Patient Care

In a trauma situation, which of the following arteries are best for assessing a patient's pulse due to their larger size and more accurate representation of the heart's activity? 1. femoral 2. carotid 3. radial

1 and 2 only Although the radial pulse is commonly assessed in patients, during a trauma situation, the better options are femoral or carotid arteries. These arteries are larger in size and can provide a more accurate measurement of pulse rate, rhythm, and amplitude.

The normal range for adult systolic blood pressure is:

100 - 120 The systolic, or top, number in a blood pressure reading should be between 100 - 120 for a healthy adult.

Which of the following respiration rates would most likely apply to an adult patient with a diagnosis of tachypnea?

30 breaths per minute The term tachypnea refers to an abnormally fast breathing rate. Since the normal range is listed as 8 - 20 breaths per minute, 30 breaths per minute would be faster than normal.

The normal range for adult pulse rate is:

60 - 100 beats per minute The average pulse rate is often listed as 72 beats per minute, but a rate anywhere in the range of 60 - 100 is considered normal.

The normal range for adult diastolic blood pressure is:

60 - 80 The diastolic, or bottom, number in a blood pressure reading should be between 60 - 80 for a healthy adult.

A patient could be considered hypoxic if the blood oxygen saturation falls below:

90% The term hypoxic refers to a situation where there is not enough oxygen content in the circulating blood, and it is usually used when the measurement is below the lower limit of the normal range of 90 - 100%

The normal body temperature taken orally for a healthy adult is:

98.6 degrees F The oral temperature that is considered normal is 98.6 degrees F. Tympanic and rectal temperatures are approximately one degree higher, and axillary temperature is one degree lower.

Which labeled segment of the EKG wave is a recording of the electrical stimulation causing atrial contraction?

C The segment labeled C represents the P wave, which is a recording of the electrical activity through the atria causing atrial contraction.

The contraction of the ventricles is represented by which segment of the EKG pattern?

QRS Complex The normal QRS complex is the largest segment of an EKG pattern and represents the movement of electrical impulse through the ventricles during contraction.

The red highlighted segment of this EKG pattern is the:

QRS segment The red area is the QRS segment, which represents electrical activity through the ventricles causing ventricular contraction. This segment is much larger than the P wave of atrial contraction due to the larger tissue mass of the ventricles as compared to the atria.

The P wave of an EKG pattern represents the:

electrical activity through the atria The P wave is the first part of the heartbeat represented by the EKG pattern and corresponds to the contraction of the right and left atria.

The purpose of EKG Gating is to:

obtain images of the heart without motion blur Since EKG Gating allows imaging of the heart to occur between beats, the images are obtained without motion of the heart, and therefore blurring due to motion is avoided and a clearer image is obtained.

From the ventricles, blood is pushed into the:

pulmonary artery and aorta Oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle of the heart is pumped through the aorta and out to the body. Blood from the right ventricle is pumped out through the pulmonary artery and into the lungs to be oxygenated.

The measurement of oxygen saturation of the blood is accomplished with a:

pulse oximeter A pulse oximeter measures the oxygen content of circulating blood. It also usually measures pulse rate, but the oxygen saturation is its more important function.

The most accurate body temperature measurement can be obtained by what method?

rectal The rectal temperature, although not always the most practical, is the most accurate location for measurement of body temperature. It is approximately one degree higher than oral temperature.

The diastolic blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted on the arterials walls during:

relaxation of the left ventricle The diastolic number is the lower of the two readings because it is a measurement of pressure during relaxation of the left ventricle, and relaxation exerts much less pressure than contraction. It is an indication of blood vessel resistance

The first phase of contraction of the heart involves contraction of the:

right and left atria The right and left atria are stimulated to contract first to push blood into the ventricles so it can then be pushed out to the vessels of the body.

Upon noticing that any of a patient's vital signs are abnormal, the radiologic technologist's priority should be to:

stop the exam immediately and stabilize the patient Close attention to the patient is critical during a radiographic exam so that any change in vital signs can be noticed and responded to. The priority is always patient safety, so stopping the exam in order to stabilize the patient is always the first step. Calling for help according to facility protocol may also be necessary.

Which blood pressure reading is associated with the contraction of the left ventricle?

systolic The systolic, or top, number in a blood pressure reading represents the pressure exerted on the arterial walls when the left ventricle contracts.

An EKG is a measurement of:

the electrical activity of the heart An electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) is a medical test used to measure the electrical activity of the heart through each phase of function.

During an EKG, the patient is connected to at least ____ electrical leads.

three At least 3 leads are needed to measure the electrical impulses required for an EKG. The 3-lead EKG is common when the monitoring needs to be continued for a length of time. The leads are usually placed in a triangular patter, with one below each clavicle and the third on the lower chest, above and to the left of the umbilicus.

EKG Gating is used to obtain diagnostic images of the heart:

when the heart is at rest between beats EKG Gating allows for imaging the heart when it is without motion between beats.