Patient Care (43%)

CPCT/A · 129 questions

An older adult recovering from a right hip repair is cleared for weight-bearing as tolerated, uses a standard walker, and needs to walk 20 feet to the bathroom with the PCT guarding closely and the hallway clear of clutter. The patient can grip well but fatigues quickly and tends to step ahead of the device. Which ambulation cue should the PCT reinforce to keep walker use safe and stable?
In a long-term care unit, an 82-year-old resident with dementia is incontinent overnight, has damp gown and sheets, has intact but moisture-prone skin, and can turn side to side with assist but cannot leave bed. The nurse delegates a morning bed bath with an occupied-bed linen change. Which bathing and occupied-bed technique best meets hygiene and safety for this linen change?
A post-surgical adult with a swollen ankle is prescribed a reusable cold pack, has reduced sensation in the foot, and can call for help. The pack was in the freezer, the skin is intact but pale, and the nurse approved a 20-minute application. Which cold-therapy safety measure should the PCT apply to prevent tissue injury?
In long-term care, an 82-year-old resident is on bed rest after a hip fracture, incontinent of urine, and rarely repositions without help. During bathing you see intact buttock skin that is reddened, warm, does not blanch with pressure, and is painful to touch without open areas. Which pressure injury stage should the technician report and document for this skin breakdown?
A PCT prepares a middle-aged adult for morning gallbladder surgery in a same-day unit, with orders for NPO after midnight, removal of jewelry and dentures, voiding, and a signed consent on the chart. The patient sipped coffee at 6 a.m. and asks to keep a wedding band on. Which pre-operative preparation action best meets PCT scope and safety priorities?
On a busy morning surgery unit, a technician is preparing an adult scheduled for abdominal surgery in two hours who is anxious, wearing jewelry and nail polish, and has not voided. The consent is signed and NPO status is confirmed since midnight. Which pre-operative preparation checklist should the technician complete next for this surgical patient?
A long-term care resident with a PEG tube receives continuous pump feeding, is slightly reclined flat for a linen change, and coughs when lying flat. The nurse asks the PCT/A to help maintain feeding safety and aspiration precautions during routine care. Which aspiration precaution should the PCT/A prioritize while assisting this resident receiving PEG feeding?
In an outpatient clinic, a technician must obtain vital signs on a frightened 3-year-old with a small arm and on an 84-year-old with loose skin, tremor, and orthostatic dizziness. Supplies include multiple cuff sizes, axillary and tympanic thermometers, and a pulse oximeter. Which adapted vital-sign technique best fits pediatric, geriatric, and special-population needs?
An older adult on bed rest needs a partial bath and an occupied bed change, has fragile skin and mild incontinence, can roll with help, and clean linens are ready. Soiled linens must not touch the floor or clean side. Which bathing and occupied bed-making technique should the PCT use for safety and comfort?
A PCT witnesses an adult visitor collapse in the hospital lobby, unresponsive with no normal breathing and no pulse felt, while another bystander brings an AED and a wheelchair is nearby. Which first aid and BLS sequence follows current AHA guidelines for the PCT as responder?
A stroke patient with left shoulder weakness lies in bed, reports stiffness but no sharp pain, has no new swelling or redness, understands instructions, and has an order for range-of-motion exercises twice daily with the siderails managed for safety. The shoulder elevates only halfway with effort and the elbow and wrist are also stiff. Which ROM approach should the PCT use to perform safe shoulder exercises?
A frail older adult with an indwelling urinary catheter is incontinent of stool, has dentures, and needs morning hygiene to prevent odor, infection, and skin breakdown. The PCT/A plans oral, denture, perineal, and catheter care in one visit. Which combined oral, denture, perineal, and catheter care sequence best prevents infection and tissue injury?
A stroke patient with a PEG tube receives intermittent pump feeding, coughs when flat, is mildly confused, and needs mouth care and midday assistance while the head of bed can be raised. Aspiration risk is high if positioning or tube handling is wrong. Which feeding-tube and aspiration-precaution assistance should the PCT provide?
In a hospital cafeteria during lunch, a technician finds an adult visitor clutching the throat, unable to speak or cough, with a reddening face. A chair and table block access, bystanders are panicking, and the emergency code has been called. Which first aid and BLS choking response should the technician provide for this severe airway obstruction?
A post-operative adult on bedrest has an order for sequential compression devices and knee-high anti-embolism stockings, has intact dry skin, equal pulses, no leg pain or swelling, and correctly sized sleeves and stockings available with the pump plugged in and alarms working. Which application step should the PCT prioritize to promote venous return and prevent skin injury?
A PCT accepts a one-to-one assignment for a young adult on a medical floor with new suicidal statements, recent alcohol withdrawal, and rising restlessness near sharp meal trays and a bathroom with a locking door. Which monitoring approach best balances safety, withdrawal risk, and dignity?
On a night shift on a behavioral health wing, a technician is assigned one-to-one observation of an adult with recent self-harm statements, alcohol withdrawal tremors, and rising agitation toward staff. The room has a belt, plastic bag, and extra visitors. Which one-to-one monitoring safety plan should the technician maintain for this high-risk assignment?
On a night shift in a 36-bed telemetry unit, a technician records vital signs on a stable 72-year-old: temperature 99.2°F, heart rate 118, blood pressure 88/54, respiratory rate 26, SpO2 91% on room air. The patient feels lightheaded but denies chest pain. Which recognition and reporting action for values outside reference ranges is most appropriate?
A bed-bound older adult has upper dentures, dry mouth, an indwelling urinary catheter with a full drainage bag, and mild perineal redness. dentures are out, the bag tubing is kinked, and privacy can be provided. Which combined oral, denture, perineal, and catheter-care sequence should the PCT perform?
A PCT cares for an older adult in inpatient hospice with mottled extremities, irregular breathing, and family at the bedside asking for comfort, cultural rituals, and time alone after death. Which palliative, hospice, and postmortem approach respects goals and PCT scope?
In a pediatric same-day surgery unit, a technician must reassess pain in a tearful 5-year-old who cannot reliably count to ten and in a 16-year-old athlete who can rank sensations precisely. Both had limb procedures and can point and speak. Which pain-scale assessment with FACES and numeric tools is correct for these patients?
In a quiet hospice room, a technician cares for a dying older adult whose family wants comfort, cultural rituals, and time together. Breathing is irregular, skin is cool and mottled, and pain medication was given by the nurse. The family asks about after-death care. Which palliative, hospice, and postmortem care approach should the technician provide for this family?
A new below-knee amputee with a prosthesis and elastic shrinker sock is learning transfers, has a healed incision without drainage, reports mild phantom tingling, can sit on the bed edge, and needs help before standing with a walker while skin remains the priority. Which assistance step should the PCT take to support the orthotic, prosthetic, and adaptive device safely?
An adult with a new colostomy needs a pouch change, reports burning under the wafer, and also has a scheduled soapsuds enema ordered for constipation. The PCT/A is asked to assist within training and report concerns. Which ostomy care and enema assistance priority best protects peristomal skin and rectal safety?
On a cardiac step-down unit, a 74-year-old with heart failure has new 2+ ankle pitting edema, shoes feeling tight, cool pale feet with slow capillary refill, and newly cloudy foul-smelling urine in the hat. Which recognition and reporting of edema, impaired circulation, and specimen abnormalities is correct?
In a long-term care unit, a resident with an established ileostomy needs routine pouch emptying later, but first you must assist the nurse with a prescribed tap-water cleansing enema for a constipated roommate who can turn, has no bleeding, and has a clear low bed with a bedpan nearby. Which enema-assistance technique should the PCT use to provide safe enema support?
A hospital patient newly told of a terminal illness is shouting at staff, refusing lunch, and saying this cannot be happening to him after a 40-bed unit transfer delays family arrival. He tells you as the PCT to leave him alone. Which grief-stage coping support best fits this angry moment?
A post-surgical adult on strict intake and output has had 8 oz coffee, 4 oz juice, and 120 mL water by mouth, voided 350 mL urine, and vomited 100 mL into an emesis basin during your shift. The flow sheet requires all volumes in milliliters with emesis counted as output. Which intake and output totals should the PCT document for accurate fluid balance?
A PCT must move a stable post-surgical adult from a med-surg bed to radiology by stretcher, with an IV pole and a urinary bag attached, down a busy corridor with elevators. The patient can assist slightly but cannot walk. Which stretcher transport technique should the PCT use to ensure safe movement?
A PCT is doing night rounds on a medical-surgical unit for a postoperative older adult who was alert and oriented at bedtime. The patient is now difficult to arouse, responds only to sternal rub, has new labored breathing with low oxygen saturation, and has cool clammy skin. Which immediate recognition and nurse-reporting action for decreased consciousness with shortness of breath best fits PCT scope?
An adult post-surgical patient has IV fluids infusing, is drinking water and broth, has a Foley catheter, and vomited once during the shift on a busy unit. The nurse asks for an accurate shift intake and output total to guide fluid management. Which intake and output documentation method ensures accurate fluid balance tracking?
A PCT is sitting with a patient on an oncology unit whose spouse died last month and who now faces a new serious diagnosis. The patient says there is no point in treatment, has stopped eating, cries quietly, and declines visitors but accepts the PCT sitting nearby. Family asks why the patient is giving up. Which supportive action best aligns with coping support and the stages of grief for this presentation?
A PCT is caring for an older adult in a busy emergency department who speaks limited English, averts eye contact, and declines a hospital gown because of modesty beliefs. The adult child offers to interpret and urges the PCT to hurry. The PCT needs vital signs and a clean gown before the provider exam. Which communication approach best demonstrates therapeutic communication and culturally competent care in this situation?
During evening purposeful rounding on a 12-bed unit, the technician has a high fall-risk patient with an alarm ringing for toileting, a stable patient requesting extra blankets, and a message that stat morning labs need collection in 10 minutes. Which rounding prioritization should the technician use to balance fall risk and stat labs?
A recently immigrated older adult admitted to a 24-bed medical unit avoids eye contact, answers softly, and declines a bed bath from a different-gender caregiver while family visits with home foods. Which therapeutic and culturally competent care response best supports trust and comfort?
A PCT is coaching a post-laparotomy adult on day one who has a nasal cannula at low flow, an incentive spirometer at bedside, and thick oral secretions the nurse said to suction orally only. The patient fears pain and takes shallow breaths. Which coaching approach should the PCT use for oxygen, spirometry, oral suction, and TCDB exercises?
A busy telemetry unit nurse asks a PCT to check a blood glucose on a stable patient with diabetes, record intake and output, and sit with a new post-fall patient who needs frequent observation. The PCT is trained and deemed competent in glucose testing, has three other patients, and the fall-risk patient is restless. Which delegation decision best applies the Five Rights of Delegation for this assignment?
In a medical intensive care room, a 55-year-old adult with a pressure injury must remain flat on strict bed rest, cannot sit, stand, or transfer, has attached drainage bags and monitors, and needs an accurate daily weight in the same bed. Which bed-scale weighing procedure best ensures accuracy and line safety for this patient?
An RN asks a hospital PCT to help with a scheduled aseptic abdominal dressing change and then to remove a discontinued peripheral IV from a stable adult forearm with no complications, with a supply cart and sharps container available. Which combined assistance and removal technique should the PCT perform within scope?
A bed-bound older adult with incontinence has persistent sacral redness that does not blanch with fingertip pressure, skin remains intact without blisters, and the area feels warm after prolonged pressure on a standard mattress. Which skin care identification and action should the PCT perform for early skin breakdown?
An adult who uses a wheelchair needs a weekly weight in a long-term care facility, cannot stand safely, wears a light gown, and has mild edema in the legs. The unit has a calibrated wheelchair scale available for use. Which weighing procedure ensures accurate weight using a wheelchair scale?
On a hectic orthopedic floor the nurse asks you, a PCT checked off for vital signs and ambulation, to help a fresh post-operative patient with stable vitals walk to the bathroom now using a walker while you have three call lights ringing. Which application of the Five Rights of Delegation best supports safe acceptance?
A PCT must prepare a 68-year-old adult for a morning cholecystectomy and for a fasting abdominal ultrasound, with orders for NPO after midnight, surgical site marking, allergy review, and voiding before transfer. The patient ate a snack and wears jewelry and dentures. Which pre-operative and pre-diagnostic preparation should the PCT complete?
A PCT in a rehabilitation unit is asked to apply a warm moist pack to a patient's knee and a cold pack to another patient's sprained ankle. The knee patient has reduced sensation from neuropathy, and the ankle patient has a small open blister near the site. Both want fast relief and ask for extra-hot or extra-cold packs. Which application plan best applies hot and cold therapies safely for these conditions?
An older adult with limited mobility has been in bed for several hours in long-term care, reports tailbone soreness, has intact skin with a warm reddened sacral area, and is incontinent of urine. The technician performs skin care and reports findings. Which skin assessment description correctly identifies early pressure injury staging?
A technician must move a 180-pound adult patient with a left-leg non-weight-bearing order from bed to chair using a full-sling mechanical lift with a nurse and a gait belt available. The patient can sit at the edge but cannot stand on the left leg. Which transfer method should the technician use for safe non-weight-bearing movement?
A PCT caring for a patient on fall precautions with a weak left side needs to provide a complete bed bath, change linens with the patient remaining in bed, and assist with a gown, perineal care, and oral hygiene. The patient is tired, modest, and worried about getting cold. Which care sequence best provides bathing, occupied bed-making, and personal care while preserving safety and dignity?
A frail older adult with diabetes and poor leg sensation requests extra heat for knee pain in a rehab room where a heating pad is already warm, the call light is out of reach, and skin checks have not been documented for two hours. Which hot therapy safety practice best prevents burn injury?
A frightened 5-year-old in urgent care needs temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry before immunizations, is clinging to a parent, crying loudly, and has very small arms that swim in the adult cuff at the bedside. Which vital-sign adaptation should the PCT use for accurate pediatric measurement?
A PCT finds an adult visitor collapsed in a hospital hallway, unresponsive and not breathing normally with no pulse felt, alone with an AED nearby and no known trauma. Which first-aid and BLS sequence should the PCT initiate per AHA guidelines for this adult?
During routine morning rounds on a stable adult medical unit, a PCT records temperature 99.1F, heart rate 118, blood pressure 88/54, respiratory rate 22, and oxygen saturation 91% on room air with mild confusion newly noted. Facility policy requires prompt nurse notification for abnormal trends. Which vital-sign recognition and reporting should the PCT prioritize for patient safety?
A technician is assigned vital signs for a frightened 6-year-old in clinic, an older adult with fragile skin and tremor in long-term care, and an adult with a casted arm on a surgical unit. Each needs accurate temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and pain screening. Which vital signs technique correctly adapts measurement for special populations?
A PCT assists a 68-year-old post-knee surgery patient learning a standard walker in a rehab hallway. The therapist ordered touch-down weight on the surgical leg, a gait belt in place, and the walker height at the wrist crease. Which ambulation sequence should the PCT reinforce for safe walker use?
An older adult in a medical-surgical unit needs a complete bed bath and an occupied linen change after night sweats, has an IV in the forearm, and becomes chilled easily. The bed is against the wall with one side rail available and the call light in reach. Which occupied-bed bathing and linen technique should the technician use to maintain warmth, safety, and line integrity?
On a busy medical-surgical unit you take routine morning vitals on four adult patients who are resting in bed. One has temperature 99.1F, pulse 88, respirations 18, BP 118/76. Another has pulse 112, respirations 22, BP 142/92, SpO2 94%. A third has pulse 58, respirations 12, BP 88/54, SpO2 97%. Which vital-sign pattern should the PCT report first as outside reference ranges?
On an overnight medical-surgical unit you are assigned continuous one-to-one observation for an adult on suicide precautions who is also tremulous and irritable from alcohol withdrawal and keeps asking to use the bathroom alone and to be left to sleep. The nurse instructs constant line of sight with removal of sharp and ligature risks. Which one-to-one monitoring action best maintains safety for suicide risk with withdrawal agitation?
In a busy medical-surgical unit, you are assisting the nurse with a middle-aged adult who has an NG tube and just finished a 30-minute bolus feeding. The patient reports back discomfort and asks to lie flat, and the nurse asks you to stay with the patient for the post-feeding period. Which aspiration precaution for tube feeding should the PCT maintain after the bolus?
On a night shift you are monitoring a 78-year-old patient after hip surgery who is alert but hard of hearing, plus a 5-year-old child with a forearm injury who cannot reliably use numbers to describe pain. Both need pain reassessment before you report to the nurse. Which pain-scale selection correctly applies FACES and numeric tools for vital-signs monitoring?
A PCT works with a 74-year-old stroke patient with left arm weakness in long-term care. The care plan orders assistive shoulder range of motion twice daily, support above and below the joint, and stop at pain. Which ROM technique should the PCT use for the shoulder exercises?
A stroke-unit patient with dysphagia receives continuous nutrition through a PEG tube, must remain with the head of bed elevated, has a nurse-managed pump and residual checks, and coughs when lying flat. The technician is asked to assist with hygiene, position checks, and reporting. Which aspiration precaution should the technician maintain while supporting the patient receiving PEG tube feeding?
You are caring for a frail older adult with full dentures, limited mobility, and an indwelling urinary catheter who needs morning mouth care, denture cleaning, and perineal-catheter care in a long-term care room. Which combined oral, denture, perineal, and catheter care technique should you use for this patient?
A bed-bound older adult with an indwelling Foley catheter is incontinent of stool, has fragile perineal skin, and needs routine morning care including dentures, oral hygiene, and catheter care. Supplies include warm water, mild soap, washcloths, and a securement device. Which combined oral, perineal, and catheter care routine should the technician perform to prevent infection and injury?
On a pediatric observation unit you care for a 5-year-old post-injury child with limited number concepts, an alert teenager with abdominal pain, and an older adult with dementia who cannot speak reliably. Which pain-assessment approach should the PCT use to match pain scales to patient ability?
A PCT cares for a 62-year-old post-abdominal surgery patient ordered to wear sequential compression devices while in bed, remove them for walking, and receive skin checks each shift. The calves show intact skin, equal warmth, and no reported pain. Which SCD care should the PCT provide to support circulation safely?
A PCT helps a 55-year-old new below-knee amputee in rehab practice morning prosthesis application. The residual limb is clean and dry, a shrinker sock is available, the liner has no cracks, and the patient can stand by. Which assistance should the PCT provide for the prosthetic and adaptive devices?
A rehabilitation patient with a new colostomy has a one-piece pouch that is one-third full, reports burning under the wafer, and is anxious about odor and leaks. The nurse has verified the care plan and asked the technician to assist with a routine pouch change and document output. Which ostomy pouch change technique should the technician use to protect peristomal skin and ensure a secure seal?
In a quiet hospice room an older adult receiving comfort care has just died, family members are tearfully at the bedside, cultural observances are important to them, and the nurse asks you to assist with postmortem care per facility policy. The body needs dignified preparation before transfer to the funeral home. Which palliative and postmortem action best shows respectful care while supporting the grieving family?
During morning rounds in long-term care you notice a resident with new 2+ pitting edema at the ankles, socks leaving deep marks, and a urine specimen that looks unusually cloudy with a strong odor compared to yesterday’s clear yellow sample. The nurse needs concise objective data. Which recognition and reporting approach best addresses edema, circulation, and specimen changes?
During afternoon care in a skilled nursing unit you notice one resident has new 2+ pitting ankle swelling with tight shoes, another has pale cool fingers with delayed capillary refill, and urine that looks red-tinged and cloudy. Which observation and reporting action should the PCT take for edema, circulation, and specimen abnormalities?
You are assisting a post-surgical adult with a new colostomy who is anxious about odor and leakage, plus a different patient prescribed a cleansing enema for constipation who prefers privacy and clear instructions in a small shared room. Which ostomy and enema assistance approach should you provide within your scope for these tasks?
In a long-term care room a resident with a new serious diagnosis paces, snaps at staff, insists the lab mixed up results, and then quietly asks whether anger at family and fear of dying are normal. The resident is not ready for problem-solving and responds best to unhurried presence. Which supportive response best applies grief-stage understanding and coping support for this resident?
You are observing a 68-year-old rehabilitation patient who suddenly becomes unusually drowsy, speaks with new slurred words, shows one-sided facial droop, and reports shortness of breath when you help them sit up. Baseline mentation was alert and speech was clear an hour ago. Which change-in-condition recognition and reporting action best addresses LOC, breathing, and stroke signs?
On a telemetry unit you are sitting with an adult patient who suddenly becomes confused, speaks with slurred words, has new facial droop, and breathes rapidly with shortness of breath and low oxygen saturation. Which change-in-condition response should the PCT take for altered consciousness, breathing distress, and stroke signs?
You are monitoring a medical patient with heart failure who has IV fluids infusing, is eating meals, voiding into a hat and urinal, has a small wound drain, and had one episode of vomiting during the night shift. Which intake and output recording and monitoring practice should you follow for this shift?
A PCT is assigned to transport a stable postoperative adult by stretcher from a same-floor holding room to a procedure suite down a busy corridor with narrow doorways. The patient has a peripheral IV with a pole, is covered for privacy with a blanket, and has side rails up. Which stretcher-transport technique for safe movement through doorways best protects the patient and equipment?
A PCT coaches a 58-year-old post-laparotomy patient who is drowsy, splints the incision, has a nasal cannula at prescribed flow, and needs to clear secretions. The nurse delegated incentive spirometer, oral suction available only, and TCDB exercises. Which combined technique should the PCT use for oxygen, spirometer, suction and TCDB?
A postoperative patient on a surgical unit has IV fluids infusing, sips water with pills, voids into a hat in the toilet, has one episode of emesis, and needs accurate shift intake and output for fluid balance. The technician has a graduated pitcher, specimen hat, and bedside flowsheet. Which intake and output recording method should the technician use to yield the most accurate shift totals?
You must weigh three patients this morning: an unsteady older adult who can stand briefly, a patient who remains in a wheelchair, and a bedrest patient on a bariatric unit with strict fluid monitoring. Which standing, wheelchair, and bed scale weighing method should you use for accurate comparison?
A PCT on a 32-bed medical-surgical unit starts purposeful rounds and finds three needs at once: a confused older adult with a high fall-risk bracelet trying to get up alone to use the bathroom, a stat potassium specimen waiting for transport to the lab, and a stable patient requesting extra blankets. Which rounding priority best balances fall prevention and timely stat lab handling?
You are rounding on a busy medical-surgical unit where three call lights are on: a stable post-op patient requesting water, a high fall-risk patient with an alarm who needs toileting, and a nurse awaiting a redraw for a hemolyzed stat potassium. Which rounding priority should the patient care technician choose to prevent harm first?
A patient care technician is helping a hospitalized older adult who is fasting for cultural reasons, speaks softly, and avoids eye contact while looking distressed before morning hygiene care. The unit is busy, the nurse is available, and family will visit later. Which therapeutic communication response best demonstrates culturally competent care?
A rehabilitation unit has a 68-year-old patient who cannot stand after hip surgery, uses a wheelchair full-time, and needs an accurate daily weight to guide fluids. The room has a standing platform scale, a wheelchair roll-on scale, and no bed scale available today. Which weighing method best provides accurate weight using a wheelchair scale?
A busy medical-surgical nurse asks a trained patient care technician to ambulate a stable postoperative patient who has walked before, with clear distance, assist level, and check-in instructions. The technician is competent in ambulation, the assignment fits policy, and the patient agrees. Which acceptance best satisfies the Five Rights of Delegation?
During morning care in long-term care, a resident with limited mobility has an intact sacral area that is reddened, warm, and does not blanch with gentle pressure, with no blister or open skin. The resident reports tenderness when turned. Which skin-care assessment and action correctly identifies this stage of breakdown?
In a rehabilitation gym, you must move two patients back to their rooms: one patient is partial weight-bearing after hip surgery and one is non-weight-bearing with strict orders for no pressure on the affected leg. Which transfer method should the technician select for safe handling?
A PCT must move two patients for therapy: one post-op patient who is ordered partial weight-bearing with standby help, and one stroke patient ordered non-weight-bearing on the affected side who cannot assist. A gait belt and a mechanical sit-to-stand lift are available. Which transfer plan correctly matches assistance to weight-bearing status?
A post-surgical technician is asked to assist the nurse with a sterile abdominal dressing change for an afebrile adult, then remove a saline-locked peripheral IV from the forearm per facility protocol after the nurse assesses the site. The overbed table is cleared for a sterile field. Which technician action best supports sterile and aseptic dressing changes and safe peripheral IV removal?
On an orthopedic unit, a post-op patient with right leg weakness is learning to walk with a standard walker on a tile floor with a small rug edge and an IV pole. Which ambulation assistance should the technician provide for stable walker use?
A nurse delegates a prescribed warm compress to a technician for an adult with a sore calf, requiring checking orders, skin condition, temperature safety, and time limits. The patient has intact but sensitive skin, can report discomfort, and call light is in reach. Which application best demonstrates safe hot therapy practice?
In a rehabilitation gym, a 68-year-old with left knee arthritis is learning a single-point cane, bears weight on the right leg, holds the cane in the left hand, and leans heavily over the cane for balance on a dry level floor. Which cane-ambulation sequence should the PCT reinforce to ensure safe cane-assisted walking?
A same-day surgery technician prepares a 55-year-old patient scheduled for morning abdominal surgery with general anesthesia and a pre-operative abdominal CT with contrast, whose chart lists NPO after midnight, allergies, and dentures. The nurse asks the technician to complete standard prep and reinforce teaching. Which pre-operative and pre-diagnostic preparation should the technician provide?
A PCT provides morning care for an 82-year-old patient on prolonged bed rest who has limited mobility, incontinence, and a sacral area showing intact skin with non-blanchable redness and warmth. The skin is dry elsewhere and the patient reports tenderness when turned. Which skin-care and breakdown identification action best addresses this sacral finding?
In an outpatient clinic you must obtain temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure on a frightened 4-year-old and then on an 85-year-old with fragile skin and hearing loss. Both need accurate baselines today. Which vital-signs approach best adapts technique for pediatric, geriatric, and special populations?
A hospital technician witnesses a 60-year-old visitor collapse in the lobby, who is unresponsive, pulseless, and not breathing normally, while a second staff member brings the AED and a code is called. The floor is hard and the area is clear of hazards. Which first aid and BLS response per AHA guidelines should the technician provide?
A PCT is assigned morning vitals for a fearful 3-year-old with a respiratory infection, a 78-year-old with stiff arteries and hearing loss, and a postoperative adult with an arm IV and mastectomy. Equipment includes multiple cuff sizes, a temporal thermometer, and a pulse oximeter. Which vital-sign adaptation best fits pediatric, geriatric, and special-population needs?
A technician is assigned an occupied bed change and bath for an adult recovering from a fall who can roll with help, has an IV line, and worries about exposure and feeling cold. The side rail, gown, and fresh linen are available. Which occupied-bed and bathing practice best maintains hygiene, warmth, and safety?
In a 16-bed stroke recovery unit, you are assigned morning exercises for an adult with left-arm weakness who can move with some help, a fully alert adult needing joint flexibility maintenance, and a post-operative adult with a provider-ordered shoulder motion limit. Which passive, active and assistive range-of-motion approach meets each need?
On a medical unit, an older adult after prolonged bed rest for pneumonia can initiate right shoulder flexion halfway but tires quickly, has no acute pain or dislocation, follows commands, and needs to regain endurance without shoulder injury. Which range-of-motion approach should the PCT use to support safe shoulder recovery?
A PCT cares for a postoperative patient ordered for sequential compression devices and anti-embolism stockings, plus another patient with a wrist splint and knee immobilizer after a fall. Skin checks show intact skin with mild leg swelling. Which application sequence best ensures safe and effective device use?
At a rehabilitation facility you record morning vitals on a stable adult: temperature 99.1 F, pulse 118, respirations 22, blood pressure 88/54, and SpO2 97% on room air. The patient denies chest pain but feels lightheaded when standing. Which vital-sign finding requires immediate recognition and reporting as outside reference range?
A technician is helping a drowsy older adult in a long-term care unit who receives nutrition through a PEG tube, needs head elevation, and coughs during the feeding. The pump is running, the nurse checked placement earlier, and suction is available. Which assistance best follows feeding-tube scope and aspiration precautions?
On a post-surgical floor with 18 beds, you are asked to apply sequential compression devices to an adult with leg swelling observation, anti-embolism stockings to an adult after hip surgery, and check a knee immobilizer on an adult reporting numbness and pale toes. Which device application for SCDs, stockings, splints and immobilizers ensures circulation safety?
A sitter technician is assigned one-to-one monitoring for an adult on suicide precautions after an overdose, who is agitated, making threats, and repeatedly trying to leave the room to use a bathroom with a locked door. The nurse requests constant observation without leaving the patient alone. Which one-to-one monitoring approach should the technician provide for suicide risk, withdrawal, and aggression?
In a pediatric urgent-care room a 5-year-old with a sprained ankle cries when bearing weight, answers simply, and points vaguely to the leg. The parent wants a clear pain rating to guide care today. Which pain assessment using FACES or numeric scales best fits this child?
A PCT records afternoon vitals for a stable adult postoperative patient receiving fluids: temperature 101.8°F, pulse 122, respirations 26, blood pressure 88/54, and oxygen saturation 91% on room air. The patient is drowsy but arousable and denies chest pain. Which recognition and reporting action best addresses values outside reference ranges?
A hospital PCT cares for an older adult who is drowsy after surgery, wears upper dentures, and has an indwelling Foley catheter secured to the thigh. The dentures are out for mouth care and perineal-catheter care is due. Which combined oral, denture, perineal and catheter care routine best meets hygiene and safety standards?
An adult post-surgical patient on bedrest has left ankle swelling that holds a pit for several seconds, the left foot is cool and pale with slow toenail color return, and a fresh urine sample looks cloudy with visible sediment. Which edema, circulation, and specimen observation set should the technician report to the nurse as abnormal?
An adult patient on a surgical unit had a stroke with expressive aphasia, is alert but cannot state a number, and grimaces when turning in bed with stable vital signs. The nurse asks for a current pain score before ambulation. Which pain assessment method should the PCT use to obtain a reportable pain score?
On a rehab unit, an older adult with a new below-knee prosthesis and a right knee-ankle-foot orthosis wants to walk to the bathroom, reports redness on the residual limb yesterday, and asks you to help apply both devices before standing. Which assistance approach best supports safe ambulation with orthotic, prosthetic and adaptive devices?
In a rehab unit, a PCT/A helps an older adult with a new below-knee prosthesis and a walker to stand for first ambulation, with skin checks ordered and the physical therapist nearby. The residual limb sock is smooth and the prosthesis is aligned. Which assistance best supports safe use of the prosthetic and adaptive device?
In a small hospice inpatient room, an older adult receiving comfort care has just died with family quietly present at the bedside. The nurse asks you to assist with postmortem care per facility policy while supporting the family's need for time and privacy. Which postmortem care step best provides dignified palliative, hospice and postmortem care?
A home-health PCT visits a steady older adult with a colostomy who reports formed stool in the pouch and also needs a prescribed soapsuds enema for constipation, with no bleeding, pain, or orders to hold care. Which ostomy and enema assistance approach best follows standard PCT practice?
In a long-term care facility, an older adult with a new serious diagnosis paces, raises their voice at staff, and says the test results must be wrong and care is unfair. The patient sleeps poorly and refuses activities but accepts your presence. Which response best supports coping and the stages of grief for anger?
A stable adult on a hospital bed with a running peripheral IV needs transport from the medical unit to imaging down a long corridor and into a small elevator, with privacy and fall precautions required throughout. Which bed-transport technique maintains IV patency, fall protection, and clearance during the move?
A 68-year-old rehabilitation patient who was alert at breakfast is now difficult to arouse, breathing fast and short of breath when speaking, and shows new drooping on one side of the face with slurred words. Which change-in-condition response correctly addresses level of consciousness, breathing, and stroke signs?
A medical-surgical PCT tracks intake and output for a patient with heart failure who drinks broth and water from marked cups, voids in a hat, and has a continuous IV managed by the nurse. Which intake and output recording and monitoring method best ensures accuracy for the care team?
A PCT cares for a post-surgical patient on bed rest whose left calf is more swollen than the right, pits with pressure, and the left foot is pale, cool, and slow to pink up, plus a urine sample looks cloudy with a strong odor. Which observation set should the PCT report promptly as impaired circulation with edema?
A PCT/A must move a stable postoperative adult with an IV pole and urinary catheter from a hospital bed to a stretcher, then transport by stretcher to radiology down a busy corridor with elevators. Which transport sequence best protects the patient, lines, and safety?
A PCT is sitting with a stable medical patient who suddenly becomes hard to arouse, speaks with new slurred words, shows one-sided facial droop, cannot lift one arm evenly, and breathes short and fast. Which change report signals possible stroke needing rapid response?
During hourly rounding the technician faces a high fall-risk patient needing toileting, another patient with a stat potassium draw due in 15 minutes, and a stable patient requesting an extra blanket. Which purposeful rounding and prioritization sequence best manages fall risk and time-sensitive labs?
In a post-surgical unit, an alert adult on 2 liters nasal cannula is due for turn, cough and deep breathe exercises and incentive spirometry, reports incisional pain rated 5 of 10, and has oral secretions pooling without distress. Which combined respiratory support sequence best reflects correct oxygen, spirometry, suction and TCDB use?
In a large urban medical unit, you care for an adult patient who avoids direct eye contact, keeps family at the bedside for decisions, and eats only familiar foods brought from home. The patient answers quietly and seems uneasy with close physical proximity. Which communication action best applies therapeutic communication and culturally competent care?
A PCT/A cares for a postoperative adult with a nasal cannula at low flow, an incentive spirometer at bedside, and orders for oral suction as needed plus turn, cough, and deep breathe every two hours. Which support best ensures safe oxygen, spirometry, suction, and TCDB exercises?
On an orthopedic unit, a nurse delegates hourly vital signs for a stable postoperative adult to you while managing an unstable patient next door. You are trained in vital signs, have time, the task is routine, and the nurse gives clear parameters and check-ins. Which acceptance best applies the Five Rights of Delegation for this situation?
A PCT/A is asked to assist the nurse with a sterile surgical wound dressing change and then remove a peripheral IV from a stable adult, with clean gloves, sterile kit, and disposal available. Which combined approach best follows sterile and aseptic practice for dressing and IV removal?
On a surgical unit, a stable adult with a clean dry postoperative dressing has a provider order to change the dressing using aseptic technique and to discontinue a saline-locked peripheral IV, the site shows no redness or drainage, and supplies are ready at bedside. Which combined dressing and IV removal approach stays within PCT scope and aseptic principles?
During hourly rounding a PCT faces three needs at once: a high fall-risk patient ringing for the toilet, a stat lab specimen waiting for transport to the lab, and a stable patient asking for extra water. Which rounding priority order best balances fall prevention and time-sensitive lab transport?
Two patients need transfer to chairs: one can bear full weight after knee surgery with a walker, and one is ordered non-weight-bearing after a hip fracture and is heavy. Which transfer, gait belt, and lift selection correctly matches weight-bearing status?
A rehabilitation PCT must weigh a steady patient who fatigues easily, uses a wheelchair, and has a draining leg wound with bulky dressings, with standing, wheelchair, and bed scales available. Which weighing method best ensures accuracy and safety for ongoing monitoring?