Preventive Care and Education Flashcards
7 cards from real CPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Preventive Care and Education flashcards as text
A community paramedic is performing a mental health screen on a patient using the PHQ-9. A score of 15 indicates:
Answer: Moderately severe depression warranting active treatment or referral
A PHQ-9 score of 15–19 indicates moderately severe depression, which typically warrants initiation of treatment and/or mental health referral.
When counseling a pregnant patient on prenatal nutrition, which supplement is MOST critical to recommend in the first trimester to prevent neural tube defects?
Answer: Folic acid (400–800 mcg daily)
Folic acid taken before conception and during the first trimester significantly reduces the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
A community paramedic is implementing a medication reconciliation process for a high-risk patient. Which situation is the MOST common source of medication errors in this population?
Answer: Discrepancies between what patients report taking and what providers have prescribed
Discrepancies between patient-reported medications and prescribed medications are the leading source of errors, often due to adherence issues, discontinued meds, or miscommunication.
During a community health fair, a paramedic screens a 45-year-old male with BMI 31, sedentary lifestyle, and a father with type 2 diabetes. Using the ADA risk score, this patient should be:
Answer: Referred for a fasting glucose or A1C test to screen for prediabetes/diabetes
Multiple risk factors (overweight, sedentary, family history) indicate this patient should be screened with fasting glucose or A1C per ADA guidelines.
When performing a home safety assessment for a patient at risk for falls, which environmental modification has the STRONGEST evidence for fall reduction?
Answer: Removing trip hazards and installing grab bars in the bathroom
Removing trip hazards and installing grab bars are the most evidence-supported environmental interventions shown to reduce falls in older adults at home.
A community paramedic is using motivational interviewing (MI) with a patient resistant to making lifestyle changes. Which MI technique is used when the paramedic says, 'So on one hand you enjoy smoking with your coffee, but on the other hand you're worried about your lungs—is that right?'
Answer: Double-sided reflection
A double-sided reflection acknowledges both sides of ambivalence simultaneously, helping the patient explore the conflict between current behavior and desired health outcomes.
A community paramedic is educating a patient with heart failure on daily self-monitoring. Which symptom should prompt the patient to call their provider before the next visit?
Answer: Weight gain of 2–3 pounds in one day or 5 pounds in one week
Rapid weight gain (2–3 lbs/day or 5 lbs/week) indicates fluid retention and early decompensation in heart failure, requiring prompt provider notification.