Patient Care and Safety 1 Flashcards
6 cards from real CMT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Patient Care and Safety 1 flashcards as text
A patient is found unresponsive in their room. After calling for help, what is the NEXT immediate action according to basic life support guidelines?
Answer: Open the airway and check for normal breathing
After activating the emergency response system, the next step is to open the airway (head-tilt chin-lift) and check for normal breathing. This assessment determines whether CPR or rescue breathing is needed before initiating compressions.
Which body mechanics principle BEST protects a medical technician from back injury when lifting a patient?
Answer: Bend at the knees and hips while keeping the back straight
Bending at the knees and hips while keeping the back straight transfers the load to the large leg muscles rather than the vulnerable lumbar spine, greatly reducing injury risk.
When applying a gait belt to assist a patient with ambulation, where should the belt be positioned?
Answer: Around the waist over clothing, snug enough to fit two fingers underneath
The gait belt is placed around the waist over clothing with enough snugness to allow two fingers underneath. This positioning provides a secure, safe grip for the caregiver while protecting the patient's skin.
A patient's call light is sounding. The medical technician enters the room and finds the patient standing at the bedside with IV tubing tangled around their feet. The PRIORITY action is to:
Answer: Ensure the patient's safety and prevent a fall before addressing the tubing
Patient safety is always the first priority. The technician should stabilize the patient to prevent a fall and call for help simultaneously. Addressing equipment concerns is secondary to preventing injury.
Standard Precautions require gloves to be worn when a medical technician is:
Answer: Assisting a patient to use a bedpan
Standard Precautions require gloves whenever there is potential contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, or excretions. Assisting with a bedpan involves potential exposure to urine or feces, making gloves mandatory.
A patient reports that the identification band on their wrist has fallen off. The CORRECT response is to:
Answer: Notify the nurse immediately so a new identification band can be applied
Patient identification is a critical safety requirement. A missing ID band must be replaced promptly by notifying the nurse. Improvised identification methods such as tape on a bed rail do not meet safety standards and create risk for patient misidentification.