TMC PRACTICE EXAM 2 EXAM SCRIPT 2026
FULL SOLUTION SET
◉ A young healthy adult with complaints of intermittent wheezing is
seen in the pulmonary clinic. A pre/post bronchodilator spirometry
reveals a normal study with no reversibility. Which of the following
should the RT recommend?
A. Helium dilution study
B. DLCO
C. Plethysmography
D. Bronchial provocation. Answer: Bronchial provocation
◉ Twenty-four hours after a patient was intubated, she develops a
fever of 99.9°F, a right lower lobe infiltrate, and her white blood cell
count is 12,000 per mm3. The respiratory therapist should
recommend
A. antiviral therapy.
B. blood transfusion.
C. SABA by small volume nebulizer.
D. antibiotic therapy.. Answer: antibiotic therapy.
,◉ A tracheostomy tube has just been inserted percutaneously into a
patient with a C3 fracture. How much air should the respiratory
therapist initially inject into the cuff?
A. Enough to achieve a pressure of 25-35 cmH2O.
B. Enough to achieve a minimal occluding volume.
C. A minimum of 20 mL.
D. Until firm tension is felt in the pilot balloon.. Answer: Enough to
achieve a pressure of 25-35 cmH2O.
◉ All of the following conditions can be treated with hyperbaric
oxygen (HBO) therapy EXCEPT
A. carbon monoxide poisoning.
B. decompression sickness.
C. anaerobic infections.
D. pulmonary hypertension.. Answer: pulmonary hypertension.
◉ Which of the following factors are determinants of cardiac
output?
A. ventricular filling and heart rate
B. stroke volume and heart rate
,C. stroke volume and respiratory rate
D. heart rate and tidal volume. Answer: stroke volume and heart rate
◉ The following ABG results are reported for a patient in the ED on
room air: pH 7.20; PaCO2 24 torr; PaO2 95 torr; HCO3 8 mEq/L;
SaO2 95%; BE -15 mEq/L. The respiratory therapist should
recommend
A. initiating oxygen therapy via nasal cannula at 4 L/min.
B. intubating and initiating mechanical ventilation.
C. administering sodium bicarbonate intravenously.
D. initiating non-invasive ventilation.. Answer: administering sodium
bicarbonate intravenously.
◉ The physician asks the respiratory therapist to set ventilator
parameters that will deliver the lowest peak inspiratory pressure
possible. Which of the following inspiratory flow patterns will
enable the therapist to fulfill the physician's request?
A. Decelerating
B. Square wave
C. Constant
D. Accelerating. Answer: Decelerating
, ◉ An intubated patient receiving 30% oxygen has a SpO2 of 80%
and ETCO2 of 40 torr. After administration of 50% oxygen for 30
minutes, the respiratory therapist notes that the SpO2 rises to 98%
and the ETCO2 remains stable at 40 torr. The major cause of
hypoxemia in this patient is
A. hypoventilation.
B. shunt.
C. ventilation/perfusion mismatch.
D. increased deadspace.. Answer: ventilation/perfusion mismatch.
◉ A 16 year-old patient with cystic fibrosis attends public high
school. Which of the following bronchial hygiene therapies would be
most appropriate for this patient?
A. intrapulmonary percussive ventilation
B. dornase alpha therapy
C. vibratory / oscillatory PEP
D. postural drainage and manual percussion. Answer: vibratory /
oscillatory PEP
◉ A patient reports that he has difficulty breathing while lying in a
supine position and prefers to sleep sitting in a chair. The
FULL SOLUTION SET
◉ A young healthy adult with complaints of intermittent wheezing is
seen in the pulmonary clinic. A pre/post bronchodilator spirometry
reveals a normal study with no reversibility. Which of the following
should the RT recommend?
A. Helium dilution study
B. DLCO
C. Plethysmography
D. Bronchial provocation. Answer: Bronchial provocation
◉ Twenty-four hours after a patient was intubated, she develops a
fever of 99.9°F, a right lower lobe infiltrate, and her white blood cell
count is 12,000 per mm3. The respiratory therapist should
recommend
A. antiviral therapy.
B. blood transfusion.
C. SABA by small volume nebulizer.
D. antibiotic therapy.. Answer: antibiotic therapy.
,◉ A tracheostomy tube has just been inserted percutaneously into a
patient with a C3 fracture. How much air should the respiratory
therapist initially inject into the cuff?
A. Enough to achieve a pressure of 25-35 cmH2O.
B. Enough to achieve a minimal occluding volume.
C. A minimum of 20 mL.
D. Until firm tension is felt in the pilot balloon.. Answer: Enough to
achieve a pressure of 25-35 cmH2O.
◉ All of the following conditions can be treated with hyperbaric
oxygen (HBO) therapy EXCEPT
A. carbon monoxide poisoning.
B. decompression sickness.
C. anaerobic infections.
D. pulmonary hypertension.. Answer: pulmonary hypertension.
◉ Which of the following factors are determinants of cardiac
output?
A. ventricular filling and heart rate
B. stroke volume and heart rate
,C. stroke volume and respiratory rate
D. heart rate and tidal volume. Answer: stroke volume and heart rate
◉ The following ABG results are reported for a patient in the ED on
room air: pH 7.20; PaCO2 24 torr; PaO2 95 torr; HCO3 8 mEq/L;
SaO2 95%; BE -15 mEq/L. The respiratory therapist should
recommend
A. initiating oxygen therapy via nasal cannula at 4 L/min.
B. intubating and initiating mechanical ventilation.
C. administering sodium bicarbonate intravenously.
D. initiating non-invasive ventilation.. Answer: administering sodium
bicarbonate intravenously.
◉ The physician asks the respiratory therapist to set ventilator
parameters that will deliver the lowest peak inspiratory pressure
possible. Which of the following inspiratory flow patterns will
enable the therapist to fulfill the physician's request?
A. Decelerating
B. Square wave
C. Constant
D. Accelerating. Answer: Decelerating
, ◉ An intubated patient receiving 30% oxygen has a SpO2 of 80%
and ETCO2 of 40 torr. After administration of 50% oxygen for 30
minutes, the respiratory therapist notes that the SpO2 rises to 98%
and the ETCO2 remains stable at 40 torr. The major cause of
hypoxemia in this patient is
A. hypoventilation.
B. shunt.
C. ventilation/perfusion mismatch.
D. increased deadspace.. Answer: ventilation/perfusion mismatch.
◉ A 16 year-old patient with cystic fibrosis attends public high
school. Which of the following bronchial hygiene therapies would be
most appropriate for this patient?
A. intrapulmonary percussive ventilation
B. dornase alpha therapy
C. vibratory / oscillatory PEP
D. postural drainage and manual percussion. Answer: vibratory /
oscillatory PEP
◉ A patient reports that he has difficulty breathing while lying in a
supine position and prefers to sleep sitting in a chair. The
