Patient Assessment & Clinical Evaluation Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Assessment & Clinical Evaluation flashcards as text
A patient's chart shows a creatinine of 4.2 mg/dL and BUN of 68 mg/dL. Which clinical condition does this pattern most strongly suggest?
Answer: Chronic kidney disease
Elevated creatinine and BUN together indicate impaired renal filtration, consistent with chronic kidney disease.
When reviewing a patient's CBC, you notice a left shift with toxic granulation in neutrophils. This finding is most associated with:
Answer: Severe bacterial sepsis
Left shift with toxic granulation indicates release of immature neutrophils under extreme demand, characteristic of severe bacterial sepsis.
A PT/INR result of 3.8 is reported for a patient on warfarin therapy for atrial fibrillation. The most appropriate clinical action is to:
Answer: Notify the ordering physician immediately
An INR of 3.8 exceeds the therapeutic range (2.0–3.0) for atrial fibrillation and represents a critical value requiring immediate physician notification.
Which laboratory finding would most likely be seen in a patient experiencing syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)?
Answer: Hyponatremia with high urine osmolality
SIADH causes water retention diluting serum sodium (hyponatremia) while the urine remains inappropriately concentrated (high osmolality).
A patient presents with jaundice, elevated direct bilirubin, and elevated alkaline phosphatase with near-normal ALT/AST. This pattern is most consistent with:
Answer: Cholestatic liver disease
Elevated direct bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase with minimal transaminase elevation points to biliary obstruction or cholestatic disease.
Which electrolyte abnormality is most commonly associated with prolonged QT interval on ECG and increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia?
Answer: Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia prolongs the QT interval by delaying cardiac repolarization, increasing arrhythmia risk.
A newborn screen shows elevated phenylalanine levels on two separate specimens. The laboratory technologist should:
Answer: Flag as critical and notify the ordering provider
Persistently elevated phenylalanine in a newborn may indicate phenylketonuria (PKU), a critical finding requiring immediate provider notification for early intervention.