Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner (AOCNP) Certification Practice Test

Which assessment tool utilizes three parameters to evaluate patient status in acute situations?

1. Quick SOFA

2. APACHE II

3. MELD

4. Glasgow Coma Scale

The correct answer is: Quick SOFA

The Quick SOFA (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment) is designed to identify patients with a higher risk of clinical deterioration in acute situations, such as sepsis. It specifically utilizes three parameters: altered mentation, a respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute or greater, and systolic blood pressure of 100 mmHg or lower. This quick assessment allows healthcare providers to rapidly evaluate a patient’s status and make decisions about necessary interventions. In contrast, APACHE II is a more complex scoring system that assesses the severity of disease in critically ill patients using multiple clinical and laboratory parameters. The MELD score is utilized to assess liver disease severity based primarily on lab values, while the Glasgow Coma Scale evaluates consciousness by assessing eye, verbal, and motor responses but does not encompass the broader parameters used in acute evaluations like Quick SOFA. Therefore, Quick SOFA’s emphasis on three specific parameters makes it especially effective for quick assessments in acute medical scenarios.