NURS 4626 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | NURS 4626 STUDY GUIDE &
PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
What is Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔A condition resulting from impairment or dysfunction of
structures responsible for ventilation or hypoperfusion of the lungs.
What are the two types of Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Hypoxemic failure (PaO2 < 60) and
Hypercapnic failure (PaCO2 > 50).
What are common causes of lung failure associated with Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Pulmonary
emboli, pulmonary edema, heart failure, atelectasis, pneumonia, and emphysema.
What are risk factors for Ventilatory Failure? - ✔✔Sedatives, Guillain-Barré syndrome, spinal cord
injury, flail chest, obesity, and COPD.
What are clinical manifestations of Hypoxemia? - ✔✔Dyspnea, confusion, somnolence, tachycardia,
arrhythmias, tachypnea, and cyanosis.
What are clinical manifestations of Hypercapnia? - ✔✔Dyspnea, tripod position, pursed-lipped
breathing, confusion, somnolence, coma (late sign), tachycardia, arrhythmias, and headache.
What is the role of the nurse in managing Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Assess respiratory status,
check vital signs and labs, monitor ABGs, and initiate mechanical ventilation if necessary.
What medications are used for managing Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Furosemide, Nitroglycerine,
Morphine, Dopamine/Dobutamine/Norepinephrine, Albuterol, Theophylline, and Methylprednisolone.
What is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)? - ✔✔An acute condition that begins within 7
days after a lung injury, leading to fluid build-up in the lungs.
What are common causes of ARDS? - ✔✔Sepsis, pneumonia, and aspiration; with sepsis being the most
common cause.
What are risk factors for developing ARDS? - ✔✔Excessive alcohol use, smoking, being female,
drowning, drug overdose, traumatic brain injury, and age over 60.
What are the clinical presentations of ARDS? - ✔✔Progressively worsening dyspnea, respiratory
distress, tachycardia, tachypnea, diffuse crackles, cyanosis, diaphoresis, and somnolence.
What is the ABCDEF Bundle in ARDS management? - ✔✔A: Assess, prevent & manage pain; B:
Spontaneous awakening trials & breathing trials; C: Choice of analgesia or sedation; D: Manage delirium;
E: Early mobility; F: Family engagement.
What are the nursing responsibilities for a patient with ARDS? - ✔✔Monitor respiratory status, assess
lab results for trends indicating sepsis or renal failure, and coordinate care with interprofessional teams.
, What is the primary focus of nursing care for patients in respiratory failure? - ✔✔Restoring respiratory
and hemodynamic stability, primarily by increasing oxygen levels.
What are the least invasive measures for respiratory failure management? - ✔✔Nasal cannula, face
masks, and non-rebreathers.
What is the purpose of mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔To support or replace spontaneous breathing in
patients with respiratory failure.
What is ECMO? - ✔✔Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, a procedure where blood is removed
from the body, oxygenated, and then reinfused.
What are the common modes of mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔CPAP and BiPAP, used for conditions like
sleep apnea, COPD, and respiratory failure.
What is the number one way to prevent Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)? - ✔✔Remove the
ventilator if it is no longer needed.
What medications are used in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔Cisatracurium, Midazolam, Propofol,
Pantoprazole, Enoxaparin, and Albuterol.
What is the significance of monitoring ABGs in respiratory failure? - ✔✔ABGs can indicate respiratory
acidosis and guide treatment decisions.
What is the role of prone positioning in ARDS management? - ✔✔It is considered when patients do not
respond to other strategies to improve hypoxemia.
What is the purpose of the Full Support mode in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It provides 100%
machine control, assisting with each breath and delivering volume or pressure, typically used after CPR
or for life support.
What is the primary use of the Partial Support mode (SIMV) in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It is mainly
used for weaning, allowing the patient to breathe spontaneously while ensuring a set number of breaths
are delivered.
What does a high pressure alarm indicate in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It indicates a blockage, which
could be due to coughing, asynchronous breathing, or increased resistance from conditions like
bronchospasms or decreased lung compliance.
What does a low pressure alarm signify in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It signifies a loss of connection
or leak, often due to disconnection of tubing or accidental extubation.
What triggers the apnea alarm in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It sounds when the ventilator does not
sense any breathing, which may occur if the patient is over-sedated.
What does the high Vt or RR alarm indicate? - ✔✔It indicates that the patient is breathing too fast,
which can be caused by pain, anxiety, hypoxia, or hypercapnia.
PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027
What is Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔A condition resulting from impairment or dysfunction of
structures responsible for ventilation or hypoperfusion of the lungs.
What are the two types of Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Hypoxemic failure (PaO2 < 60) and
Hypercapnic failure (PaCO2 > 50).
What are common causes of lung failure associated with Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Pulmonary
emboli, pulmonary edema, heart failure, atelectasis, pneumonia, and emphysema.
What are risk factors for Ventilatory Failure? - ✔✔Sedatives, Guillain-Barré syndrome, spinal cord
injury, flail chest, obesity, and COPD.
What are clinical manifestations of Hypoxemia? - ✔✔Dyspnea, confusion, somnolence, tachycardia,
arrhythmias, tachypnea, and cyanosis.
What are clinical manifestations of Hypercapnia? - ✔✔Dyspnea, tripod position, pursed-lipped
breathing, confusion, somnolence, coma (late sign), tachycardia, arrhythmias, and headache.
What is the role of the nurse in managing Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Assess respiratory status,
check vital signs and labs, monitor ABGs, and initiate mechanical ventilation if necessary.
What medications are used for managing Acute Respiratory Failure? - ✔✔Furosemide, Nitroglycerine,
Morphine, Dopamine/Dobutamine/Norepinephrine, Albuterol, Theophylline, and Methylprednisolone.
What is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)? - ✔✔An acute condition that begins within 7
days after a lung injury, leading to fluid build-up in the lungs.
What are common causes of ARDS? - ✔✔Sepsis, pneumonia, and aspiration; with sepsis being the most
common cause.
What are risk factors for developing ARDS? - ✔✔Excessive alcohol use, smoking, being female,
drowning, drug overdose, traumatic brain injury, and age over 60.
What are the clinical presentations of ARDS? - ✔✔Progressively worsening dyspnea, respiratory
distress, tachycardia, tachypnea, diffuse crackles, cyanosis, diaphoresis, and somnolence.
What is the ABCDEF Bundle in ARDS management? - ✔✔A: Assess, prevent & manage pain; B:
Spontaneous awakening trials & breathing trials; C: Choice of analgesia or sedation; D: Manage delirium;
E: Early mobility; F: Family engagement.
What are the nursing responsibilities for a patient with ARDS? - ✔✔Monitor respiratory status, assess
lab results for trends indicating sepsis or renal failure, and coordinate care with interprofessional teams.
, What is the primary focus of nursing care for patients in respiratory failure? - ✔✔Restoring respiratory
and hemodynamic stability, primarily by increasing oxygen levels.
What are the least invasive measures for respiratory failure management? - ✔✔Nasal cannula, face
masks, and non-rebreathers.
What is the purpose of mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔To support or replace spontaneous breathing in
patients with respiratory failure.
What is ECMO? - ✔✔Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, a procedure where blood is removed
from the body, oxygenated, and then reinfused.
What are the common modes of mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔CPAP and BiPAP, used for conditions like
sleep apnea, COPD, and respiratory failure.
What is the number one way to prevent Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)? - ✔✔Remove the
ventilator if it is no longer needed.
What medications are used in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔Cisatracurium, Midazolam, Propofol,
Pantoprazole, Enoxaparin, and Albuterol.
What is the significance of monitoring ABGs in respiratory failure? - ✔✔ABGs can indicate respiratory
acidosis and guide treatment decisions.
What is the role of prone positioning in ARDS management? - ✔✔It is considered when patients do not
respond to other strategies to improve hypoxemia.
What is the purpose of the Full Support mode in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It provides 100%
machine control, assisting with each breath and delivering volume or pressure, typically used after CPR
or for life support.
What is the primary use of the Partial Support mode (SIMV) in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It is mainly
used for weaning, allowing the patient to breathe spontaneously while ensuring a set number of breaths
are delivered.
What does a high pressure alarm indicate in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It indicates a blockage, which
could be due to coughing, asynchronous breathing, or increased resistance from conditions like
bronchospasms or decreased lung compliance.
What does a low pressure alarm signify in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It signifies a loss of connection
or leak, often due to disconnection of tubing or accidental extubation.
What triggers the apnea alarm in mechanical ventilation? - ✔✔It sounds when the ventilator does not
sense any breathing, which may occur if the patient is over-sedated.
What does the high Vt or RR alarm indicate? - ✔✔It indicates that the patient is breathing too fast,
which can be caused by pain, anxiety, hypoxia, or hypercapnia.
