient’s chart or exam request.
In the process of questioning a patient about the reason for having the requested X-ray examination, the patient becomes irritated and complains that she “is getting pretty tired of saying the same things over and over to all these nurses.” An effective method to deal with this patient’s attitude would be to
explain that each person is asking questions specific to their patient care task.
The purpose of a patient transfer is to
safely move a patient from one area to another.
Patient immobilization is a critical part of achieving optimum image quality. Even the smallest, undetectable involuntary motion can degrade the final image. Effective methods to reduce the amount of patient motion include
giving clear, concise instructions to the patient before the exposure.
assessing the amount of patient cooperation you can expect and making adjustments in immobilization.
explaining how important it is to hold still during the exposure so that a good image can be obtained.
The collection of vital signs data is quick and noninvasive. The usual vital signs measured include
temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
The cadence and rhythm of your speech, often referred to as the “music of speech,” is known as
paralanguage.
Good history taking involves the collection of objective and subjective data. List some items that would be considered subjective data.
ability to follow your instructions, pain level, emotions, speech pattern
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, one of the most common work-related injuries resulting in lost work time and disability is
strains, sprains, and musculoskeletal injuries.
The technique of wrapping an infant patient in a sheet is known as
mummification.
Adequate breathing consists of
good respiratory rate.
good respiratory depth.
10 to 12 breaths/min.
You have received a request to perform a radiographic study on a patient who is clearly intoxicated but coherent. In preparing to perform this procedure, you should
ensure your safety by checking to see that the hospital security officer will stay with the patient during the procedure.
As a patient begins to explain his reasons for coming to the clinic for a radiographic examination, he begins to use medical terms to describe his conditions. His information appears to be accurate medically and helps clarify his symptoms. To deal with this patient, you should
politely listen, record his comments, and repeat his statements to clarify.
Mobility muscles differ from stability muscles in that
mobility muscles are located in the arms and legs.
The ideal patient immobilization device would be
radiolucent, durable, and easy to use for the radiographer.
The peak blood pressure reading, when measuring blood pressures, is
systolic pressure.
Clearly understanding your emotions when handling patients and their families is referred to as
emotional intelligence.
In determining a patient’s description of his or her pain, a good question to ask would be
“How would you describe the pain?”
“When did the pain first happen?”
“If the pain comes and goes, how often does it occur, and what is the time span between occurrences?”
A sudden drop in a patient’s blood pressure caused by standing or sitting upright is called
orthostatic hypotension.
The Octostop immobilization device is used
on infants and children younger than 1 year.
A patient who has a temporal artery temperature of 100° F is
normal.
When working with an elderly patient, you should
speak slowly and clearly and ask for understanding and feedback.
Most radiologists have one key question they want answered when it relates to any medical imaging examination. That question most likely would be
Why is the patient having this examination?
As you enter a patient’s room to perform a portable examination, you notice the patient sleeping on her side with one leg over the other with the knees bent. This patient is in the _____ position.
Sims or recovery
When radiographing a patient with severe abdominal trauma and possible hemorrhagic shock and the patient is wearing an antishock garment, it is important to
radiograph the patient through the antishock garment the patient is wearing.
The levels of blood pressures that are read on a sphygmomanometer are
systolic over diastolic.