Course 4, Physical Exam Flashcards
If a pt says their abd feels very painful, can you automatically document “abd tenderness” in the physical exam? Why or why not?
No because “tenderness” is determined by the physician
Which physical exam findings could a physician appreciate without auscultating the patient’s lungs
A) no respiratory distress
B) No rales
A.
What does PERRL stand for
Pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light
What does AT/NC mean
Atraumatic/ Normocephalic
What does NAD stand for?
No acute distress
If a patient has pale conjunctiva, what does that indicate?
anemia
What is sclera icterus, and what does it indicate?
Scleral icterus is yellowish pigmentation of the conjunctival membranes over the sclerae. This indicates liver failure.
Name an instrument a physician may use to closely investigate the eyes.
ophthalmoscope, wood’s lamp/ fluorescien
In which body system would you document “TM erythema and bulging”?
Ears
What is the medical term for a nostril?
nares
To describe a “runny nose” would the doctor use the word “epistaxis” or “rhinorrhea”?
rhinorrhea
What would dry mucous membranes indicate?
Dehydration
Why is midline bony tenderness “worse” than paraspinal tenderness?
Paraspinal tenderness refers to the muscle which could indicate something like kidney stones; while midline bony tenderness could indicate spine damage
If you saw RRR written in the cardiac exam, what do you think it might mean? (it is a normal cardiac finding)
Regular Rate and Rhythm- heart sounds normal
If the physician checks the pulse on the right wrist and says “the pulses are fine”, what would you document in the physical exam?
Right radial pulse 2+
Name two “Peritoneal signs” in the abdominal exam
Voluntary Guarding, Rebound Tenderness, Rigidity (involuntary guarding)
What abdominal exam sign is indicative of Cholecystitis?
Murphy’s sign
If the doctor takes 1 finger and presses in a specific spot in the RLQ, what is the name of the finding they are investigating?
McBurney’s point tenderness, used to identify appendicities
Which of these findings is not a peritoneal sign:
guarding, rebound, tenderness, rigidity
tenderness
What would a “Guaiac positive” stool sample diagnose?
blood in the stool, heme positive, GI bleed
What phrase do you have to document in the GU exam for every female pelvic exam performed by a male physician?
“female chaperone present”
What is bony tenderness a sign of?
A fracture
What is CVA tenderness?
Costovertebral Angle Tenderness
What is fluctuance a sign of?
An abscess
