NPTE-PT Safety and Professional Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A PT is treating a patient who discloses they are being physically abused at home. What is the PT's primary legal obligation?
- Maintain confidentiality and document the disclosure only
- Report the suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities as required by mandatory reporting laws (Correct answer)
- Refer the patient to a social worker and take no further action
- Discuss the situation with the supervising physician before any action
Correct answer: Report the suspected abuse to the appropriate authorities as required by mandatory reporting laws
PTs are mandatory reporters in most states and must report suspected abuse to appropriate authorities regardless of patient confidentiality.
Question 2: During a treatment session, a patient's blood pressure rises to 190/110 mmHg. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
- Continue the exercise at a lower intensity
- Stop exercise, have the patient rest, and reassess blood pressure within 5 minutes (Correct answer)
- Immediately call 911 without first reassessing
- Document the finding and notify the physician at the end of the day
Correct answer: Stop exercise, have the patient rest, and reassess blood pressure within 5 minutes
Stage 2 hypertension during exercise requires stopping activity and reassessing; if BP remains elevated or symptoms develop, medical referral is warranted.
Question 3: Which action by a PTA requires immediate correction by the supervising PT?
- Progressing a patient's exercise based on established written parameters
- Modifying treatment goals without PT consultation or documentation (Correct answer)
- Providing patient education on a home exercise program
- Documenting a patient's response to treatment in the medical record
Correct answer: Modifying treatment goals without PT consultation or documentation
Modifying goals is outside the PTA scope of practice and requires PT involvement and documentation.
Question 4: A PT suspects a colleague is practicing while impaired by alcohol. What is the most appropriate first action?
- Report directly to the state licensing board
- Confront the colleague privately and document the interaction
- Follow the facility's protocol for reporting impaired practitioners (Correct answer)
- Assume the colleague will self-report and take no action
Correct answer: Follow the facility's protocol for reporting impaired practitioners
The first step is to follow the facility's established impaired-practitioner reporting protocol, which then guides subsequent actions.
Question 5: A patient refuses to sign the informed consent form but still wants to proceed with treatment. What should the PT do?
- Proceed with treatment since the patient verbally agreed
- Document the refusal and proceed if the patient demonstrates understanding
- Decline to treat until written consent is obtained and document the situation (Correct answer)
- Have a witness sign on the patient's behalf
Correct answer: Decline to treat until written consent is obtained and document the situation
Informed consent is a legal and ethical requirement; treatment should not proceed without proper consent, and the situation must be documented.
Question 6: Which Universal Precaution guideline applies when a PT is treating a patient with an open wound?
- Gloves are only required if the PT has skin breaks
- Gloves must be worn when contact with blood or body fluids is anticipated (Correct answer)
- Mask and gown are always required for open wound care
- Gloves are optional if the wound is covered with a dressing
Correct answer: Gloves must be worn when contact with blood or body fluids is anticipated
Standard/Universal Precautions require gloves whenever contact with blood or body fluids is anticipated, regardless of infection status.
Question 7: A PT documents treatment in a patient's medical record and later realizes an error was made. What is the correct way to amend the record?
- Use correction fluid to cover the error and rewrite the correct information
- Draw a single line through the error, write 'error,' initial and date it, then add the correct entry (Correct answer)
- Delete the original entry and replace it with the corrected version
- Leave the error and add a separate note explaining the mistake at the end of the record
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, write 'error,' initial and date it, then add the correct entry
The correct procedure is to draw a single line through the error, note 'error,' initial and date it, preserving the original entry's legibility.
NPTE-PT Safety and Professional Responsibilities 2
A PT is treating a patient who discloses they are being physically abused at home.
What is the PT's primary legal obligation?