Do you need some practice questions for the Canadian Exam?

Dear PCE Candidates,

In our efforts to assist international Physiotherapists as they make the transition to Canada, we have run into a frequent request. Candidates for the written exam would like more sample questions to work with.

Please give our committee some feedback. What if ASQIP posted a group of questions each week with answers the following week? Would the studying community find that helpful? Is someone doing this already?

Let us know,

Crystal R. Westergard
Alberta Society for Qualified International Physiotherapists

Hi Crystal,

That would be so helpful to have some sample questions every week. You know, we do not have any resources. Espicially for the people living in the countryside away from big cities where there is no chance to meet other international physios. There are 2 big groups for internatioal educated physiotherapists on facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/367270882244/
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/211379092306559/

I will post your post there , so you will recieve some of the feedback

cheers
EMAD

Thanks for the links emad.
One more query.
Do we need more questions for the exam with or without answers? I believe that candidates with learn more by researching the answers themselves.
Assuming we do post the answers, I would think a rationale for the answer is needed. Agree?
Crystal
ASQIP

Hi Crystal,

I posted your thread here link on our facebook group. I formulated this group a year ago. Many people are commenting now. I invite you to come there and write the questions as you like . https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/2.../?notif_t=like

I think having the answers is very helpful. However, in my view it would be a good idea to post the questions for a vginette at begining of the week. Then at the week end posting the answers for the last vginette and posting the questions of the new vginette.

cheers
EMAD

Question 1: A 26 year old oilfield worker suffered a fractured Left ankle yesterday which has been fixated internally and casted.
Today his surgeon has ordered "crutch walking taught by physio".

When teaching stairs to the client how will you advise him:

1. Step down with his right leg first using railing in right hand
2. Step down with his left leg first using railing in his right hand
3. Step up with right leg first using railing in left hand
4. Turn around and go up steps buttocks first using arms to push up onto each step.

Please review the question and figure out your answer, I will post my answer next week. If there are enough views I will add another question next week,
Crystal
ASQIP

Should I write my answer or give other people chance to answer and review !

To me , the most appropraite answer is 3

Still, there should not be any weightbearing over the left side , just operated yesterday. Using railing on the left side takess off weight bearing from that side.

hi, little tricky here. I am not sure but it should be 3. While goin up, railing on left side will help maintaining non wt bearing/minimum over left foot thereby proceding up from the rt leg first.

Good grief, this is embarassing. But in the question, it should state his right leg is the fractured one! So many appologies. I have dislexia for sure.
Crystal

oh then , i go with option 1 :D

The tricky part of this question is stairs up/ down without crutch. Only using one rail.

Interestingly, the question really doesn't address weight bearing. I think it is assumed that with healthy upper body (to grab the rail &/or crutch) and one strong leg, the patient can do whatever type of WB'ing is required. The answer is indeed number 1.
The next question of this senerio is:
Your patient is discharged home, and follows up 4 weeks later with his surgeon. He then attends his physiotherapy session with you using a cane.
He shows you the note from the Surgeon that states "PWB up to 50%". How do you instruct this patient regarding change to his gait:

1. Put cane fwd first then left leg then right
2. Put right leg forward first, then left then cane
3. Put left leg forward first, then right then cane
4. Firmly explain why this referral means he must continue with crutches.

:D Got the right choice. Thanks for the reply crystal.
In this scene, I would like to go for 4th. It says PWB upto 50% which cannot be achieved by using cane. As pat walks in with cane in hand, so patient education is required.

Yes, choice 4 because the cane can not take off more than 25% of WB

How about adding a question about gait for this patient. What abnormailty do you expect with this patient gait ?

1. Trendlenburg gait
2. Antalgic gait.
3. steppage gait
4. Equine gait

I just made that question by myself. I am thinking about another question for this patient regarding moblization.

since the patient is walking using a cane , so it will be a 3 point gait type. Not sure about antalgic or equine or steppage. What others say ?

I'm just catching up to say that selection #4 is correct for the "cane" off-loading question.
Thanks for everyone for participating.

By the way, my international physio and I walked thru the exam building last night here in Edmonton in preparation for September 8th. If anyone is writing in Edmonton, private message me for
instructions. The Alliance says to use the "main entrance" but there is no such entrance on the map or in real life.http://www.physiobob.com/forum/images/icons/icon9.pnghttp://www.physiobob.com/forum/images/icons/icon5.png

Crystal
ASQIP

Thanks for posting Crystal. I am a canadian born (studied in NZ) I too am writing the exam in edmonton on the 8th of september. Do you have any resources for questions to prepare for the exam. I am going through an american study guide but would like to get my hands on some questions prepared for the canadian exam. Let me know...

In the meantime I have enjoyed this little review you have going on.

Rory

The question asks about the gait abnormlity expected for this patient. Steppage and equine gait are similar with drop foot resulting from peroneal nerve injury or neurological disorder, these 2 choice are wrong for this patient. The first choice of trendlenburg gait is aslo wrong because this gait happens if there is weakness of hip abductors. The choice of antalgic gait is the right one because in this type of gait abnormality there is pain in the lower limb and the patient avoids as possible the stance phase or make it shorter time because of the pain. so, the good choice for this question is number 2.

Next Question:

You are preparing to provide your patient with the closed chain exercises he will need to meet his surgeon's requirements.
Which exercise will not be part of your plan:
1) Hamstring curls on 55" theraball
2) Squats done with arms unloaded by TRX strap
3) Weighted knee extensions
4) Short arc quads exercises with theraband resistance

Thank you emad. That was a very good question. I will also try to form other questions.

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My choice will be 1) hams curls on 55 inch ball. My reasoning is that this is open chain exercise, rest others are closed chain. What others say.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crystal R. Westergard

Next Question:

You are preparing to provide your patient with the closed chain exercises he will need to meet his surgeon's requirements.
Which exercise will not be part of your plan:
1) Hamstring curls on 55" theraball
2) Squats done with arms unloaded by TRX strap
3) Weighted knee extensions
4) Short arc quads exercises with theraband resistance

---

Answer: #3

I chose this answer because it is an open chain exercise. I am not sure what #4 is (guessing its a standing exercises with theraband resistance, behind knee, and patient mini squats.. but not sure).

Not entirely sure if a hamstring curl on a ball is open or closed?

Choice 3 is open chain. I hope weighted knee extension was not meant weighted bearing knee extension !

Emad and Canuck are right. The ans would be option 3 ....weighted knee extension..

Hi Crystal I'll be taking the written exam in nov 2013 & I'm so pleased that I have come across you. Can you tell me how to get some practice questions? Do you know if research is tested? I am using the NPTE study guide by o'sullivan, but the questions are quite difficult. Would you say the Canadian exam is of the same standard? thanks Livia

Is number 1 the correct answer?

Hi Livia,

I used the O'Sullivan guide for my preparation as well (I wrote the written exam on September 8th) and I found that O'Sullivan had a large emphasis on numerous topics there were NOT examined on the Canadian practical test. Some of these topics include: wound care, PNF exercises prescription for stroke patients, prosthetics and amputee questions.

From my experience the questions in the Canadian exam were definitely more difficult, required higher order thinking, and more in depth analysis than the O'Sullivan questions. If you are having difficulty with the O'sullivan Practice exams I would suggest you look at the blue print for the Canadian Exam (found on the Alliance website). For whatever reason there was a large emphasis on few but particular conditions. I would review these conditions on the blueprint in depth for your preparation.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I wish someone would have extending this info to me prior to my exam preparation. All the best with your exam prep!

Good luck,

Rory

Very good advice Rory, and specific advice from recent exam takers is hard to find. Several have mentioned to me their surprise at how much focus there was on Carpal Tunnel for example.

I agree, there seems to be a bigger focus on PNF patterns in Europe than there is in Canada at present, and while bronchial drainage is not done in Canada much anymore, I'm told it is still on the list of exam topics. So using the blueprint is important.

Are you saying, Rory, that there is no need to study on amputees and wound care? Or just that O'Sullivans over emphasizes it?

Crystal
ASQIP

From my experience, I found there was no need to study either of those topics.

Rory,

Was there focus on ethics part ?

I would still study amputees!


Thanks Crystal for the practice questions, please can we have more.

Thanks,

Hi all, my question is not related to thread. But can I ask for suggestions from all of you that i failed pce written exam twice and this is my last attempt, so can anyone guide me about further steps? Thank you.

Hi,

Have you looked into the university of BC's on line course for int students, I took it, it was helpful in my exam prep. You also get to talk to lots of other people studying the course. There is also a company in Toronto that runs courses, they often advertise on here. Good luck.

Hi Crystal, Thank you for the post so far and just joined the thread. Looking forward to the questions every week and prepare for the exam

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My answer is 3 as weighted knee extensions does not require weight bearing of the joint hence open chain. Can you give us the answer

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My answer is 3 as weighted knee extensions does not require weight bearing of the joint hence open chain. Can you give us the answer

Yes, the answer was meant to be number 3.

Crystal R. Westergard PT
ASQIP

hey! thanks for these... whats the next question?
:)

Thanks for the answer crystal . Yes mine was also 3... I have a little question here. From a patient point, i understand that weighted extension exercise would mean tiding some weight cuffs to legs and then asking to extend them while sitting. So it would be called open chain exercise .

But when a person is doing some weighted knee extension and flexion in a GYM in a position that, you lie down and push the weights up by your feets and then lower down slowly and again push up. Would this exercise be also called as closed chain exercise? It is also a kind of weighted knee extension exercise ????

Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by vivek.jaglan111

Thanks for the answer crystal . Yes mine was also 3... I have a little question here. From a patient point, i understand that weighted extension exercise would mean tiding some weight cuffs to legs and then asking to extend them while sitting. So it would be called open chain exercise .

But when a person is doing some weighted knee extension and flexion in a GYM in a position that, you lie down and push the weights up by your feets and then lower down slowly and again push up. Would this exercise be also called as closed chain exercise? It is also a kind of weighted knee extension exercise ????

Thanks

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Still open chain because distal part is moving.

Thanks emad.... U are right....

Emad is technically right. But often modified closed chain is acceptable, at least preferable over open chain. I think it's the biofeedback that the foot touching the floor or apparatus recieves that is scientifically shown to improve results, yes?
CRW

I took the PCE written. It is not easy questions !

Emad