NBRC EXAM, PART I 2025 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
PATIENT ASSESSMENT:
All the following could cause capnography to go from 3 6 to 30 EXCEPT:
A. Endotracheal tube positioned in the right mainstream bronchus
B. Hyperventilation
C. pulmonary emboli
D. Hypovolemia - ANS Endotracheal tube positioned in right mainstem bronchus is a problem
but the co2 reading would not change, so
ANSWER is A.
What is the target Vt for individual on mechanical ventilation - ANS 6-8 ml/kg (of ideal body
weight) This is new strategy as of January 2015
Is the following Static OR Dynamic Compliance:
Means flow throughout the respiratory system has stopped and all ventilatory muscle activity is
absent. _______ conditions can be imposed with an inspiratory pause when a patient is
sedated and mechanically ventilated. - ANS Static Compliance
Is the following Static OR Dynamic Compliance:
Flow at airway opening is zero. Mechanics are evaluated under ______ conditions, when non-
intubated patient breathes spontaneously. - ANS Dynamic Compliance
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,A balloon tipped flow directed catheter is positioned in the pulmonary artery with the balloon
deflated. Which of the following pressures will be measured by the proximal lumen:
a. Cvp
b. Pap
c. Pwp
d. Map - ANS ANSWER is A. Cvp = deflated/proximal lumen
Pap = deflated/distal
Pwp = inflated/wedged
All of the following will affect the accuracy of a capnography EXCEPT
a. Long sampling line
b. Low sampling flow
c. Condensation in the tubing
d. Use of desiccant - ANS Gas will pass through and out of a long sampling line before
reaching analyzer so, low sampling flow will not give you enough information for a good
reading, and condensation as a rule is always a problem especially in analyzers. Dessicant
removes moisture from the gas, which is a good thing, so
ANSWER is D
A 1000 g neonate (normal baby is 3000 g) is stable in nicu. Which of the following should the
respiratory therapist use to monitor the neonates overall cardiopulmonary status.
a. TcPCO2 and TcPO2 monitor
b. Arterial blood gas analysis Q4
c. SpO2 monitor
d. Capillary gas analysis Q8 - ANS Since the baby is stable, go less invasive, also go continuous
monitoring (not 4 hour or 8 hour), Transcutaneous (Tc) continuous monitoring of CO2 and O2 is
the best. Answer is A
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,A unilateral wheeze would most likely indicate which of the following.
a. Asthma
b. Atelectasis
c. Foreign body aspiration
d. Epiglottitis - ANS You wouldn't have asthma on just one side (unilateral), atelectasis would
cause diminished breath sounds, with epiglottitis you would get stridor, since you are only
hearing wheezing on one side, you are hearing it on the side where you aspirated something,
so ANSWER is C
All of the following would be associated with the presence of a pneumothorax EXCEPT
a. Tracheal deviation
b. Dull percussion
c. Absent breath sounds
d. Respiratory distress - ANS With pneumothorax you would hear a high pitch
hyperresonnance, breath sounds would be absent, and respiratory distress could be present.
Dull percussion would NOT be present,
so ANSWER is B.
What should you recommend FIRST for a patient with multifocal pvc's
a. Administration of lidocaine
b. Administration of 100% oxygen
c. Administration of atropine
d. Administration of epinephrine - ANS Multiple pvc's coming from multiple locations
(multifocal) is a real problem and you should administer oxygen FIRST, so ANSWER is B.
lidocaine will help reduce irritability of heart and help with pvc's but would not be first option,
atropine is used for bradycardia and cardiac irregularities but not pvc's, epinephrine is
emergency drug not for pvc's but more for pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular
fibrilation where heart is not responding .
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, What is the normal range for the mean pulmonary artery pressure in an adult
a. 2-6 mm Hg
b. 4-12 mmHg
c. 9-18 mmHg
d. 21-28 mmHg - ANS Mean pulmonary artery pressure in an adult should be in the teens
so best ANSWER is C
A patient in the emergency dept has frothy secretions, moist crackles, and tachypnea. The
patient has marked dyspnea and a history of heart disease. Which of the following should the
respiratory therapist recommend.
1.suction immediately
2.administer 100% oxygen
3.place in Fowlers position
4.administer furosemide - ANS This is an emergency, they are having heart problems,
dyspnea, frothy secretions indicating severe pulmonary edema, etc. so 100% oxygen
immediately, having the patient in the Fowlers position (an upright position) will help pull fluid
down away from the lungs, furosemide is a lasix (loop diuretic) which gets rid of excess fluid.
You do NOT suction someone with frothy secretions and heart problems, this just delays
appropriate therapy. So ANSWER is 2,3,4
Fine crepitant crackles are most commonly associated with which of the following conditions.
a. Bronchiectasis
b. Congestive heart failure
c. Pneumonia
d. Croup - ANS Crackles are associated with fluid so a, b, and c would be good answers, but
"fine crepitant" crackles indicates fluid entering alveoli (pulmonary edema) which is most often
caused by heart failure so the best ANSWER is B. (with croup you would hear more of a stridor
sound).
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AND ANSWERS
PATIENT ASSESSMENT:
All the following could cause capnography to go from 3 6 to 30 EXCEPT:
A. Endotracheal tube positioned in the right mainstream bronchus
B. Hyperventilation
C. pulmonary emboli
D. Hypovolemia - ANS Endotracheal tube positioned in right mainstem bronchus is a problem
but the co2 reading would not change, so
ANSWER is A.
What is the target Vt for individual on mechanical ventilation - ANS 6-8 ml/kg (of ideal body
weight) This is new strategy as of January 2015
Is the following Static OR Dynamic Compliance:
Means flow throughout the respiratory system has stopped and all ventilatory muscle activity is
absent. _______ conditions can be imposed with an inspiratory pause when a patient is
sedated and mechanically ventilated. - ANS Static Compliance
Is the following Static OR Dynamic Compliance:
Flow at airway opening is zero. Mechanics are evaluated under ______ conditions, when non-
intubated patient breathes spontaneously. - ANS Dynamic Compliance
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,A balloon tipped flow directed catheter is positioned in the pulmonary artery with the balloon
deflated. Which of the following pressures will be measured by the proximal lumen:
a. Cvp
b. Pap
c. Pwp
d. Map - ANS ANSWER is A. Cvp = deflated/proximal lumen
Pap = deflated/distal
Pwp = inflated/wedged
All of the following will affect the accuracy of a capnography EXCEPT
a. Long sampling line
b. Low sampling flow
c. Condensation in the tubing
d. Use of desiccant - ANS Gas will pass through and out of a long sampling line before
reaching analyzer so, low sampling flow will not give you enough information for a good
reading, and condensation as a rule is always a problem especially in analyzers. Dessicant
removes moisture from the gas, which is a good thing, so
ANSWER is D
A 1000 g neonate (normal baby is 3000 g) is stable in nicu. Which of the following should the
respiratory therapist use to monitor the neonates overall cardiopulmonary status.
a. TcPCO2 and TcPO2 monitor
b. Arterial blood gas analysis Q4
c. SpO2 monitor
d. Capillary gas analysis Q8 - ANS Since the baby is stable, go less invasive, also go continuous
monitoring (not 4 hour or 8 hour), Transcutaneous (Tc) continuous monitoring of CO2 and O2 is
the best. Answer is A
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,A unilateral wheeze would most likely indicate which of the following.
a. Asthma
b. Atelectasis
c. Foreign body aspiration
d. Epiglottitis - ANS You wouldn't have asthma on just one side (unilateral), atelectasis would
cause diminished breath sounds, with epiglottitis you would get stridor, since you are only
hearing wheezing on one side, you are hearing it on the side where you aspirated something,
so ANSWER is C
All of the following would be associated with the presence of a pneumothorax EXCEPT
a. Tracheal deviation
b. Dull percussion
c. Absent breath sounds
d. Respiratory distress - ANS With pneumothorax you would hear a high pitch
hyperresonnance, breath sounds would be absent, and respiratory distress could be present.
Dull percussion would NOT be present,
so ANSWER is B.
What should you recommend FIRST for a patient with multifocal pvc's
a. Administration of lidocaine
b. Administration of 100% oxygen
c. Administration of atropine
d. Administration of epinephrine - ANS Multiple pvc's coming from multiple locations
(multifocal) is a real problem and you should administer oxygen FIRST, so ANSWER is B.
lidocaine will help reduce irritability of heart and help with pvc's but would not be first option,
atropine is used for bradycardia and cardiac irregularities but not pvc's, epinephrine is
emergency drug not for pvc's but more for pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular
fibrilation where heart is not responding .
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, What is the normal range for the mean pulmonary artery pressure in an adult
a. 2-6 mm Hg
b. 4-12 mmHg
c. 9-18 mmHg
d. 21-28 mmHg - ANS Mean pulmonary artery pressure in an adult should be in the teens
so best ANSWER is C
A patient in the emergency dept has frothy secretions, moist crackles, and tachypnea. The
patient has marked dyspnea and a history of heart disease. Which of the following should the
respiratory therapist recommend.
1.suction immediately
2.administer 100% oxygen
3.place in Fowlers position
4.administer furosemide - ANS This is an emergency, they are having heart problems,
dyspnea, frothy secretions indicating severe pulmonary edema, etc. so 100% oxygen
immediately, having the patient in the Fowlers position (an upright position) will help pull fluid
down away from the lungs, furosemide is a lasix (loop diuretic) which gets rid of excess fluid.
You do NOT suction someone with frothy secretions and heart problems, this just delays
appropriate therapy. So ANSWER is 2,3,4
Fine crepitant crackles are most commonly associated with which of the following conditions.
a. Bronchiectasis
b. Congestive heart failure
c. Pneumonia
d. Croup - ANS Crackles are associated with fluid so a, b, and c would be good answers, but
"fine crepitant" crackles indicates fluid entering alveoli (pulmonary edema) which is most often
caused by heart failure so the best ANSWER is B. (with croup you would hear more of a stridor
sound).
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