NPTE Practice Questions

NPTE Practice Questions

1. A physical therapist is working in an outpatient orthopedic clinic. During the patient's history the patient reports, “I tore 3 of my 4 Rotator cuff muscles in the past.” Which of the following muscles cannot be considered as possibly being torn?
A. Teres minor
B. Teres major
C. Supraspinatus
D. Infraspinatus

2. A physical therapist working on an ICU unit, notices a patient is experiencing SOB, calf pain, and warmth over the posterior calf. All of these may indicate which of the following medical conditions?
A. Patient may have a DVT.
B. Patient may be exhibiting signs of dermatitis.
C. Patient may be in the late phases of CHF.
D. Patient may be experiencing anxiety after surgery.

3. A physical therapist is caring for a patient who has recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and COPD. Which of the following tasks should the physical therapist delegate to an aide?

A. Transferring the patient during the third visit.
B. Ambulating the patient for the first time.
C. Taking the patient's vital sign while setting up an exercise program.
D. Educating the patient on monitoring fatigue.

4. A physical therapist is instructing a person who had a left CVA and right lower extremity hemiparesis to use a quad cane. Which of the following is the most appropriate gait sequence?
A. Place the cane in the patient's left upper extremity, encourage cane, then right lower extremity, then left upper extremity gait sequence.
B. Place the cane in the patient's left upper extremity, encourage cane, then left lower extremity, then right upper extremity gait sequence.
C. Place the cane in the patient's right upper extremity, encourage cane, then right lower extremity, then left upper extremity gait sequence.
D. Place the cane in the patient's right upper extremity, encourage cane, then left lower extremity, then right upper extremity gait sequence.

5. A physical therapist is returning phone calls in a pediatric clinic. Which of the following reports most requires the physical therapist's immediate attention and phone call?
A. A 8 year-old boy has been vomiting and appears to have slower movements and has a history of an atrio-ventricular shunt placement.
B. A 10 year-old girl feels a dull pain in her abdomen after doing sit-ups in gym class.
C. A 7 year-old boy has been having a low fever and headache for the past 3 days that has history of an anterior knee wound.
D. A 7 year-old girl that had a cast on her right ankle is complaining of itching.

6. A physical therapist is caring for a patient in the step down unit. The patient has signs of increased intracranial pressure. Which of the following is not a sign of increased intracranial pressure?
A. Bradycardia
B. Increased pupil size bilaterally
C. Change in LOC
D. Vomiting

7. The charge nurse on a cardiac unit tells you a patient is exhibiting signs of right-sided heart failure. Which of the following would not indicate right-sided heart failure?
A. Nausea
B. Anorexia
C. Rapid weight gain
D. SOB (shortness of breath)

8. A patient has recently been diagnosed with symptomatic bradycardia. Which of the following medications is the most recognized for treatment of symptomatic bradycardia?
A. Questran
B. Digitalis
C. Nitroglycerin
D. Atropine

9. Which of the following arterial blood gas values indicates a patient may be experiencing a condition of metabolic acidosis?
A. PaO2 (91%)
B. Bicarbonate 159
C. CO(2) 48 mm Hg
D. pH 7.33

10. A patient has suffered a left CVA and has developed severe hemiparesis resulting in a loss of mobility. The physical therapist notices on assessment that an area over the patient's left elbow appears as non-blanchable erythema and the skin is intact. The physical therapist should score the patient as having which of the following?
A. Stage I pressure ulcer
B. Stage II pressure ulcer
C. Stage III pressure ulcer
D. Stage IV pressure ulcer

Answer Key
1. B
2. A
3. A
4. A
5. A
6. B
7. D
8. D
9. B
10. A