PT Exam One

A physical therapist treats a patient with a CVA that presents with speech and language deficits. The therapist incorporates phonetics into the plan of care. This intervention would be MOST essential for a patient diagnosed with:

• 1. Broca's aphasia

• 1. dysarthria

• 1. verbal apraxia

• 1. dysphagia

A physical therapist determines that a patient has 0-135 degrees of passive knee flexion and 0-120 degrees of active knee flexion. The MOST appropriate form of testing to help clarify the difference in the range of motion values is:

• 1. passive joint motion testing

• 1. special tests isolating flexibility

• 1. manual muscle tests

• 1. diagnostic imaging

A physical therapy department embarks on a quality improvement program. Results from a random sample of patient charts reveal that 40% of the charts do not include a discharge summary. A logical next step to the quality improvement program would be:

• 1. dismiss the findings because discharge summaries are not directly related to the quality of patient care

• 1. discipline the staff members who did not complete the discharge summaries and continue to monitor the situation

• 1. dismiss the findings because a random sample does not provide accurate information

• 1. notify the staff that discharge summaries are to be completed on all patients and continue to monitor the situation

A physical therapist employed in a rehabilitation hospital examines a patient that exhibits several signs and symptoms of anemia. Which question would be the MOST useful to gather additional information related to anemia?

• 1. Does it hurt to take a deep breath?

• 1. Do you experience heart palpitations or shortness of breath at rest or with mild exertion?

• 1. Do you frequently experience dizziness, headaches or blurred vision?

• 1. Are you susceptible to bruising?

A physical therapist performs postural drainage to the anterior basal segments of the lower lobes. During the treatment session the patient suddenly complains of dizziness and mild dyspnea. The MOST appropriate therapist action is to:

• 1. reassure the patient that the response is normal

• 1. assess the patient's vital signs

• 1. elevate the patient's head

• 1. call for assistance

A patient is asked to complete a pain questionnaire. The patient selects words such as cramping, dull, and aching to describe the pain. What related structure is MOST consistent with the pain description?

• 1. nerve root

• 2. muscle

• 3. bone

• 4. vascular

A physical therapist completes a study which examines the effect of goniometer size on the reliability of passive shoulder joint measurements. The therapist concludes that goniometric measurements of passive shoulder range of motion can be highly reliable when taken by a single therapist, regardless of the size of the goniometer. This study demonstrates the use of:

• 1. interrater reliability

• 1. intrarater reliability

• 1. internal validity

• 1. external validity

A physical therapist employed in an acute care hospital examines a patient rehabilitating from surgery. The patient has diabetes, however, has no other significant past medical history. Which of the following situations would MOST warrant immediate medical attention?

• 1. signs of confusion and lethargy

• 1. systolic blood pressure increase of 20 mm Hg during exercise

• 1. lack of significant clinical findings following the examination

• discovery of significant past medical history unknown to the physician

A patient with a peripheral nerve injury is examined in physical therapy. The patient's primary symptoms result from an injury to the superficial peroneal nerve. The MOST likely area of sensory alteration is:

• 1. sole of the foot

• 1. plantar surface of the toes

• 1. lateral aspect of the leg and dorsum of the foot

• 1. triangular area between the first and second toes

A physical therapist reviews a physician examination which indicates diminished sensation in the L3 dermatome. The MOST appropriate location to confirm the physician's findings is:

• dorsum of the foot

• 1. anterior thigh

• 1. groin

• 1. lateral calf