Basic Patient Care Flashcards

Question 1

What is patient care in a general sense?

Accepted Answer

Patient care refers to the actions taken to meet a person's physical, emotional, and social needs while they receive services in a health setting. It includes helping with daily activities, watching for changes in condition, protecting safety, and supporting comfort. Good care is person-centered, meaning the individual's preferences, values, and goals shape decisions.

Question 2

What does the term activities of daily living mean?

Accepted Answer

Activities of daily living are the routine self-care tasks people perform to meet basic needs and live independently. Common examples include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, moving from bed to chair, and personal grooming. Caregivers record how much help a person needs with each task, which helps teams plan support and track changes over time.

Question 3

What is the difference between a sign and a symptom?

Accepted Answer

A sign is an objective observation that someone else can see, measure, or record, such as a temperature reading, swelling, or a rash. A symptom is a subjective experience that the person reports, such as pain or dizziness. Both matter because together they give the care team a fuller picture of a person's condition.

Question 4

Why is person-centered care considered a core principle?

Accepted Answer

Person-centered care means treating each individual as a partner in decisions about their own care, with attention to their preferences, values, and goals. It is considered a core principle because people tend to take part more fully in their care when they feel respected and heard. It also reduces misunderstandings between patients and staff.

Question 5

What is the purpose of a care plan?

Accepted Answer

A care plan is a written outline of a person's needs, goals, and the support planned to meet them. It lists who is responsible for each task, how often it should happen, and what outcome the team hopes to see. Care plans are reviewed regularly so they stay accurate as the person's needs change.

Question 6

What does the term vital signs refer to?

Accepted Answer

Vital signs are basic measurements that show how the body's core functions are operating at a given moment. The standard set usually includes temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. Staff record these values using consistent methods and units so trends can be compared over time.

Question 7

What is a hazard in a care environment?

Accepted Answer

A hazard is anything in the environment or a situation that has the potential to cause harm, such as a wet floor, a loose cord, or a cluttered walkway. Identifying hazards early allows staff to remove them, post warnings, or report them through the facility's safety process. Correct reporting matters because it protects everyone nearby.

Question 8

What does the term scope of practice mean?

Accepted Answer

Scope of practice is the range of tasks a person is trained, certified, and legally permitted to perform in a given role. Staff members work within their scope and ask a supervisor or another qualified professional for help when a task falls outside it. Regulations and employer policies define the boundaries in each setting.

Question 9

What is active listening, and why does it matter in patient communication?

Accepted Answer

Active listening means giving full attention to the speaker, confirming understanding, and responding in ways that show the message was heard. Caregivers might paraphrase what a patient said, ask a clarifying question, or wait patiently instead of interrupting. This matters because patients share important information, and missed details can affect care.

Question 10

What does informed consent mean for a patient receiving care?

Accepted Answer

Informed consent is a person's voluntary agreement to a care activity after receiving clear information about what it involves, its risks and benefits, and reasonable alternatives. The person must have the capacity to understand and must be free to say no. Staff document consent according to facility policy.

Question 11

What does patient confidentiality require from staff members in daily work?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality requires staff to protect a person's health information and personal details, sharing them only with people who have a legitimate need to know. Staff keep conversations private, avoid discussing patients in public areas, and secure records when not in use. Breaking confidentiality can harm trust and may violate laws and policies.

Question 12

What is an advance directive, and when is it used?

Accepted Answer

An advance directive is a written document that records a person's wishes about future medical care in case they become unable to communicate them. It may name a trusted person to speak for them. Staff ask about advance directives and place copies in the record when available. Facilities often explain these documents during admission.

Question 13

What is the role of a medical interpreter in patient communication?

Accepted Answer

A medical interpreter converts spoken or signed communication between a patient and staff who do not share a language, preserving the meaning as accurately as possible. Interpreters do not give advice or make decisions for anyone. Staff should use a qualified interpreter rather than relying on family members or untrained helpers.

Question 14

What is the teach-back method and how is it used?

Accepted Answer

Teach-back is a communication technique in which the person explains, in their own words, what they understood about instructions or information. If the explanation is incomplete, the caregiver clarifies and asks again. This approach checks understanding without quizzing the person. It is widely used for discharge instructions and education about daily care routines.

Question 15

What is a patient's right to refuse care?

Accepted Answer

A patient generally has the right to refuse a recommended care activity after understanding its purpose and possible consequences. Refusal should be respected, documented accurately, and discussed again if the person changes their mind. Staff explain the potential effects of refusing in clear language and offer alternatives where possible.

Question 16

What does nonverbal communication cover in patient care?

Accepted Answer

Nonverbal communication includes messages sent without words, such as facial expression, eye contact, posture, tone of voice, and the distance a person keeps. Caregivers watch these signals to understand comfort, stress, or agreement, especially when a person has difficulty speaking. Their own nonverbal cues matter too.

Question 17

What is the chain of infection and why is it useful for prevention?

Accepted Answer

The chain of infection describes the links needed for an infection to spread: an infectious agent, a reservoir, a portal of exit, a mode of transmission, a portal of entry, and a susceptible host. Breaking any one link can prevent spread. Staff use this model to choose practical prevention steps.

Question 18

What is hand hygiene and when is it needed?

Accepted Answer

Hand hygiene means cleaning hands to remove dirt, organisms, and other substances, using either soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. Staff perform it before and after patient contact, after contact with body fluids, and after removing gloves. Good hand hygiene is one of the simplest ways to reduce spread.

Question 19

What are standard precautions, and who do they apply to?

Accepted Answer

Standard precautions are baseline infection control practices applied to all patients, regardless of their known or suspected infection status. They include hand hygiene, appropriate use of gloves and other protective equipment, safe handling of sharps, respiratory hygiene, and proper cleaning of equipment and surfaces. These steps protect both patients and staff.

Question 20

What is personal protective equipment, often called PPE?

Accepted Answer

Personal protective equipment is clothing or gear worn to reduce exposure to hazards, such as gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection, and face shields. Each item protects against a specific type of exposure, so staff choose equipment based on the task and the potential contact. Correct removal order also matters.

Question 21

What is the difference between cleaning and disinfection?

Accepted Answer

Cleaning removes dirt, debris, and visible material from a surface, usually with detergent and water. Disinfection uses a chemical or process to reduce the number of microorganisms on a surface to a safer level. Cleaning normally comes first, because disinfectants work less effectively on soiled surfaces. Facilities follow written procedures for each area.

Question 22

What are isolation precautions, and when are they used?

Accepted Answer

Isolation precautions are added measures used when a person has or may have an infection that spreads in specific ways, such as through droplets, air, or direct contact. They might include a private room, a mask for visitors, or special gowns. The goal is to protect others while the person receives care.

Question 23

What is a sharps injury and why should it be reported?

Accepted Answer

A sharps injury is a puncture or cut caused by a needle, scalpel, broken glass, or other sharp object. Staff should report every sharps injury right away, even if it seems minor, so the exposure can be assessed and documented. Reporting also helps the facility identify patterns and improve safety devices and training.

Question 24

What is a fomite and why does it matter for infection control?

Accepted Answer

A fomite is an object or surface that can carry microorganisms and pass them from one person to another without direct contact. Examples include bed rails, call buttons, stethoscopes, and shared equipment. Because fomites are often touched repeatedly, staff clean high-touch items on a regular schedule and between patients.

Question 25

What is the main purpose of a patient health record, and who uses it?

Accepted Answer

A patient health record is a legal and clinical document that holds a person's history, assessments, care activities, and communications across time. Clinicians, administrators, billing staff, and auditors may all use it for different reasons. A complete, accurate record supports continuity of care, because the next caregiver can see what has already happened.

Question 26

What makes a clinical note objective when describing a person's condition?

Accepted Answer

An objective note records observable facts, such as measured values, actions taken, and the person's stated words in quotation marks. It avoids opinions, labels, and assumptions about motives. For example, writing that the person walked the hallway twice and reported feeling tired is more useful than writing that the person was lazy.

Question 27

What does the abbreviation SOAP stand for in charting?

Accepted Answer

SOAP is a common note structure that stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan. Subjective holds the person's own report, Objective holds measured or observed information, Assessment holds the clinician's interpretation, and Plan describes next steps. Many teams use the format to keep notes organized and easy for others to read.

Question 28

What is a late entry in a patient record, and how should it be written?

Accepted Answer

A late entry is a note written after the time of the event it describes, and it must be clearly labeled with the current date and time. The writer should describe the original event as accurately as possible, based on memory and notes. Late entries should never be backdated.

Question 29

What is a correction in a record, and how should it be made?

Accepted Answer

A correction is a change made to fix an error in a record while keeping the original entry visible. Staff should mark the error clearly, initial and date the change, and write the correct information, following facility policy. Records should never be erased, covered, or deleted to hide a mistake.

Question 30

What is protected health information and why must it be safeguarded?

Accepted Answer

Protected health information is individually identifiable health data, such as a name combined with diagnoses, appointment dates, or treatment details, that must be safeguarded under privacy rules. The rules vary by country and setting, so staff should follow their facility's policy. Sharing only the minimum necessary information for a task is a common principle.

Question 31

What is a handoff report and when is it used?

Accepted Answer

A handoff report is a structured summary given when responsibility for a patient moves from one caregiver or team to another, such as at a shift change. It usually covers the person's current status, recent changes, pending tasks, and concerns to watch. Many teams use a standard format so nothing important is left out.

Question 32

What is the purpose of an incident report?

Accepted Answer

An incident report is a formal record of an unexpected event that caused or could have caused harm, such as a fall, a medication error, or an equipment failure. It is written to support learning and improvement, not to assign blame. Staff complete it promptly, using facts and times.

Question 33

What is a near miss in patient safety?

Accepted Answer

A near miss is an event that did not reach the person, either because it was caught in time or by chance. Reporting near misses helps teams find weak points before harm occurs. For example, if a wrong item is nearly given but a colleague notices it, that event is a near miss worth discussing.

Question 34

What is a fall risk assessment used for?

Accepted Answer

A fall risk assessment is a structured review of factors that may make a person more likely to fall, such as balance problems, weakness, confusion, or recent changes in surroundings. Results guide preventive steps like clear walkways, good lighting, supportive footwear, and call devices within reach. Staff reassess when condition changes.

Question 35

What is a root cause analysis and what is its goal?

Accepted Answer

A root cause analysis is a structured review that looks beyond the immediate event to find the underlying system factors that allowed it to happen. Teams gather facts, trace the sequence of events, and ask why each step occurred. The goal is to improve processes, training, or equipment so the problem is unlikely to recur.

Question 36

What does the term quality improvement mean in health care?

Accepted Answer

Quality improvement is a systematic effort to make care safer, more effective, timely, and patient-centered by measuring performance and testing changes. Teams set a clear aim, collect data, make a small change, and review whether it worked before expanding it. This approach relies on evidence and shared learning rather than one-time fixes.

Question 37

What is a standard operating procedure and why do facilities use them?

Accepted Answer

A standard operating procedure is a written, step-by-step description of how a routine task should be performed in a particular setting. It promotes consistency, so every staff member completes the task the same way. Procedures are reviewed on a schedule and updated when equipment, guidelines, or policies change.

Question 38

What are the basic principles of a balanced diet?

Accepted Answer

A balanced diet includes a variety of foods from all major food groups in amounts that meet energy needs and support health. It emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean or plant-based protein, and low-fat dairy or fortified alternatives. Limiting added sugars, salt, and highly processed foods is also part of general nutrition advice.

Question 39

What is a nutrition screening and what does it indicate?

Accepted Answer

Nutrition screening is a brief, initial check that identifies people who may be at risk of poor nutrition or dehydration and need a fuller assessment. It usually looks at recent weight change, appetite, eating difficulties, and the amount of food and fluid taken. A positive result prompts a closer look.

Question 40

Why do staff record how much food and fluid a person takes?

Accepted Answer

Recording intake helps the care team see patterns in eating and drinking that may signal a change. Staff note the portion or percentage of a meal eaten and the amount of fluid consumed. Trends over several days are more meaningful than a single meal. The information also guides feeding assistance.

Basic Patient Care Flashcards

1Foundations of Patient Care

2Communication and Patient Rights

3Infection Prevention Basics

4Records and Documentation

5Safety, Quality and Nutrition Support

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