Download ABMDI Demonstrating Scientific Knowledge(Completed)2023. and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity!
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Which of the following MUST notify the coroner/ME promptly upon discovery of a suspicious death? a. law enforcement official b. funeral director c. EMT or paramedic d. ER room physician e. all of the above - Answer e. all of the above A 35 year old white female, who was employed as a waitress, unexpectedly dies at work. An autopsy confirms the cause of death as bacterial meningitis. Which of the following agencies must be notified promptly? a. emergency medical association b. department of public health c. department of OSHA d. department of children and family services e. food and drug administration - Answer b. department of public health You have received a call in regard to a natural death at a residence. Your investigation should include: a. establishing a cause and manner of death at the scene b. accepting family members' opinions as to the COD c. contacting the physician of the deceased d. basing your conclusions on the opinion of paramedics at the scene e. forming an opinion as to the COD based on types of meds prescribed - Answer c. contacting the physician of the deceased You are on scene of a homicide and the police tell you that the media want you to release the subject's name and information about the case. You should: a. take them with you to the scene b. follow office policy and procedures that your office has established for dealing with media c. tell the media that you will not give them any information but that you will let them take pictures of the body d. let the police make the press release on behalf of your office e. give the media the basic information - Answer b. follow office policy and procedures that your office has established for dealing with media In general, which of the following is not normally considered for organ/tissue procurement purposes? a. heart valves b. long bones and pelvis c. kidneys d. tendon and veins e. reproductive organs - Answer e. reproductive organs The pathologist must be alerted to religious requests from the family: a. before the victim's body is taken from hospital b. after the autopsy before the body is taken to the funeral home
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c. before the victim's body is taken from the scene d. only if the religion requires it e. before the autopsy is performed - Answer e. before the autopsy is performed Retort - Answer a vessel or chamber in which substances are decomposed by heat To establish a working relationship with law enforcement personnel at the death scene, you should: a. discuss case facts with the officer in charge and proceed appropriately b. present the statutory citations for your authority to the officer in charge c. introduce yourself; talk briefly about your responsibilities and listen to theirs d. wait until your supervisor takes you around and introduces you e. keep to yourself until you know the facts of the case - Answer c. introduce yourself; talk briefly about your responsibilities and listen to theirs When investigating a death, it is best to: a. use all available resources b. get all scene investigative information from LE c. work alone d. disregard how problems affect personnel e. not listen to other or ask questions - Answer a. use all available resources List the key attributes of nonverbal communication - Answer Eye movement, physical gestures, and facial expressions Jurisdiction - Answer the power or authority a court or office has over individuals or trauma Authorization for organ/tissue procurement is considered valid if: a. the legal next of kin or representative has given consent b. an emergency room physician gives permission c. a donor card with the decedent's name is found in the wallet or purse d. the decedent's physician will verify that donation was the decedent's request e. a donor designation appears on the decedent's drivers license - Answer a. the legal next of kin or representative has given consent The deceased is separated from his/her spouse. The NOK would be: a. oldest surviving relative b. separated spouse c. parents d. siblings e. adult children - Answer b. separated spouse Disinterment - Answer the opening of a grave and removal of the body for the purpose of reexamination or removal to another site A medicolegal death investigator may release copies of a decedent's medical records to:
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b. an independent agent communicating the facts as he/she interprets them c. a sender of both work related and personal messages d. a sender and receiver of both work related and personal messages e. a provider of feedback only - Answer d. a sender and receiver of both work related and personal messages Bereavement - Answer sorrow following the death of a loved one Following the decision that death has occurred, ER staff should: a. leave the body intact and notify the coroner/ME b. remove tubes, lines, and medical apparatus and prepare the body for family viewing c. use the cadaver for training and practice intubation or intravenous injection d. seal the bloody clothing in a plastic bag, placing their initials date time over evidence tape e. bag and tag the body after NOK have made positive ID - Answer a. leave the body intact and notify the coroner/ME List the hierarchy of NOK - Answer surviving spouse surviving children or their legal guardian surviving parents surviving siblings surviving grandparents other relatives Official pronouncement of death can be accomplished by - Answer determined by state statute and local customs Authorization to conduct a medicolegal autopsy must be provided by: a. the decedent's NOK b. the coroner or ME when jurisdiction is established c. a will or other document signed before death d. the treating physician e. all of the above - Answer b. the coroner or ME when jurisdiction is established Your office is investigating a suspected SIDS death. You should notify your statewide SIDS program ________. - Answer ASAP following autopsy The death investigator and a police officer arrive at the scene within minutes of each other. a. the PD is in charge and directs the work b. the death investigator is in charge and directs the work c. the best approach is a team approach to perfoming the work d. each has specific responsibilities to perform, and they should not interact e. work together only if necessary; you represent different agencies - Answer c. the best approach is a team approach to perfoming the work
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Choose one of the most important communication skills for gathering information at the scene: a. talk to all neighbors b. listen and actively study witnesses c. write down your thoughts d. avoid eye contact with suspects e. none of the above - Answer b. listen and actively study witnesses When obtaining information about a decedent from family members, the first priority should always be to obtain information from: a. the family member who seems the most stable b. the family member who last saw/talked with the decedent, or has firsthand knowledge regarding the circumstances surrounding the death/medical history. c. decedent's PCP d. family member who is in control of family unit e. police officer who found body - Answer b. the family member who last saw/talked with the decedent, or has firsthand knowledge regarding the circumstances surrounding the death/medical history. Family members often ask why the medical examiner/coroner is involved. When discussing the case with family, what is the best prescribed answer to give them? - Answer explain what is believed to have occurred (homicide, suicide, unexpected death) and why we are investigating When investigating a homicide death case, you discover the victim and family are orthodox Jews. The family voice their objection based on religious belief to an autopsy. Which is the best recommended procedure to follow? - Answer Counsel the family. Explain the circumstances surrounding the investigation and why (criminal prosecution, etc.) the autopsy needs to be performed. If the deceased is decomposed, mutilated, or burned beyond recognition and the family still insists for religious or cultural reasons on viewing the body, the investigator should - Answer Prepare the family before viewing with a verbal explanation and possibly photographs of the remains When family members ask what mortuary should we use- what is the proper response? - Answer consult the local telephone directory If the deceased has some minor facial scrapes and bruises, you should tell the persons who will be viewing him/her: a. to ignore the fact that the decedent has facial injuries b. that some minor scraps are present, but the funeral home may be able to cover them cosmetically later c. nothing so that you do not influence the legality of the identification d. that the deceased did not suffer e. that the FH can fix anything and they can have a better viewing later - Answer b. that some minor scraps are present, but the funeral home may be able to cover them cosmetically later
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c. make sincere sounding excuses for the time delay before the body can be released d. explain that the victim's personal property can be released only to a funeral director e. describe what they are about to see step by step - Answer e. describe what they are about to see step by step A clandestine methamphetamine laboratory has exploded, and the chemist's body is on the scene. You may undertake your scene investigation when: a. the staging area has been erected b. the police and FD think the scene is safe c. the FD and hazardous materials team think the scene is safe d. the FD and police chief have completed their investigation e. proper safety precautions have been taken - Answer e. proper safety precautions have been taken/c. the FD and hazardous materials team think the scene is safe You arrive at an outdoor homicide scene, and you find that the crime scene tape binds too small a perimeter. Onlookers and media are beginning to gather. You should: a. not "fuel" the crowd by moving them because the scene has already been contaminated b. remove the body from the scene as quickly as possible to prevent creating an unruly mob and hostile media c. immediately take down the tape and enlarge the perimeter d. tell the investigating police agency to begin arresting onlookers if they cannot control themselves e. keep the tape in place and instruct the investigating agency to enlarge the perimeter - Answer e. keep the tape in place and instruct the investigating agency to enlarge the perimeter The police notify your office of a death and tell you that the subject was pronounced dead by a home health care nurse who is an LPN. Can the pronouncement be valid? a. regardless of your jurisdiction, a nurse can never pronounce a subject dead. b. depending on your local and state law, the pronouncement may be valid. c. No, a death investigator is the only person who can determine whether a subject is dead. d. Only if the LPN is registered as a home hospice nurse. e. No. a subject cannot be pronounced dead unless an EKG is performed. - Answer b. depending on your local and state law, the pronouncement may be valid. When death investigators come in contact with an unidentified body, the best form of identification (when available) are fingerprints. The second best form of ID is: a. unique markings on the body, such as a tattoo b. a physical description c. analysis of the skeletal remains by a forensic anthropologist d. comparison of radiographs e. congenital defects - Answer d. comparison of radiographs
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The most important reason for taking an overall (wide-angle) photograph of the scene is to: a. show the weather conditions b. spatially locate the specific scene to the surrounding area c. create a permanent record of marks on the body d. show tool marks and tattoos e. collect a photo that can be used for ID - Answer b. spatially locate the specific scene to the surrounding area There is a knife handle protruding from the chest of a homicide victim. Which statement is false? a. It is best to leave the knife in place to enable the pathologist to fully evaluate the injury. b. It is best to leave the knife intact so that it can be x-rayed. c. It is best to remove the knife and turn it over to PD immediately, to reduce the chain of custody and allow the knife to be processed for fingerprints. d. It is best to leave the knife in place and preserve any fingerprint evidence on the knife handle by protecting the handle with a brown paper bag. e. None of the above - Answer c. It is best to remove the knife and turn it over to PD immediately, to reduce the chain of custody and allow the knife to be processed for fingerprints. A major part of documenting a violent death scene investigation should include: a. thoroughly photographing the emergency medical personnel removing the body b. interviewing all possible eye witnesses c. videotaping the crime scene d. making a complete sketch of the scene e. thoroughly photographing the scene - Answer e. thoroughly photographing the scene When packaging items for the laboratory, you should: a. put all like items in the same package b. clean any biohazard material from the items before packaging. c. put all items in separate plastic packages. d. put all items in separate packages. e. put all items from the same location in the same package. - Answer d. put all items in separate packages. Three teenage males reportedly have been playing "Russian roulette". The manner of death for one victim, who was found to have a contact range wound to the right temple, is: a. dictated by the personal philosophy of the certifier b. homicide c. natural d. suicide e. accident - Answer a. dictated by the personal philosophy of the certifier Prescription medication at the scene must be:
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You are at the scene of a sudden and unexpected death of a 16 month old child. The family members want to hold the child. What should you do? a. Tell them they should have thought about that before, and to leave the child alone. You must collect evidence at this time. b. Consider the evidence you have discovered to this point and make a professional decision based on those facts, always taking the family into consideration. c. Place the body in a body bag and tell the family that they can view the body after the pathologist has completed an autopsy. d. Advise them of the federal statute that prohibits handling evidence during the conducting of an investigation e. Point out to all family members (except the mother) that the rights of the child supercede theirs, and that they will have a chance to hold the child after the investigation is complete. - Answer b. Consider the evidence you have discovered to this point and make a professional decision based on those facts, always taking the family into consideration. Immediately upon arriving at the scene of a death, the death investigator should do which of the following? a. make sure sufficient boundaries are established b. be interviewed by the media c. identify and contact the law enforcement officer in charge d. assign an officer to guard the scene if the investigator suspects problems e. all of the above - Answer c. identify and contact the law enforcement officer in charge The first priority at a homicide death scene is usually: a. securing and protecting the scene b. administering first aid to any injured persons c. establishing a command center d. investigating e. interviewing all witnesses - Answer b. administering first aid to any injured persons A death investigator would identify bite marks, fingerprints, organic materials, tracks and impressions, grass fragments, and clothing as being examples of: a. hard evidence b. physical evidence c. criminal evidence d. trace evidence e. transfer evidence - Answer b. physical evidence In a death investigation, evidence is generally considered to be: a. any materials that contribute to establishing cause and manner of death b. proof that a crime has been committed c. information that will provide proof for the prosecution d. all items photographed and taken from the scene e. the means of solving a crime - Answer a. any materials that contribute to establishing cause and manner of death
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In identifying and collecting trace evidence at the death scene, which of the following should NOT be done? a. taking photographs of the body, showing where evidence is b. removing all evidence from the body c. sealing the evidence in a package with an evidence seal d. Marking all evidence with a number for later identification e. selecting an appropriate means to package or preserve the evidence - Answer b. removing all evidence from the body Maintaining the "chain of evidence" refers to: a. the events leading up to the time of death b. the strength of the evidence c. the relationship of the evidence to the type of crime d. accountability for the evidence e. the list of materials used to process the evidence - Answer d. accountability for the evidence Without following laws related to the collection of evidence, the death investigator is: a. risking the lives of individuals at the scene b. risking the integrity of all evidence collected c. risking the loss of the case d. acting reasonably based on his/her training e. looking out for all agencies involved in the case - Answer b. risking the integrity of all evidence collected Forensic labs have a difficult time analyzing evidence: a. that is not collected using appropriate techniques b. that is not directly associated with the case c. that other agencies have collected and transported d. used in multiple cases e. that does not have the investigator's name on it - Answer a. that is not collected using appropriate techniques A "standard" of comparison is used to: a. judge the relative size and shape of collected evidence b. attempt to make "before and after" comparisons c. show the material in its "natural" or "found as" state d. to compare characteristics (e.g., color, fading, texture, etc.) e. all of the above - Answer e. all of the above When identifying and collecting trace evidence at the scene, the investigator should do all EXCEPT ONE of the following: a. identify the methods necessary to "lift" or remove necessary trace evidence b. Take a photograph of the body, showing where the evidence is located c. Select an appropriate means to package or preserve the evidence d. Collect hair samples prior to examination by the medical examiner or coroner
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d. cover the body with a blanket recovered from a nearby home e. do nothing - Answer a. cover the body with a clean sheet or covering. If a body is not identified within a reasonable time, the investigator should: a. have the body buried, after having exhausted all scientific methods of investigation b. put an ad in the newspaper with a description of the body and ask for the public's assistance in the identification c. keep the body for a reasonable time and see whether anyone telephones the office looking for a missing person who fits the description of the unidentified individual d. contact the local PD and complete an NCIC form e. all of the above - Answer e. all of the above If a dead person has been identified and the family has been notified of the death but refuses to take responsibility for disposing of the body, it is the investigator's responsibility to: a. notify the family of the office procedures that will be followed to dispose of the body b. call civic and religious organizations to see whether they have any funds to bury unclaimed bodies c. find the least expensive way to dispose of the body and do so quickly to alleviate crowding in the morgue d. keep the body and call the family every two to three days to see whether they have changed their minds and will now take responsibility for disposing of it. - Answer a. notify the family of the office procedures that will be followed to dispose of the body Decomposition Greenish discoloration of the right lower abdomen - Answer 24 hours (1 day) Decomposition Greenish discoloration of the abdomen - Answer 24-36 hours (1-1.5 days) Decomposition Marbling, bloating of the face - Answer 36-48 hours (1.5-2 days) Decomposition Desiccation (drying) of the fingertips - Answer 48-60 hours (2-2.5 days) Decomposition Bloating of the body, purging - Answer 60-72 hours (2.5-3 days) Decomposition Skin blebs, hair sloughing, skin slippage - Answer 4-7 days Decomposition dehydration of body tissues - Answer days-weeks
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Decomposition adipocere, mummification, skeletonization - Answer weeks-months Cardinal signs of death (5) - Answer lack of pulse and respiration absence of a heartbeat lack of corneal reflex (blinking) and pupillary constriction coolness of the body rigor and livor mortis tardieu spots - Answer pinpoint hemorrhages caused by advanced stages of livor mortis where skin capillaries rupture Contusion - Answer bruise-crushing the tissue and tearing small blood vessels, which releases blood into the surrounding tissues Blunt force trauma Contusion timeline Recent, 2-3 days, 5-7 days - Answer Recent- purple 2-3 days- yellow/red 5-7 days- yellow green Abrasion - Answer Scraping of the superficial layer of the skin by friction created by blunt-force trauma -May be linear (scratch) -Broad and confluent like road rash Laceration - Answer Tearing of the skin and soft tissue caused by blunt force trauma -presence of abraded skin surround the edge of a tear, bridging blood vessels and nerves across the wound -most cases, laceration has irregular edges Incisions - Answer Sharp force injury -clean cuts caused by a sharp instrument -nerves and blood vessels are sharply cut Stab wound - Answer sharp force injury- an incised wound that is deeper than it is wide dicing injury - Answer typical in MVC- caused by fractured glass hitting passenger's faces, ice cube shape Raccoon eyes - Answer fracturing of the internal front skull that results in hemorrhage or ecchymosis surrounding the eyes First degree burns - Answer superficial, similar to sunburn Second degree burns - Answer Damage to upper layers of skin, identified as blisters, which may result in scarring
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a. remove the ring after photographs have been taken. Place the ring in a plastic zip- lock bag for later viewing without physically touching it. b. take the ring off the victim at the scene and give it to family for safekeeping. c. take the ring off the victim at the scene and have next of kin sign a property slip before giving the ring to them d. leave the ring on the victim and have the body transported to the morgue, where the morgue attendant will catalog the ring on the valuables log e. leave the ring on the victim. Document all jewelry and personal property on the decedent. Place the decedent's hands in paper bags secured by tape at the wrist, and transport the body to the morgue. - Answer e. leave the ring on the victim. Document all jewelry and personal property on the decedent. Place the decedent's hands in paper bags secured by tape at the wrist, and transport the body to the morgue. As you being your new job, one of the most important things to remember is: a. to identify the informal leaders in the agency, and take your lead from them b. to maintain a good attitude by reading, listening, and asking questions c. to be at work within five minutes of starting time d. to try not to be better on the job than the regular employees e. to read the policy manual after you learn from the other employees - Answer b. to maintain a good attitude by reading, listening, and asking questions In court, it is TRUE that: a. notes cannot be used to refresh the memory while on the witness stand b. defense counsel may examine notes used on the stand c. notes cannot be shown to the jury d. defense counsel cannot read the notes aloud in court e. the judge will not allow investigator's scene notes to be used in the courtroom at all - Answer a. notes cannot be used to refresh the memory while on the witness stand A videotaped scene recreation shown to a jury is called: a. reproductive evidence b. physical evidence c. demonstrative evidence d. photographic evidence e. trace evidence - Answer a. reproductive evidence Testimonial evidence refers to: a. the competence of the witness b. the factual evidence as presented in court c. the verbal evidence as presented in court d. models, skeletons, photographs, and x-rays as explained in court e. the competence of trial lawyers - Answer c. the verbal evidence as presented in court What drugs/substances cause oxygen deprivation? - Answer carbon monoxide, cyanide
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What drugs/substances cause arrhythmias? - Answer tricyclic antidepressants, cardiac drugs, cocaine, dilantin What drugs/substances cause liver necrosis? - Answer acetaminophen What drugs/substances cause electrolyte imbalance? - Answer salicylate (aspirin) ethylene glycol What drugs/substances cause seizures? - Answer diphenhydramine, ethanol What drugs/substances cause tissue necrosis? - Answer caustic agents (Drano) What drugs/substances cause chemical poisons? - Answer lead, arsenic, cyanide Body planes/positions: coronal - Answer front and back- divides to anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) Body planes/positions: mid-sagittal - Answer divides body into right and left halves Body planes/positions: transverse - Answer divides body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) Body planes/positions: superior - Answer top of the head Body planes/positions: inferior - Answer surface toward the feet Body planes/positions: anterior - Answer refers to the front surface of the body, ventral Body planes/positions: posterior - Answer refers to the surface facing toward the back of the body, dorsal Body planes/positions: lateral - Answer surface or portion of the body that points toward the side or away from the midline of body Body planes/positions: medial - Answer describes any surface or portion of the body that points or faces toward the midline of body Body planes/positions: proximal - Answer describes a relative position that is closer to the central portion of the body or origin of structure
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costal margin - Answer the lowest portion of the anterior ribs, corresponding to the level of the anterior attachment of the diaphragm and L3-L4 vertebral bodies Drowning is diagnosed by: a. the combination of autopsy findings and a history of submersion b. water or fluid in the stomach c. a history of the body being submerged d. water or fluid in the lungs e. absence of traumatic injury - Answer a. the combination of autopsy findings and a history of submersion As an investigator, which of the following injuries would make you most suspect child battering? a. fracture of long bones b. injuries inconsistent with the explained mode of injury c. a history of a fall d. thermal burns to the body e. bruises to the body - Answer b. injuries inconsistent with the explained mode of injury Identifiable soot detected in the airway of a fire victim indicates which one of the following? a. breathing during the fire b. an artifact caused by the fire c. charring of the human tissue during the fire d. the victim was a heavy smoker e. the death was the result of the fire - Answer a. breathing during the fire The most common causes of physical traumatic death in child abuse cases are: a. poisoning and drugs b. subdural hematoma and/or intraabdominal hemorrhage c. fractured ribs and upper arms d. stab wounds and incisions e. thermal burns - Answer b. subdural hematoma and/or intraabdominal hemorrhage Factors that affect the body's cooling rate include all of the following EXCEPT: a. body size b. ambient temperature c. gender of the individual d. amount of clothing e. position at the scene - Answer c. gender of the individual All of the following items are useful in estimating the time of death EXCEPT: a. rigor mortis b. maggot infestations c. newspapers accumulated at the scene d. the amount of blood present at the scene e. blanching of lividity - Answer d. the amount of blood present at the scene
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Blunt force injuries that tear tissue and expose the nerve and blood vessels beneath the skin are most appropriately described as: a. incisions b. lacerations c. contusions d. abrasions e. stab wounds - Answer b. lacerations An intermediate-range gunshot wound is identifiable by: a. powder residue inside the entrance wound b. bullet wipe surrounding the entrance wound c. multiple unburned powder particles surrounding the entrance wound/clothing d. a gray smudge or smoke residue on the clothing e. no evidence of powder disposition - Answer c. multiple unburned powder particles surrounding the entrance wound/clothing A distant-range gunshot wound is identifiable by: a. stippling or tattooing surrounding the wound b. soot surrounding the wound c. an absence of gunshot residue surrounding the wound and/or clothing d. fouling surrounding the wound e. soot within the wound - Answer c. an absence of gunshot residue surrounding the wound and/or clothing Which of the following statements regarding maggots infesting a body is TRUE? a. an autopsy performed on a maggot-infested body cannot be useful b. maggots cannot be used to assist in estimating the time of death c. maggots do not occur in bodies that have been dead for more than two weeks d. maggots grow at predictable rates, depending on the climate and temperature e. an expert who studies maggots is the odontologist - Answer d. maggots grow at predictable rates, depending on the climate and temperature Additional information that should be sought in cases of suspected child abuse includes: a. whether one parent was absent at the time of injury b. whether a non-natural parent or paramour was the caregiver of the victim at the time of injury c. photographs of the object causing injury or the place of injury d. previous injuries suffered by the child e. all of the above - Answer e. all of the above Suicide investigations are difficult because a. social and cultural stigmas often make witnesses uncooperative b. insurance benefits are sometimes negated by a finding of suicide c. both a and b d. the cause of death is seldom apparent e. suicide notes are never present at the scene - Answer c. both a and b
