Ch 34 Post Test
Which of the following is NOT a common cause of chest pain in the elderly? A. Asthma Your answer is correct.B. Angina C. Pneumonia D. Aneurysm
A. Asthma
An elderly patient who is experiencing a myocardial infarction is more likely to complain of which of the following symptoms than a younger patient would? A. Shortness of breath without chest pain Your answer is correct.B. A rash caused by shingles C. Shortness of breath with chest pain D. No chest pain or shortness of breath
A. Shortness of breath without chest pain
When an elderly patient complains of abdominal pain, the EMT should consider this symptom to be: A. an indication of a potentially serious problem. Your answer is correct.B. cardiac related until proven otherwise. C. non-life-threatening unless accompanied by other symptoms. D. related to a problem with digestion.
A. an indication of a potentially serious problem.
A high index of suspicion for a bowel obstruction would follow from all of the following signs and symptoms EXCEPT which one? A. Black, tarry stools Your answer is correct.B. Constipation C. Abdominal pain D. Bloating
A. Black, tarry stools
What is the MOST likely reason that 25 percent of elderly patients die within a year following a fall significant enough to result in transport to an emergency room? A. More falls B. Complications from the fall Your answer is correct.C. Depression D. Risk-taking behavior
B. Complications from the fall
Which of the following groups is MOST likely to be successful in a suicide attempt? A. Young women B. Elderly men Your answer is correct.C. Middle-aged men D. Teenagers
B. Elderly men
An elderly patient you are transporting to the hospital complains of feeling faint and abdominal pain. The patient states a recent history of "tarry stool." Which of the following conditions is most likely? A. Constipation B. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding Your answer is correct.C. Myocardial infarction D. Abdominal aortic aneurysm
B. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding
Which of the following is important to remember when communicating with an elderly patient with a hearing impairment? A. You may need to shout in order for the patient to hear you. B. Make sure the patient can see you when you are speaking to him. Your answer is correct.C. Patients with hearing difficulties prefer written communication. D. Speak directly into the patient's ear.
B. Make sure the patient can see you when you are speaking to him.
During your scene size-up on a call for an 72-year-old male patient with altered mental status, you immediately note that the patient seems to be living on a severely restricted income. The patient seems to have few possessions, all of which are well-kept but old; the refrigerator is almost empty, and the living space is small and in a poor neighborhood. With respect to medications this patient may be taking, what would these circumstances make you MOST suspect? A. NSAID use B. Noncompliance Your answer is correct.C. Drug-patient interactions D. Drug-drug interactions
B. Noncompliance
Which of the following is meant by the "1 percent rule" of aging? A. About 1 percent of the population makes it to their 85th birthday. B. Our organ systems lose about 1 percent of function per year beginning at age 30. Your answer is correct.C. About 1 percent of the population older than age 65 has significant organ function decline. D. We lose about 1 percent of our memory capacity every year beginning at age 50.
B. Our organ systems lose about 1 percent of function per year beginning at age 30.
With diminished thyroid function, an elderly patient is likely to: A. be more susceptible to fractures. B. experience difficulty with temperature regulation. Your answer is correct.C. have skin that is more easily bruised and torn. D. have increased risk of drug toxicity and interactions.
B. experience difficulty with temperature regulation.
You are assessing a 67-year-old male patient who is experiencing a dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm. Typically, such a patient will describe the pain as: A. dull. B. tearing. Your answer is correct.C. sharp. D. achy.
B. tearing.
You walk up the stairs of a house to respond to a call of an elderly man. You notice that the stairs do not have any handrails, many of the chairs lack armrests, the temperature in the house feels cool, and the patient's water heater seems not to be operational because there is no hot water in the house. If the patient's chief complaint was trauma from a fall, which of these problems would MOST likely be the cause? A. Temperature too cool B. Chairs lacking armrests C. Stairs lacking handrails Your answer is correct.D. No hot water
C. Stairs lacking handrails
You are assessing an 83-year-old female who is having hip pain. When you count her pulse, you notice that the rate is irregularly irregular. What is your treatment for this patient? A. Alert paramedics to respond for a possible cardiac patient. B. Check distal circulation, sensory, and motor sensation, apply a pelvic wrap, place on a traction splint, and transport the patient. C. The irregularity is not a reason for concern in itself. Your answer is correct.D. Contact medical control for permission to have the patient transported by helicopter from the scene.
C. The irregularity is not a reason for concern in itself.
What type of rug MOST presents a fall danger? A. Thin B. Thick C. Torn Your answer is correct.D. Woven
C. Torn
While interviewing your patient, she tells you that her husband will be back from the store shortly and can get you a list of her medications. Her daughter tells you that the patient's husband died 15 years ago. This situation is known as: A. contemplation. B. imagination. C. confabulation. This is the correct answer.D. hallucination.
C. confabulation.
Financial elder abuse could involve: A. leaving a patient out in the cold. B. explaining to a patient why her insurance doesn't cover a procedure. C. taking a patient's belongings. Your answer is correct.D. refusing to speak to a patient in distress.
C. taking a patient's belongings.
Which of the following statements regarding altered mental status in elderly patients is FALSE? A. Sepsis or a generalized infection of the bloodstream may produce altered mental status. B. An altered mental status may be the only immediately noticeable sign of pneumonia in an elderly patient. C. Both hypothermia and hypoglycemia may produce altered mental status. D. Altered mental status in a geriatric patient is nearly always the result of adverse effects from misuse of prescribed medications.
D. Altered mental status in a geriatric patient is nearly always the result of adverse effects from misuse of prescribed medications.
While listening to an otherwise healthy elderly patient's lungs, you note decreased breath sounds. Which of the following may explain this finding? A. Decreased blood flow to the lungs B. Previous abdominal injuries C. Increased chest wall flexibility D. Decreased lung capacity
D. Decreased lung capacity
Which of the following questions is MOST helpful in distinguishing between normal age-related changes and the effects of an illness when assessing an elderly patient? A. How is your appetite? B. When was the last time you had a bowel movement? C. Are you taking your medications the way you are supposed to be taking them? D. How do you feel today compared to last week?
D. How do you feel today compared to last week?
Which of the following lung conditions is the fourth leading cause of death among the elderly? A. Tuberculosis B. Chronic bronchitis C. Pneumothorax D. Pneumonia
D. Pneumonia
Which of the following may BEST provide the EMT with an indication of physical neglect of an elderly patient? A. Evidence of sexual assault B. Misuse of a person's personal belongings C. Injuries from a fall D. Poor hygiene
D. Poor hygiene
Which of the following statements regarding elder abuse is correct? A. EMTs should ask elderly patients to point out their abuser. B. Signs of elder abuse are usually obvious. C. Abused elderly patients will always have physical signs of abuse. D. Signs of elder abuse may be difficult to detect.
D. Signs of elder abuse may be difficult to detect.
As an adult ages, the body experiences changes that cause: A. disease of the heart and lungs. B. an increased blood pressure. C. dementia. D. a decreased compensatory ability.
D. a decreased compensatory ability.
While assessing the mental status of an elderly patient who has been retired for several years, you notice he has difficulty answering your questions. He seems depressed. Based on this information, you should: A. suspect a life-threatening neurological event. B. consider the need for advanced provider care to finish the assessment. C. consider his mental status as being decreased. D. acknowledge the patients fears and try to put them in perspective.
D. acknowledge the patients fears and try to put them in perspective.
When interviewing the elderly patient, the EMT can increase the accuracy of the information he or she gains by: A. having his or her partner assist with asking questions. B. asking multiple questions at the same time. C. speaking louder than normal. D. allowing sufficient time for the patient to answer.
D. allowing sufficient time for the patient to answer.
The elderly patient will most likely experience ________ as he or she continues to age. A. decreased chewing difficulty B. increased stomach acid secretion C. increased food absorption D. decreased intestinal tract movement
D. decreased intestinal tract movement