TEAS Practice Test 2

Passage: Patient advocacy involves supporting and protecting patients' rights, interests, and well-being throughout their healthcare experience. Healthcare providers serve as advocates by ensuring informed consent, protecting patient privacy, facilitating communication between patients and other providers, and helping patients navigate complex healthcare systems. Effective advocacy requires understanding each patient's unique needs, cultural background, and personal values while maintaining professional boundaries and ethical obligations.

What is the main theme of this passage?

Passage: Healthcare disparities refer to differences in health outcomes and access to care experienced by different population groups. These disparities often correlate with factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic location, and insurance coverage. For example, rural populations may have limited access to specialists, while low-income individuals might delay care due to financial constraints. Addressing healthcare disparities requires systemic changes, including improved access to care, cultural competency training for providers, and policies that address social determinants of health.

What factors contribute to healthcare disparities according to the passage? (Select all that apply)

Chart: Healthcare Expenditure by Category Hospital Care: 35% Physician Services: 22% Prescription Drugs: 18% Nursing Home Care: 12% Other Services: 13%

Based on the chart, which statement about healthcare expenditure is accurate?

Passage: The nursing shortage has created significant challenges for healthcare delivery worldwide. Contributing factors include an aging nursing workforce, increased demand for healthcare services, challenging working conditions, and insufficient nursing school capacity. This shortage affects patient care quality, increases workload for remaining staff, and can lead to higher turnover rates. Solutions being implemented include improved compensation packages, better work-life balance initiatives, increased funding for nursing education, and recruitment of international nurses.

What can be predicted about the effects of nursing shortages on healthcare?

Passage: Patient safety culture encompasses the shared beliefs, values, and behaviors within healthcare organizations that prioritize patient safety above all else. Organizations with strong safety cultures encourage reporting of errors and near-misses without fear of punishment, promote learning from mistakes, and continuously seek ways to improve safety processes. Research demonstrates that hospitals with positive safety cultures have lower rates of adverse events, reduced medical errors, and improved patient outcomes. Building such a culture requires leadership commitment, staff engagement, and systematic approaches to safety improvement.

What characterizes organizations with strong patient safety cultures?

Following infection control procedures for isolation precautions: Contact Precautions: (1) Wear gloves and gown before entering room, (2) Use dedicated patient equipment when possible, (3) Remove PPE before leaving room, (4) Perform hand hygiene immediately after PPE removal. Droplet Precautions: (1) Wear surgical mask when within 3 feet of patient, (2) Place patient in private room or cohort with same infection, (3) Patient should wear mask during transport.

According to these procedures, when should hand hygiene be performed for contact precautions?

Passage: Health literacy refers to an individual's ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions. Low health literacy affects people from all backgrounds but is more common among elderly adults, individuals with limited education, and non-English speakers. Patients with low health literacy often have difficulty understanding medication instructions, following treatment plans, and navigating the healthcare system. Healthcare providers can improve communication by using plain language, visual aids, and teach-back methods to confirm understanding.

Which groups are more likely to have low health literacy? (Select all that apply)

Passage: Healthcare ethics committees serve important roles in addressing moral and ethical dilemmas that arise in patient care. These interdisciplinary committees typically include physicians, nurses, social workers, ethicists, and community representatives. They provide consultation on difficult cases, develop institutional policies on ethical issues, and offer education on bioethics topics. Common issues addressed include end-of-life care decisions, informed consent concerns, resource allocation dilemmas, and conflicts between patient autonomy and beneficence.

What is the primary purpose of healthcare ethics committees?

Chart: Readmission Rates by Patient Age Under 30: 8% 30-49: 12% 50-69: 18% 70-89: 25% Over 90: 32%

What pattern is evident in the readmission data?

Passage: Medication reconciliation is a critical safety process that involves creating an accurate list of all medications a patient is taking and comparing it across different care settings. Discrepancies between medication lists can lead to serious errors, including omitted doses, duplicate therapy, or dangerous drug interactions. The process should occur at every transition of care, including hospital admission, transfer between units, and discharge. Effective medication reconciliation requires collaboration between patients, families, and healthcare providers.

When should medication reconciliation occur according to the passage?

Passage: Evidence-based practice (EBP) integrates the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values to guide healthcare decisions. This approach ensures that treatments are grounded in scientific evidence while considering individual patient circumstances and preferences. The EBP process involves formulating clinical questions, searching for relevant research, critically appraising the evidence, and implementing findings into practice. Healthcare organizations increasingly emphasize EBP to improve patient outcomes and ensure resources are used effectively.

What three components does evidence-based practice integrate according to the passage?

Data: Patient Fall Incidents by Location Patient Rooms: 45% Bathrooms: 28% Hallways: 15% Therapy Areas: 8% Other Areas: 4%

Based on this data, what conclusion can be drawn about fall prevention strategies?

Passage: Nosocomial infections, also known as hospital-acquired infections, occur when patients develop infections while receiving treatment in healthcare facilities. These infections can be more challenging to treat than community-acquired infections because hospital environments often harbor antibiotic-resistant organisms. Common sources include contaminated medical equipment, poor hand hygiene among staff, and invasive procedures that breach normal body defenses. Prevention requires strict adherence to infection control protocols and continuous monitoring of infection rates.

What distinguishes nosocomial infections from community-acquired infections according to the passage?

Passage: Healthcare communication must be adapted to meet diverse patient needs, including cultural backgrounds, language preferences, and health literacy levels. Effective communication strategies include using plain language, checking for understanding, providing written materials in appropriate languages, and being sensitive to cultural beliefs about health and illness. Miscommunication can lead to medication errors, poor treatment adherence, and adverse health outcomes, making clear communication a patient safety priority.

Which communication strategies are mentioned as effective for diverse patient populations? (Select all that apply)

Graph: Emergency Department Visits by Age Group 0-17 years: 22% 18-34 years: 28% 35-54 years: 24% 55-74 years: 18% 75+ years: 8%

Based on the graph, which age group accounts for the largest percentage of emergency department visits?

Passage: Telehealth technology has expanded rapidly, offering patients convenient access to healthcare services from their homes. Video consultations allow for visual assessment and real-time communication between patients and providers. Remote monitoring devices can track vital signs, blood glucose levels, and other health parameters continuously. However, telehealth has limitations, including the inability to perform physical examinations, technology barriers for some patients, and concerns about diagnostic accuracy for certain conditions.

Compare the advantages and limitations of telehealth mentioned in the passage.

Following directions for sterile technique during wound care: (1) Gather all necessary supplies before beginning, (2) Perform hand hygiene and don sterile gloves, (3) Open sterile dressing package without contaminating contents, (4) Remove old dressing and assess wound, (5) Clean wound with prescribed solution using sterile technique, (6) Apply new sterile dressing, (7) Document wound assessment and care provided.

According to these directions, when should the wound assessment be documented?

Passage: Health insurance coverage significantly affects patient access to healthcare services. Uninsured patients often delay seeking care, rely on emergency departments for routine care, and face financial barriers to prescription medications and specialist consultations. The Affordable Care Act aimed to reduce the number of uninsured Americans through various mechanisms, including Medicaid expansion and insurance marketplace subsidies. However, coverage gaps remain, particularly in states that did not expand Medicaid eligibility.

What does the author suggest about the relationship between insurance coverage and healthcare access?

Passage: Healthcare quality improvement initiatives focus on systematically enhancing patient care processes and outcomes. These initiatives typically follow structured methodologies such as Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, which involve planning changes, implementing them on a small scale, studying the results, and then acting on what is learned. Successful quality improvement requires leadership support, staff engagement, data-driven decision making, and a culture that embraces continuous learning and change.

Following the PDSA cycle methodology, what should happen after studying the results of an implemented change?

Chart: Healthcare Worker Vaccination Rates Influenza vaccine: 78% Hepatitis B vaccine: 92% MMR vaccine: 89% Tdap vaccine: 85% COVID-19 vaccine: 74%

Which vaccines have achievement rates above 85%?

Passage: The opioid crisis has significantly impacted healthcare delivery, requiring providers to balance effective pain management with addiction prevention. Healthcare professionals must now carefully assess patients for addiction risk factors, implement monitoring protocols, and consider alternative pain management strategies. This has led to increased use of prescription drug monitoring programs, more frequent patient assessments, and greater emphasis on non-pharmacological pain interventions.

What can be inferred about the healthcare system's response to the opioid crisis?

Passage: Diabetes self-management education is crucial for patients with diabetes to maintain optimal blood glucose control and prevent complications. Effective education programs cover topics such as blood glucose monitoring, medication management, nutrition planning, exercise recommendations, and recognition of emergency situations. The most successful programs use interactive teaching methods, provide ongoing support, and adapt to individual patient needs and learning styles. Studies show that patients who participate in structured diabetes education programs have better glycemic control and fewer hospital admissions.

What evidence supports the effectiveness of diabetes education programs?

Data Table: Medication Error Rates by Shift Day Shift (7am-7pm): 0.8 errors per 100 medications Night Shift (7pm-7am): 1.3 errors per 100 medications Weekend Day: 1.1 errors per 100 medications Weekend Night: 1.6 errors per 100 medications

Based on the data, which conclusion can be drawn about medication error patterns?

Passage: Informed consent is a fundamental principle in healthcare that ensures patients understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives of proposed treatments before agreeing to proceed. This process involves more than just signing a form; it requires clear communication between healthcare providers and patients, adequate time for questions, and verification that the patient comprehends the information provided. Challenges to obtaining true informed consent include language barriers, health literacy issues, and power imbalances between providers and patients.

Summarize the main challenges to obtaining informed consent mentioned in the passage.

Passage: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive condition characterized by gradual loss of kidney function over time. Early stages often have no symptoms, making regular screening important for at-risk populations, including those with diabetes, hypertension, or family history of kidney disease. As the condition advances, patients may experience fatigue, swelling, changes in urination, and other complications. Treatment focuses on slowing disease progression through lifestyle modifications, medication management, and eventually may require dialysis or kidney transplantation.

What makes early detection of chronic kidney disease challenging?

Passage: Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare involves different healthcare professionals working together to provide comprehensive patient care. This team-based approach includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, social workers, and other specialists who contribute their unique expertise to patient treatment plans. Research shows that effective interprofessional collaboration leads to improved patient outcomes, reduced medical errors, and increased job satisfaction among healthcare workers. However, successful collaboration requires clear communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making processes.

Which factors are necessary for successful interprofessional collaboration? (Select all that apply)

Graph showing Patient Satisfaction Scores by Department: Emergency Department: 3.2/5 Medical-Surgical: 4.1/5 Intensive Care: 3.8/5 Outpatient Clinic: 4.3/5 Radiology: 3.9/5

Based on the graph, which statement about patient satisfaction is accurate?

Passage: Mental health stigma remains a significant barrier to treatment, preventing many individuals from seeking help when they need it most. This stigma manifests in various ways, including discrimination in employment, social isolation, and internalized shame. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in reducing stigma by using person-first language, treating mental health conditions with the same seriousness as physical illnesses, and advocating for their patients. Creating supportive environments where patients feel safe to discuss mental health concerns is essential for effective treatment.

What is the author's point of view regarding healthcare providers' role in mental health stigma?

Passage: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that patients acquire during their stay in healthcare facilities. These infections were not present or incubating at the time of admission and typically develop 48 hours or more after admission. Common types include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and surgical site infections. Prevention strategies focus on proper hand hygiene, sterile techniques, and appropriate use of medical devices.

According to the passage, what distinguishes healthcare-associated infections from other infections?

Following written directions for medication administration: Before administering any medication: (1) Verify patient identity using two identifiers, (2) Check medication label against physician order three times, (3) Calculate correct dosage based on patient weight if required, (4) Assess patient for allergies and contraindications, (5) Document administration time and dosage in patient record, (6) Monitor patient for adverse reactions for 30 minutes after administration.

When should the nurse calculate the correct dosage?

Passage: Pain management in healthcare requires a comprehensive approach that considers both physical and psychological factors. Healthcare providers must assess pain levels accurately, understand different types of pain (acute vs. chronic), and develop individualized treatment plans. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as physical therapy, relaxation techniques, and cognitive behavioral therapy, are increasingly recognized as important components of pain management alongside traditional medication approaches.

What evidence supports the importance of non-pharmacological interventions in pain management?

Passage: Electronic health records (EHRs) have transformed healthcare documentation and information sharing. These digital systems allow healthcare providers to access patient information quickly, reduce medical errors through decision support tools, and improve coordination of care between different providers. However, EHR implementation has also introduced challenges, including increased administrative burden on providers, concerns about data security, and the potential for technology to interfere with patient-provider relationships.

Compare the benefits and challenges of EHRs mentioned in the passage.

Chart showing Hospital Readmission Rates by Condition: Heart Failure: 23% Pneumonia: 18% Heart Attack: 15% COPD: 20% Hip/Knee Replacement: 8%

According to the chart, which condition has the highest readmission rate?

Passage: Vaccination programs have been one of the most successful public health interventions in history. Diseases that once caused widespread death and disability, such as polio and measles, have been virtually eliminated in many countries through comprehensive immunization campaigns. However, vaccine hesitancy has led to resurgences of some preventable diseases in certain communities. Public health officials emphasize the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to preserve herd immunity and protect vulnerable populations who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions.

What can be predicted about communities with low vaccination rates?

Passage: The human circadian rhythm is a 24-hour internal clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles, hormone production, and other physiological processes. This biological clock is primarily controlled by a region of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which responds to light and darkness signals. Disruptions to circadian rhythms, such as those caused by shift work or jet lag, can lead to sleep disorders, decreased cognitive performance, and increased risk of various health problems including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Which phrase from the passage best helps determine the meaning of "circadian rhythm"?

Based on the following patient education material, which recommendations would help prevent falls in elderly patients? (Select all that apply)

Patient Education: Fall Prevention

• Keep walkways clear of clutter
• Install grab bars in bathrooms
• Ensure adequate lighting throughout the home
• Wear properly fitting shoes with non-slip soles
• Review medications with healthcare provider
• Exercise regularly to maintain strength and balance

Passage: Sleep disorders affect millions of people worldwide and can significantly impact quality of life and health outcomes. Common disorders include sleep apnea, characterized by repeated breathing interruptions during sleep; insomnia, involving difficulty falling or staying asleep; and restless leg syndrome, causing uncomfortable sensations and urges to move the legs. Proper diagnosis often requires sleep studies conducted in specialized laboratories, where patients' sleep patterns, breathing, and brain activity are monitored throughout the night.

What is the main idea of this passage?

Passage: Physical therapy plays a crucial role in rehabilitation medicine, helping patients recover function after injury, surgery, or illness. Therapists use various techniques including therapeutic exercises, manual therapy, and modalities such as heat, cold, and electrical stimulation. The goal is not just to treat symptoms but to address underlying movement patterns and prevent future injuries. Evidence-based practice guides treatment decisions, with therapists regularly assessing patient progress and adjusting interventions accordingly.

Which statement represents a fact rather than an opinion?

Passage: Antibiotic resistance represents one of the most serious threats to global public health. When bacteria are repeatedly exposed to antibiotics, they can develop mechanisms to survive these medications, rendering treatments ineffective. This resistance can spread between bacteria, creating "superbugs" that are difficult or impossible to treat with current antibiotics. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both human medicine and agriculture have accelerated this process.

What does the term "superbugs" refer to in this context?

Following written directions: To properly dispose of contaminated medical waste: (1) Ensure all sharp objects are placed in designated sharps containers, (2) Place all contaminated materials in red biohazard bags, (3) Seal bags securely before transport, (4) Log disposal in the facility's waste tracking system, (5) Store sealed bags in designated collection area until pickup.

According to these directions, when should contaminated materials be logged in the tracking system?

Passage: The placebo effect demonstrates the powerful connection between mind and body in medical treatment. When patients believe they are receiving effective treatment, they often experience genuine improvements in their symptoms, even when receiving an inactive substance. This phenomenon has been documented across various conditions, from pain management to depression. While some critics argue that placebo effects are simply psychological, neuroimaging studies have shown actual changes in brain activity and neurotransmitter levels in patients experiencing placebo responses.

What is the author's primary purpose in this passage?

Chart Data: Emergency Department Wait Times by Day of Week Monday: 45 minutes Tuesday: 38 minutes Wednesday: 42 minutes Thursday: 40 minutes Friday: 55 minutes Saturday: 72 minutes Sunday: 68 minutes

Based on the chart, which day of the week has the shortest average wait time in the emergency department?

Passage: Telemedicine has revolutionized healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and underserved areas where access to specialists is limited. Through video conferencing and remote monitoring technologies, patients can receive consultations, follow-up care, and even some diagnostic services without traveling long distances. However, telemedicine also presents challenges, including technology barriers for elderly patients, concerns about the quality of virtual examinations, and regulatory issues regarding licensing across state lines. Despite these challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine adoption, with usage increasing by over 3000% in some regions.

What can be inferred about the impact of COVID-19 on telemedicine?

Passage: Healthcare facilities must maintain strict protocols for infection control to protect both patients and staff. These protocols include proper hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), environmental cleaning procedures, and isolation protocols for contagious patients. Studies have shown that implementing comprehensive infection control measures can reduce healthcare-associated infections by up to 70%. However, compliance with these protocols requires ongoing training, monitoring, and a culture of safety within the healthcare organization.

Based on the passage, which factors are essential for effective infection control in healthcare facilities? (Select all that apply)

Passage:
The lymphatic system serves as the body's drainage network, collecting excess fluid from tissues and returning it to the bloodstream. Unlike the cardiovascular system, which uses the heart as a pump, the lymphatic system relies on muscle contractions and one-way valves to move lymph fluid. This system also plays a crucial role in immune function, as lymph nodes filter pathogens and foreign particles from the lymph before it returns to circulation. When the lymphatic system becomes compromised, conditions such as lymphedema can occur, causing painful swelling in affected areas.

What is the primary mechanism by which lymph fluid moves through the lymphatic system?