If a patient has not been seen in the previous 60 days, when should the admitting exam be performed?

• A. Within 1 day
• B. Within 24 hours
• C. Within 2 weeks
• D. Within 1 month

Answer: (C)

A patient admitting exam is done to establish a current baseline of health before care begins, including medical history, medications, allergies, and any new problems that could affect treatment. If a patient hasn’t been seen in 60 days, their status may have changed, so it’s important to re‑evaluate fairly close to the admission date, not far in the future or past. The best window is within two weeks because it ensures the information is up to date enough to guide safe planning and care, while still being practical to arrange before admission. Scheduling within 24 hours or 1 day is typically reserved for urgent admissions, while waiting a full month could allow significant changes to go undocumented.