Basic Patient Care Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real PCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Basic Patient Care Skills flashcards as text
A patient tells you they need to use the bathroom but their call light is out of reach. What should the PCA do first?
Answer: Assist the patient immediately and report the call light issue
Patient safety and needs take priority; assist immediately, then report the equipment problem to the charge nurse.
Which action best protects a patient's dignity during perineal care?
Answer: Keep the patient fully covered and expose only the area being cleaned
Exposing only the necessary area maintains privacy and preserves the patient's dignity throughout care.
What is the correct order for measuring a blood pressure reading?
Answer: Apply cuff, place stethoscope, inflate cuff, deflate slowly
Applying the cuff first, then positioning the stethoscope, allows correct placement before inflation and controlled deflation.
A patient who has been in bed for several days begins to stand and reports feeling dizzy. What is the PCA's priority action?
Answer: Lower the patient back to bed and report to the nurse
Dizziness on standing (orthostatic hypotension) is a fall risk; return the patient to bed and notify the nurse.
When should a PCA perform hand hygiene?
Answer: Before and after every patient contact and after removing gloves
Hand hygiene before and after patient contact and glove removal is the primary method of infection prevention.
A patient has a urinary catheter. Which observation must be reported to the nurse immediately?
Answer: Urine output has stopped for 2 hours
No urine output for 2 hours may signal a blocked catheter or kidney problem and requires prompt nursing assessment.
Which statement about using a gait belt during ambulation is correct?
Answer: Apply it over the patient's clothing at waist level
The gait belt is applied over clothing at the waist with enough snugness to slip two fingers underneath.