NBRC TMC CRT RRT Practice Exam 2026–2027 | Version 1 |
Practice Questions & Answers | Complete Study Guide
Prepare for the NBRC Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) examination with this comprehensive
practice study guide featuring original practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and
review material aligned with the published exam content areas. Topics include patient
assessment, airway management, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, arterial blood gas
interpretation, pulmonary function testing, neonatal and pediatric care, and respiratory
pharmacology. This resource is designed to strengthen clinical reasoning and help respiratory
therapy students prepare for the CRT and RRT credentialing pathway.
A patient is receiving O2 from an E cylinder at 4 L/min through a nasal cannula. The
cylinder pressure is 1900 psig. How long will the cylinder run until it is empty?
A. 47 min
B. 1.7 h
C. 2.2 h
D. 3.6 h - CORRECT ANSWER E cylinder = 0.28
1900x0.28/4 = 133/60 = 2.21
Answer: C. 2 hours, 21 minutes
QUESTION : After the Respiratory Therapist sets up a nonrebreathing mask on a
patient at a flow rate of 10 L/min, the reservoir bag collapses before the patient finishes
inspiring. The RT should do which of the following?
A. Change to a simple mask at a flow rate of 10 L/min
B. Remove the one-way valve from the exhalation port.
C. Place the patient on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
D. Increase the flow rate to 15 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER D. Increase the flow rate
to 15 L/min
QUESTION : A patient with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can best be treated with
which of the following therapies?
A. Nasal Cannula at 6 L/min
B. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min
C. CPAP and 60% O2
D. Nonrebreathing mask - CORRECT ANSWER D. Nonrebreathing mask
QUESTION : The following blood gas levels have been obtained from a patient using a
60% aerosol mask.
,pH: 7.47
PaCO2: 31 mmHg
PaO2: 58 mmHg
What should the RT recommend at this time?
A. Place the patient on CPAP
B. Increase the O2 to 70%
C. Intubate and place the patient on mechanical ventilation
D. Change to a nonrebreathing mask - CORRECT ANSWER A. Place the patient on
CPAP
QUESTION : Given the following data, what is the patient's total arterial O2 content?
pH: 7.41
PaCO2: 37 mmHg
PaO2: 88 mmHg
HCO3: 26 mEq/L
SaO2: 95%
Hb: 14 g/dL
A. 12 mL/dL
B. 14 mL/dL
C. 16 mL/dL
D. 18 mL/dL - CORRECT ANSWER (Hb x 1.36 x SaO2) + (0.003 x PaO2)
(14 x 1.36 x 0.95) + (0.003 x 88)
18.088 + 0.264
= 18.352
Answer: D. 18 mL/dL
QUESTION : The respiratory therapist receives an order to set up a moderate level of
O2 on a patient who arrives in the ED breathing at a rate of 35 breaths/min. Which of
the following O2 delivery devices is most appropriate to use in this situation?
A. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min
B. Nasal cannula at 4 L/min
C. NRB Mask at 15 L/min
D. Air-entrainment mask at 40% O2 - CORRECT ANSWER D. Air-entrainment mask
at 40% O2
QUESTION : A severe COPD patient arrives in the emergency department on a 2
L/min nasal cannula. Arterial blood gas results follow:
pH: 7.32
, PaCO2: 67 mmHg
PaO2: 62 mmHg
HCO3: 38 mEq/L
Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation?
A. Increase the liter flow to 4 L/min
B. Maintain the current O2 level
C. Institute noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV)
D. Place on a NRB mask at 12 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER B. Maintain the current
O2 level
QUESTION : The physician has ordered O2 to be set up on a patient who has a
spontaneous tidal volume of 500 mL and an inspiratory time of 1 second. Which of the
following O2 delivery devices will deliver a flow that meets or exceeds this patient's
inspiratory flow?
A. 35% air-entrainment mask at 6 L/min
B. 60% aerosol mask at 12 L/min
C. NRB mask at 15 L/min
D. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER 500 mL = 0.5 L
0.5/1 = 0.5 L/s (change L/s to ?/min by multiplying by 60
0.5 L x 60= 30 L/min
Select the device that delivers a flow of at least 30L/min
A. 35% air-entrainment mask at 6 L/min
QUESTION : A patient breathing 50% oxygen has a PaO2 of 248 torr. Which of the
following should the RT recommend?
A. Discontinue O2 therapy
B. Decrease the oxygen to 30%
C. Titrate oxygen to maintain an SpO2 > 93%
D. Repeat the blood gases because the PaO2 is not possible on this FiO2. - CORRECT
ANSWER C. Titrate oxygen to maintain an SpO2 > 93%
Explanation: A PaO2 of 250 torr is normal on 50% O2. Remember, to determine the
normal PaO2 on any given O2%, multiply the O2% by 5. This is an approximation. If
titrate was not a choice, then you would discontinue the oxygen.
QUESTION : A patient is receiving 30% oxygen via an air-entrainment mask at a flow
of 5 L/min. The total flow delivered by this device is which of the following?
A. 36 L/min
B. 45 L/min
C. 54 L/min
Practice Questions & Answers | Complete Study Guide
Prepare for the NBRC Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) examination with this comprehensive
practice study guide featuring original practice questions, detailed answer explanations, and
review material aligned with the published exam content areas. Topics include patient
assessment, airway management, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, arterial blood gas
interpretation, pulmonary function testing, neonatal and pediatric care, and respiratory
pharmacology. This resource is designed to strengthen clinical reasoning and help respiratory
therapy students prepare for the CRT and RRT credentialing pathway.
A patient is receiving O2 from an E cylinder at 4 L/min through a nasal cannula. The
cylinder pressure is 1900 psig. How long will the cylinder run until it is empty?
A. 47 min
B. 1.7 h
C. 2.2 h
D. 3.6 h - CORRECT ANSWER E cylinder = 0.28
1900x0.28/4 = 133/60 = 2.21
Answer: C. 2 hours, 21 minutes
QUESTION : After the Respiratory Therapist sets up a nonrebreathing mask on a
patient at a flow rate of 10 L/min, the reservoir bag collapses before the patient finishes
inspiring. The RT should do which of the following?
A. Change to a simple mask at a flow rate of 10 L/min
B. Remove the one-way valve from the exhalation port.
C. Place the patient on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
D. Increase the flow rate to 15 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER D. Increase the flow rate
to 15 L/min
QUESTION : A patient with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can best be treated with
which of the following therapies?
A. Nasal Cannula at 6 L/min
B. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min
C. CPAP and 60% O2
D. Nonrebreathing mask - CORRECT ANSWER D. Nonrebreathing mask
QUESTION : The following blood gas levels have been obtained from a patient using a
60% aerosol mask.
,pH: 7.47
PaCO2: 31 mmHg
PaO2: 58 mmHg
What should the RT recommend at this time?
A. Place the patient on CPAP
B. Increase the O2 to 70%
C. Intubate and place the patient on mechanical ventilation
D. Change to a nonrebreathing mask - CORRECT ANSWER A. Place the patient on
CPAP
QUESTION : Given the following data, what is the patient's total arterial O2 content?
pH: 7.41
PaCO2: 37 mmHg
PaO2: 88 mmHg
HCO3: 26 mEq/L
SaO2: 95%
Hb: 14 g/dL
A. 12 mL/dL
B. 14 mL/dL
C. 16 mL/dL
D. 18 mL/dL - CORRECT ANSWER (Hb x 1.36 x SaO2) + (0.003 x PaO2)
(14 x 1.36 x 0.95) + (0.003 x 88)
18.088 + 0.264
= 18.352
Answer: D. 18 mL/dL
QUESTION : The respiratory therapist receives an order to set up a moderate level of
O2 on a patient who arrives in the ED breathing at a rate of 35 breaths/min. Which of
the following O2 delivery devices is most appropriate to use in this situation?
A. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min
B. Nasal cannula at 4 L/min
C. NRB Mask at 15 L/min
D. Air-entrainment mask at 40% O2 - CORRECT ANSWER D. Air-entrainment mask
at 40% O2
QUESTION : A severe COPD patient arrives in the emergency department on a 2
L/min nasal cannula. Arterial blood gas results follow:
pH: 7.32
, PaCO2: 67 mmHg
PaO2: 62 mmHg
HCO3: 38 mEq/L
Which of the following is the most appropriate recommendation?
A. Increase the liter flow to 4 L/min
B. Maintain the current O2 level
C. Institute noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV)
D. Place on a NRB mask at 12 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER B. Maintain the current
O2 level
QUESTION : The physician has ordered O2 to be set up on a patient who has a
spontaneous tidal volume of 500 mL and an inspiratory time of 1 second. Which of the
following O2 delivery devices will deliver a flow that meets or exceeds this patient's
inspiratory flow?
A. 35% air-entrainment mask at 6 L/min
B. 60% aerosol mask at 12 L/min
C. NRB mask at 15 L/min
D. Simple O2 mask at 10 L/min - CORRECT ANSWER 500 mL = 0.5 L
0.5/1 = 0.5 L/s (change L/s to ?/min by multiplying by 60
0.5 L x 60= 30 L/min
Select the device that delivers a flow of at least 30L/min
A. 35% air-entrainment mask at 6 L/min
QUESTION : A patient breathing 50% oxygen has a PaO2 of 248 torr. Which of the
following should the RT recommend?
A. Discontinue O2 therapy
B. Decrease the oxygen to 30%
C. Titrate oxygen to maintain an SpO2 > 93%
D. Repeat the blood gases because the PaO2 is not possible on this FiO2. - CORRECT
ANSWER C. Titrate oxygen to maintain an SpO2 > 93%
Explanation: A PaO2 of 250 torr is normal on 50% O2. Remember, to determine the
normal PaO2 on any given O2%, multiply the O2% by 5. This is an approximation. If
titrate was not a choice, then you would discontinue the oxygen.
QUESTION : A patient is receiving 30% oxygen via an air-entrainment mask at a flow
of 5 L/min. The total flow delivered by this device is which of the following?
A. 36 L/min
B. 45 L/min
C. 54 L/min
