Patient Assessment & Monitoring Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC 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 & Monitoring flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes a modified Ramsey Sedation Scale score of 4?
Answer: Patient is asleep with sluggish response to stimulation
A Ramsey score of 4 means the patient is asleep and responds sluggishly to a light glabellar tap or loud auditory stimulus.
A 72-year-old patient undergoing colonoscopy with conscious sedation has a resting heart rate of 48 bpm and is asymptomatic. Which medication history finding would BEST explain this?
Answer: Chronic beta-blocker therapy
Beta-blockers reduce heart rate and can cause bradycardia, which must be considered when assessing baseline vital signs and planning sedation.
What is the minimum recommended NPO time for clear liquids before elective procedures requiring moderate sedation per ASA guidelines?
Answer: 2 hours
ASA guidelines recommend a minimum 2-hour NPO period for clear liquids before procedures requiring moderate sedation.
A patient's bispectral index (BIS) monitor reads 72 during a procedure. This value indicates:
Answer: Moderate/conscious sedation
BIS values of 60–80 correspond to moderate to deep sedation; the target for conscious sedation is typically 70–85.
Which patient position is preferred to maintain a patent airway and reduce aspiration risk during conscious sedation?
Answer: Left lateral decubitus (recovery position)
The left lateral decubitus position uses gravity to keep the airway open and allows secretions or vomitus to drain away from the airway.
During patient assessment, a history of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is significant for conscious sedation because OSA patients:
Answer: Are at increased risk for airway obstruction and desaturation
OSA patients have anatomical and physiological vulnerabilities that predispose them to airway collapse and oxygen desaturation under sedation.
What is the purpose of assessing a patient's Aldrete score in the post-sedation period?
Answer: Evaluate readiness for discharge from the recovery area
The Aldrete score (activity, respiration, circulation, consciousness, oxygen saturation) is used to objectively determine when a patient is safe for discharge from recovery.