Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Practice Exam

Which assessment tool might be used to evaluate a patient's functional independence?

1. FIM (Functional Independence Measure)

2. MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination)

3. Barthel Index

4. GDS (Global Deterioration Scale)

The correct answer is: FIM (Functional Independence Measure)

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is specifically designed to evaluate a patient’s functional independence in various activities of daily living. This tool assesses areas such as self-care, mobility, communication, and social cognition by evaluating how much assistance a patient requires to perform these basic tasks. By scoring from 1 to 7, healthcare professionals can quantify a patient’s degree of independence, with higher scores indicating greater independence. While the other tools mentioned in the question serve valuable functions in assessing different aspects of patient health, they do not focus primarily on functional independence. The Mini-Mental State Examination is primarily used to assess cognitive function and screen for cognitive impairment. The Barthel Index is also relevant for measuring functional independence but is less comprehensive regarding mobility and social interaction than FIM. The Global Deterioration Scale measures the progression of cognitive decline in patients with dementia, which does not directly assess functional capabilities in daily activities. Thus, the FIM is the most appropriate choice when the objective is to evaluate a patient's functional independence effectively.