Patient Care
A patient care technician is preparing a patient to receive an enteral feeding through a nasogastric tube. The patient is resting on their side in bed. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Ask the patient to turn from their side onto their back.
b. Raise the head of the patient's bed to a semi-upright position.
c. Assist the patient into orthopneic position.
d. Place an emesis basin under the patient's chin
b. Raise the head of the patient's bed to a semi-upright position.
A patient care technician is adhering to HIPAA regulations about patients' protected health information (PHI). Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Discuss patients with other members of the care team in the hallway.
b. Use a shredder to dispose of documents with PHI.
c. Request to see photo identification before sharing information about a patient to anyone who asks.
d. Connect with patients on social media if they give permission to do so.
b. Use a shredder to dispose of documents with PHI.
A patient care technician is caring for a patient who was prescribed wrist restraints. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Ensure three fingers fit under each restraint.
b. Remove the restraints every 3 to 4 hr.
c. Tie the restraints to the bed's side rails when reapplying the restraints.
d. Pad the patient's wrists before reapplying the restraints.
d. Pad the patient's wrists before reapplying the restraints.
A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has a history of falls. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Ensure the patient has a red identification band applied to their wrist.
b. Place large objects in walkways for the patient to use for stability.
c. Make sure the patient uses a wheelchair when out of bed.
d. Have the patient wear nonskid slippers when out of bed.
d. Have the patient wear nonskid slippers when out of bed.
A patient care technician is performing hourly checks for several patients. To help anticipate and prevent falls, which of the following questions should the technician routinely include?
a. "Do you need pain medication?"
b. "Do you need to use the restroom?"
c. "Can I assist you into a more comfortable position?"
d. "Are you feeling any better since the last time I checked on you?"
b. "Do you need to use the restroom?"
A patient care technician is preparing to serve a meal tray to a patient who has vision loss. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Feed the patient.
b. Avoid having a conversation with the patient while they are eating.
c. Assist the patient to hold their fork.
d. Use the numbers of a clock to describe the food on the plate to the patient.
d. Use the numbers of a clock to describe the food on the plate to the patient.
A patient care technician is documenting data about a patient on a computer at the nurses' station but has to leave the area to assist a patient. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Turn the monitor off.
b. Turn the computer monitor away from others' view.
c. Log off the computer.
d. Ask the unit clerk to make sure no one else uses that computer.
c. Log off the computer.
A patient care technician is disposing of a contaminated needle and experiences a needlestick injury. Which of the following actions should the technician take first?
a. Report the injury to the immediate supervisor.
b. Undergo an assessment by a provider.
c. Assist with filling out an incident report.
d. Wash the site with an antimicrobial soap
d. Wash the site with an antimicrobial soap
A patient care technician is preparing to collect a urine specimen from a patient's urinary drainage system. Which of the following actions should the technician take to verify the patient's identity?
a. Ask the patient to state their name and date of birth.
b. Check the room number and bed number upon entering the room.
c. State the patient's full name and ask them to verify it.
d. Match the patient's specimen label to the requisition form.
a. Ask the patient to state their name and date of birth.
A patient care technician is removing a patient's peripheral IV catheter. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Move the roller clamp on the tubing to the closed position.
b. Withdraw the catheter quickly and apply pressure for 1 min.
c. Pull out the catheter with the hub perpendicular to the skin.
d. Apply firm pressure over the catheter during removal.
a. Move the roller clamp on the tubing to the closed position.
A patient care technician enters a patient's room and finds the patient sitting on the floor. The patient states, "I was getting out of bed when I felt dizzy and slid to the floor." Which of the following actions should the technician take first?
a. Check the floor for any spilled liquids.
b. Reassure the patient.
c. Complete an incident report.
d. Notify the nurse.
d. Notify the nurse.
A patient care technician should identify that which of the following tasks is outside the technician's scope of practice?
a. Assist a patient who is 1 day postoperative with ambulation.
b. Apply a hydrocortisone ointment to a rash.
c. Collect a stool specimen for laboratory analysis.
d. Move a patient from the bed to a chair.
b. Apply a hydrocortisone ointment to a rash.
A patient care technician is attempting to extinguish a small fire in a patient’s room using a fire extinguisher. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Point the hose at the top of the fire.
b. Pull the pin out of the extinguisher.
c. Pull the handles apart to release the contents of the extinguisher.
d. Spray the contents of the extinguisher in an up and down motion.
b. Pull the pin out of the extinguisher.
A patient care technician is caring for a patient who requires assistance with activities of daily living and has difficulty falling asleep due to pain in their knees. Which of the following actions should the technician take to keep the patient safe?
a. Allow the patient to sleep with a heating pad on their knees.
b. Check the patient's skin during heat applications every 20 min.
c. Serve warm milk in a cup with a lid before bedtime.
d. Make sure the temperature of bath water is between 43.3° C (110° F) and 48.9° C (120° F).
c. Serve warm milk in a cup with a lid before bedtime.
While changing a dry-gauze dressing, a patient care technician finds that the gauze is adhering to the patient’s skin. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Apply hydrogen peroxide to the gauze.
b. Apply an antibacterial ointment to the area of adherence.
c. Apply sterile water to the gauze.
d. Apply the new dressing over the old dressing.
c. Apply sterile water to the gauze.
A patient care technician is replacing a colostomy appliance for a patient. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Peel off the used ostomy appliance from the bottom.
b. Wipe away any feces around the stoma with an antiseptic wipe.
c. Press the wafer against the patient's skin for 30 seconds.
d. Wash the skin around the stoma with warm water.
d. Wash the skin around the stoma with warm water.
A patient care technician feels like the charge nurse always assigns them a heavier workload than the other technicians on the unit. After addressing this issue with the charge nurse, nothing has changed. Which of the following staff members should the technician report their concern to next?
a. Human resources manager
b. Unit nurse manager
c. Lead patient care technician
d. Director of nursing
b. Unit nurse manager
A patient care technician observes a patient injure their hand while reaching for a book on the bedside table. The technician should identify that which of the following forms must be completed as a result of this situation?
a. Incident report
b. Informed consent
c. Safety Data Sheet
d. Health insurance claim
a. Incident report
Which of the following tasks should a patient care technician identify as outside the technician's scope of practice?
a. Assisting with range-of-motion exercises.
b. Performing catheter care.
c. Changing the sterile dressing on an incision.
d. Feeding a patient who has dementia.
c. Changing the sterile dressing on an incision.
A patient care technician is transferring a patient who is weight-bearing from the bed to a wheelchair. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Apply a gait belt while the patient sits at the side of the bed.
b. Place the patient's bed at working height.
c. Support the patient's underarms when getting up from the bed.
d. Have the patient grasp the technician's forearm when standing up.
a. Apply a gait belt while the patient sits at the side of the bed.
A patient care technician is calculating a patient's fluid intake for the previous hour. The patient received 50 mL of IV fluid, 6 oz of tea, 6 oz of chicken broth, and 8 oz of water. Which of the following amounts should the technician document?
a. 410 mL
b. 470 mL
c. 600 mL
d. 650 mL
d. 650 mL
A patient care technician is experiencing an ethical dilemma concerning a patient. The technician should visit the website of which of the following organizations to find information about codes of ethics?
a. The Joint Commission
b. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
c. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
d. Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems
a. The Joint Commission
A patient care technician is assisting a patient to reposition in bed. Which of the following actions should the technician take?
a. Keep the bed in its lowest position.
b. Lock the wheels on the bed.
c. Stand with feet together when moving the patient.
d. Lower all side rails.
b. Lock the wheels on the bed.
A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is in the early stages of dementia and asks about advance directives. Which of the following responses should the technician make?
a. "It's a set of documents that tell the health care staff what care you want in case you are unable to state your wishes."
b. "It's a form that indicates you give consent for treatment and understand the risks and benefits of any invasive procedure."
c. "It's a form about your health care wishes that your attorney has to sign to make it legally binding."
d. "It's a document that you sign with your doctor to indicate that you both agree to the care you want."
a. "It's a set of documents that tell the health care staff what care you want in case you are unable to state your wishes."
A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is at risk for pressure ulcers. Which of the following actions should the technician take to prevent pressure ulcers?
a. Use a draw sheet when moving the patient up in bed.
b. Keep the head of the patient's bed elevated at a 45° angle.
c. Reposition the patient once every 3 hr.
d. Massage the skin over bony prominences
a. Use a draw sheet when moving the patient up in bed.