Medical Nursing I - History & Exam

Front 1

What are the differences between a patient history and signalment?

Back 1

A patient history is a description of current status while signalment is a description of unchanging specifics about an individual animal.

Front 2

How long should it take to acquire a patient history?

Back 2

It should take 5 minutes to acquire a patient history.

Front 3

What are the three components to acquiring medical information?

Back 3

Acquiring medical information is composed of: obtaining patient's history, performing a physical exam, and results from lab findings.

Front 4

What are the two objectives of veterinary personnel at the initial stage of a clinic visit?

Back 4

The two objectives at the initial stage of a clinic visit are: to collect information about past and present conditions, and to establish a doctor/client relationship.

Front 5

What are three major factors that are required for a good history?

Back 5

A good history depends on mechanics, interpersonal skills, and experience.

Front 6

What are the five components of the mechanics in a patient history?

Back 6

The five components of the mechanics in a patient history are: signalment, chief complaint or presenting issue, vaccination status, FeLV/HWT status, and specific history questions.

Front 7

What are the nine specific history questions to be asked?

Back 7

The nine specific history questions are: environment, appetite and diet, attitude, vomiting and diarrhea, coughing and breathing, water consumption, urinary habits, seizures, and lameness.

Front 8

Which two of the nine specific history questions may not be asked if not applicable?

Back 8

The two of the nine specific history questions that may not be asked are: seizures and lameness.

Front 9

What five pieces of information should be obtained about the chief complaint?

Back 9

Questions that should be asked about the chief complaint are: onset or duration, prior episodes as well as therapy and response, progression in symptoms, current medications and response, and past prognosis or treatments.

Front 10

What questions should be asked about environment?

Back 10

Environmental questions should include inquiries about living arrangements of the animal, such as indoor or outdoor, as well as other animals that share the living quarters.

Front 11

What questions should be asked about appetite and diet?

Back 11

Appetite and diet inquiries should be to determine if the animal's habits are currently normal for him, or whether appetite has increased or decreased.

Front 12

What questions should be asked about attitude?

Back 12

Attitude questions should determine whether animal is alert, bright, depressed, listless, or has had changes in behavior.

Front 13

What questions should be asked about vomiting and diarrhea?

Back 13

Vomiting and diarrhea questions should inquire about the description of substance, whether onset is in relation of eating, and frequency.

Front 14

What questions should be asked about coughing, sneezing, and breathing?

Back 14

The owner should be asked if they have noticed any difficulties in breathing.

Front 15

What questions should be asked about water consumption?

Back 15

Water consumption questions should try to determine if the animal is normal and consistent in its consumption habits.

Front 16

What questions should be asked about urinary habits?

Back 16

Questions about urinary habits should regard frequency, quantity, color, odor, and difficulty of elimination.

Front 17

What assessments should be made during the physical examination?

Back 17

The physical examination should include the following assessments: posture, gait, attitude, body condition, vital signs, mucous membrane color, and capillary refill time.

Front 18

What observations should be made about the posture of an animal during a physical examination?

Back 18

To evaluate the posture of an animal, observation of status such as natural, unnatural, and dominance need to be made.

Front 19

What indications should be looked for in assessing gait?

Back 19

To assess gait, veterinary personnel should be observing for possible lameness, weakness, dizziness, or signs of disorientation.

Front 20

How is attitude assessed during a physical examination?

Back 20

Attitude is assessed by the observer trying to determine how they perceive the animal seems to feel.

Front 21

Name five descriptions used in assessing attitude.

Back 21

Five descriptions used in assessing attitude are: BAR, QAR, dull, lethargic, and unresponsive.

Front 22

What does the term BAR refer to when assessing attitude?

Back 22

An animal described as BAR is bright, alert, and responsive.

Front 23

What does the term QAR mean in assessing attitude?

Back 23

The term QAR is used to describe animals that are quiet, alert, and responsive.

Front 24

What does it mean when an animal is described as dull during an attitude assessment?

Back 24

An animal described as dull is uninterested in its surroundings.

Front 25

What does it mean when an animal is described as lethargic during an attitude assessment?

Back 25

An animal described as lethargic is showing no energy and listlessness.

Front 26

What does it mean when an animal is described as unresponsive during an attitude assessment?

Back 26

An unresponsive animal shows no response to stimuli.

Front 27

Why is taking body temperature so important?

Back 27

Body temperature is one of the best indicators of disease.

Front 28

What is one of the more critical reasons that body weight must be measured accurately?

Back 28

Body weight must be measured accurately to correctly calculate drug dosages.

Front 29

What are the four vital signs that are checked during a physical examination?

Back 29

The four vital signs that are taken during a physical examination are: body weight, body temperature, pulse, and respiratory.

Front 30

Describe a dog whose body condition is considered excellent.

Back 30

An excellent body condition would be well muscled, ribs can be palpated but not visible.

Front 31

Describe a dog whose body condition is considered good.

Back 31

A dog in good body condition will be muscled with ribs that can be palpated.

Front 32

Describe a dog whose body condition is considered fair.

Back 32

A dog with fair body condition is muscled with ribs visible.

Front 33

Describe a dog whose body condition is considered poor.

Back 33

A dog who has poor body condtion is thin, lacks muscle structure, and ribs are highly visible.

Front 34

Describe a dog whose body condition is considered obese.

Back 34

An obese dog has ribs that cannot be palpated and is extremely overweight.

Front 35

What is a normal condition causing elevated temperature?

Back 35

Temperature can be elevated if animal is excited.

Front 36

What are the features of a normal pulse?

Back 36

A normal pulse will be strong and regular, not thready or weak.

Front 37

What does it indicate when mucous membranes are pale in color?

Back 37

Pale gums indicate anemia, which is a lack of iron.

Front 38

What does it indicate when mucous membranes are blue in color?

Back 38

Blue gums indicate the animal is cyanotic, or lacking in oxygen.

Front 39

What does it indicate when mucous membranes are muddy in color?

Back 39

Grey or muddy-colored gums are indicative in shock.

Front 40

What does it indicate when mucous membranes are yellow in color?

Back 40

Yellow gums are indicative of ictrus or liver problems.

Front 41

How is capillary refill time measured?

Back 41

Capillary refill time is measured by pushing on mucous membranes and counting to see how long it takes to return to normal color.

Front 42

What causes capillary refill time to slow down?

Back 42

Capillary refill time slows down with dehydration or shock.

Front 43

What are the standards to determine ideal, normal, and abnormal capillary refill time?

Back 43

Ideal CRT is no more than 1 second, normal CRT is 1 to 2 seconds, and abnormal CRT is over 2 seconds.

Front 44

What is the meaning of the term assessment?

Back 44

Assessment is the term used to describe the evaluation of a condition.

Front 45

What information is included in a signalment?

Back 45

A signalment is a description of the animal and includes information about species, breed, age, and sexual status.

Front 46

What are two terms used to describe fever, or elevated body temperature?

Back 46

Febrile and pyrexia are medical terms for fever.

Front 47

What term is used to describe a decrease in body temperature?

Back 47

A decrease in body temperature is known as hypothermia.

Front 48

How is a pulse rate taken?

Back 48

A pulse rate is taken by palpation of an artery.

Front 49

What is auscultation?

Back 49

Auscultation is listening to body sounds, usually involving a stethoscope.

Front 50

What methods of examination use touching to assess conditions?

Back 50

Palpation and percussion are used to assess conditions by touching.

Front 51

What is a differential diagnosis?

Back 51

Differential diagnosis is a list of possible diagnoses based on the history and clinical signs observed that the clinician will attempt to rule in or out using specific diagnostic tests.

Front 52

What is one of the requirements of a complete systems review?

Back 52

A complete systems review requires that one or two questions be asked about each body system.

Front 53

Which bodily system is the most difficult and time consuming to examine completely?

Back 53

The nervous system is the most difficult and time consuming to examine completely.

Front 54

Which kinds of dogs are mostly commonly afflicted with difficult breathing due to constricted nares?

Back 54

Brachycephalic dogs are most commonly afflicted withe difficult breathing due to constricted nares.

Front 55

How do heart rates compare between small breed and large breed dogs?

Back 55

Small breed dogs generally have faster heart rates than large breeds.

Front 56

Where is pulse rate most often assessed in dogs and cats?

Back 56

Pulse rate is most often evaluated over the femoral artery.

Front 57

What is usually revealed during abdominal palpation of a normal dog or cat?

Back 57

Abdomination palpation of a normal dog or cat will most likely reveal primarily intestines slipping between the palpater's fingers.

Front 58

What is the normal size for a kidney in a cat?

Back 58

In a normal cat, kidneys should be 2.5 to 3.5 cm in length.

Front 59

Which parameters are used to assess the brain during a nervous system examination?

Back 59

Cranial nerves and mental status parameters are used to assess the brain during a nervous system examination.

Front 60

How are spinal reflexes measured?

Back 60

Spinal reflexes are measured by a firm but gentle tap on a tendon and observation of degree of contraction of corresponding muscle.

Front 61

What is the normal response to a firm toe pinch?

Back 61

The normal response to a firm toe pinch is some acknowledgement of pain and withdrawal of the leg.

Front 62

Name three pairs of peripheral lymph nodes palpable in the normal animal.

Back 62

Peripheral lymph nodes palpable in the normal animal are submandibular, prescapular, and popliteal.

Front 63

Name the two pairs of peripheral lymph nodes not generally palpable in the normal animal.

Back 63

Peripheral lymph nodes not generally palpable in the normal animal are axillary and inguinal.

Front 64

What is a comedone?

Back 64

A comedone is a blackhead.

Front 65

Describe the grading of reflex responses.

Back 65

Reflex responses are graded as follows: 0 for no response, 1 for hyporeflexia (less than normal response), 2 for normal response, 3 for hyperflexia (greater than normal response), and 4 for clonus (repetitive response).

Front 66

What is the normal RR and HR for cats?

Back 66

Normal RR is 16-30 and HR is 160-240 in cats.

Front 67

What is the normal RR and HR in cows?

Back 67

Normal RR is 20-30 and HR is 50-70 in cows.

Front 68

What is the normal RR and HR in dogs?

Back 68

Normal RR is 16-24 and HR is 70-180 in dogs, while puppies can have HR up to 220.

Front 69

What is the normal RR and HR in horses?

Back 69

Normal RR 8-12 and HR is 35-50 in horses.

Front 70

What is the acronym SOAP used to describe?

Back 70

SOAP stands for subjective, objective, assessment, and plan in a problem oriented medical record.

Front 71

What is a master problem list?

Back 71

A master problem liste is a list of actual diagnoses for that patient, notated on a separate summary sheet.

Front 72

What is the PPH?

Back 72

PPH is an acronym for past pertinent hbistory, which is medcial history which may impact current problem.

Front 73

Where would past pertinent history be notated for a new patient in the problem oriented medical record?

Back 73

Past pertinent history would be recorded in the subjective portion for a new patient.

Front 74

Where would the chief complaint be listed in the problem oriented medical record?

Back 74

The chief complaint would be listed in the subjective portion of the problem oriented medical record.

Front 75

Describe the subjective part of the problem oriented medical record.

Back 75

The subjective part of the problem oriented medical record deals with our impressions of the animal, is subject to change, includes comments from client, and lists specific history questions.

Front 76

Describe the objective part of the problem oriented medical record.

Back 76

The objective part of the problem oriented medical record includes actual physical data compiled on patient such as vitals as well as lab data.

Front 77

Which two sections of the problem oriented medical record are not completed by veterinary assistants?

Back 77

Veterinarians complete the assessment and plan sections of the problem oriented medical record.

Front 78

What is included in the assessment section of the problem oriented medical record?

Back 78

The assessment section is a list of possible diagnoses.

Front 79

What is in the plan section of the problem oriented medical record?

Back 79

The plan section summarizes the diagnostic and therapeutic plan for the patient.

Front 80

What are the eight parts of a problem oriented medical record?

Back 80

The eight parts of a problem oriented medical record include: signalment, master problem list, past pertinent history, chief complaint, subjective, objective, assessment, and plan.