JBL EMT Practice Exam

You are assessing the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale on a 60-year-old woman. When she holds both of her arms out in front of her and closes her eyes, both of her arms immediately fall to her sides. You should:

1. defer this part of the test and assess her for facial droop and slurred speech.

2. instruct the patient to keep her eyes open and then repeat the arm drift test.

3. repeat the arm drift test and ensure that her palms are facing downward.

4. repeat the arm drift test, but move the patient's arms into position yourself.

The correct answer is: defer this part of the test and assess her for facial droop and slurred speech.

In this scenario, the fact that both of the patient's arms immediately fall to her sides when she holds them out in front of her and closes her eyes indicates a positive finding on the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale. This finding suggests a sign of weakness or inability to control the muscles in one or both arms, which could be a concerning indicator of a possible stroke. Given this result, the correct course of action is to defer this part of the test and prioritize assessing the patient for other critical signs of stroke, such as facial droop and slurred speech. This immediate attention to potential stroke symptoms is crucial for timely and appropriate management of the patient's condition. Options B, C, and D are not the most appropriate actions in this situation as they do not address the urgency and importance of assessing for potential stroke symptoms following a positive finding on the arm drift component of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale.