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Therapist Multiple Choice SAE Exam
Prep
Complete Verified Questions and
Detailed Answers
1. The physician orders a 35% aerosol mask to be set up for a patient who
requires an inspiratory flow of 42 L/min. What is the minimum flow rate to
which the flowmeter must be set to meet this patient's in- spiratory flow
demands?
A. 6 L/min
B. 8 L/min
C. 10 L/min
D. 12 L/min
ANSWER: B, The air/O2ratio for a 35% oxygen mixture is 5 : 1. To calculate total
flow output from this device, add the ratio parts together and multiply by the liter
flow: 6 ×6 = 36 L/min, 6 ×8 = 48 L/min, 6 × 10 = 60 L/min, 6 ×12 = 72 L/min.
Total flow needed: 42 L/min. The minimum flow necessary is 8, giving a total
flow of 48 L/min. (Analysis)
2. A premature 3-week-old infant is receiving 1 L/min of O via a nasal cannula
and has a PaO of 43 torr22 and a PaCO2 of 40 torr. The respiratory therapist
should recommend which of the following?
A. Increase the cannula flow to 2 L/min.
B. Intubate and institute mechanical ventilation
C. Initiate CPAP of 4 cm H2O and 50% O2
D. Increase the cannula flow to 5 L/min.
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ANSWER: A, A PaO2 of 43 torr represents hypoxemia. The normal PaO2 for an
infant is 50-70 torr. Increasing the cannula flow by 1 L/min is the most appropriate
choice to return the PaO2 to normal. With a normal PaCO2 of 40 torr, mechanical
ventilation is not indicated. (Analysis)
3. A patient arrives in the emergency department after being pulled from a
burning house. The respiratory therapist should recommend obtaining which
of the following measurements to best determine the sever- ity of the patient's
smoke inhalation?
A. SpO2
B. HbCO
C. PaO2
D. Hb
ANSWER: B, To best determine the severity of smoke inhalation, an HbCO level
should be determined with a co-oximeter. The SpO2 value should never be
evaluated on a patient suspected of CO poisoning because a pulse oximeter is not
capable of determining what is bound to hemoglobin.
Pulse oximeters work on the principle of spectrophotometry where lightweight
probes direct filtered light of specific wavelengths through the skin or digit. The
light absorbed differs for saturated and desaturated blood, whether it's saturated
with oxygen or a combination of oxygen and carbon monoxide. Therefore the
reading will be erroneously high when HbCO is present. (Analysis)
4. The physician has ordered O2 to be administered to an active 3-year-old
with an SpO2 of 86%. Which of the following delivery devices would you
recommend for this patient?
A. 1- to 2-L nasal cannula
B. Air-entrainment mask
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C. Simple O2 mask
D.O2 hood
ANSWER: A, An active 3-year-old generally tolerates a cannula much better than
any kind of mask and is too large for an O2hood. (Application)
5. The ability of the patient to follow instructions would be indicated by which
of the following?
A. Orientation to person
B. Performance of tasks when asked
C. Ability to feed himself
D. Awareness of time
ANSWER: B, If the patient is able to perform simple tasks when asked, this best
determines his or her ability to follow instructions. This is important before
administering an incentive spirometry or IPPB treatment, which requires the
patient to be able to follow instructions well or the treatment will not be effective.
(Recall)
6. You suspect a patient may have a pulmonary embolism. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate recommendation for diagnosis of this
condition?
A. Bronchoscopy
B. V/Q lung scan
C. Coagulation studies
D. Shunt study
ANSWER: B, The best diagnostic test to determine whether a pulmonary
embolism is present is the V/Q lung scan. (Application)
, 4|Page
7. To most effectively increase a sedated, paralyzed patient's alveolar minute
ventilation while the patient is on volume-controlled ventilation in the assist-
control mode, you would recommend increasing which of the following?
A. PEEP
B. Inspiratory flow
C. VT
D. Ventilator rate
ANSWER: C
Alveolar minute ventilation = (VT - VD) × respiratory rate
It represents the volume actually reaching the alveoli per minute. It takes into
account anatomic dead space (VD), which is approximately 1 mL/lb of body
weight. Anatomic VD is that portion of the airway where no gas exchange occurs.
If a patient's alveolar minute ventilation is to be increased, the VT must be
increased. If only the ventilator rate is increased, the same VT is delivered, even
though the minute ventilation (VT × RR) increases. (Recall)
What is the formula for alveolar minute ventilation?
ANSWER: (VT - VD) × respiratory rate
8. Failure to hyperoxygenate a patient on a ventilator before ET suctioning
may result in
A. Hypoxemia
B. Hypocapnia
C. Bradycardia
D. Hypertension
Therapist Multiple Choice SAE Exam
Prep
Complete Verified Questions and
Detailed Answers
1. The physician orders a 35% aerosol mask to be set up for a patient who
requires an inspiratory flow of 42 L/min. What is the minimum flow rate to
which the flowmeter must be set to meet this patient's in- spiratory flow
demands?
A. 6 L/min
B. 8 L/min
C. 10 L/min
D. 12 L/min
ANSWER: B, The air/O2ratio for a 35% oxygen mixture is 5 : 1. To calculate total
flow output from this device, add the ratio parts together and multiply by the liter
flow: 6 ×6 = 36 L/min, 6 ×8 = 48 L/min, 6 × 10 = 60 L/min, 6 ×12 = 72 L/min.
Total flow needed: 42 L/min. The minimum flow necessary is 8, giving a total
flow of 48 L/min. (Analysis)
2. A premature 3-week-old infant is receiving 1 L/min of O via a nasal cannula
and has a PaO of 43 torr22 and a PaCO2 of 40 torr. The respiratory therapist
should recommend which of the following?
A. Increase the cannula flow to 2 L/min.
B. Intubate and institute mechanical ventilation
C. Initiate CPAP of 4 cm H2O and 50% O2
D. Increase the cannula flow to 5 L/min.
,2|Page
ANSWER: A, A PaO2 of 43 torr represents hypoxemia. The normal PaO2 for an
infant is 50-70 torr. Increasing the cannula flow by 1 L/min is the most appropriate
choice to return the PaO2 to normal. With a normal PaCO2 of 40 torr, mechanical
ventilation is not indicated. (Analysis)
3. A patient arrives in the emergency department after being pulled from a
burning house. The respiratory therapist should recommend obtaining which
of the following measurements to best determine the sever- ity of the patient's
smoke inhalation?
A. SpO2
B. HbCO
C. PaO2
D. Hb
ANSWER: B, To best determine the severity of smoke inhalation, an HbCO level
should be determined with a co-oximeter. The SpO2 value should never be
evaluated on a patient suspected of CO poisoning because a pulse oximeter is not
capable of determining what is bound to hemoglobin.
Pulse oximeters work on the principle of spectrophotometry where lightweight
probes direct filtered light of specific wavelengths through the skin or digit. The
light absorbed differs for saturated and desaturated blood, whether it's saturated
with oxygen or a combination of oxygen and carbon monoxide. Therefore the
reading will be erroneously high when HbCO is present. (Analysis)
4. The physician has ordered O2 to be administered to an active 3-year-old
with an SpO2 of 86%. Which of the following delivery devices would you
recommend for this patient?
A. 1- to 2-L nasal cannula
B. Air-entrainment mask
,3|Page
C. Simple O2 mask
D.O2 hood
ANSWER: A, An active 3-year-old generally tolerates a cannula much better than
any kind of mask and is too large for an O2hood. (Application)
5. The ability of the patient to follow instructions would be indicated by which
of the following?
A. Orientation to person
B. Performance of tasks when asked
C. Ability to feed himself
D. Awareness of time
ANSWER: B, If the patient is able to perform simple tasks when asked, this best
determines his or her ability to follow instructions. This is important before
administering an incentive spirometry or IPPB treatment, which requires the
patient to be able to follow instructions well or the treatment will not be effective.
(Recall)
6. You suspect a patient may have a pulmonary embolism. Which of the
following would be the most appropriate recommendation for diagnosis of this
condition?
A. Bronchoscopy
B. V/Q lung scan
C. Coagulation studies
D. Shunt study
ANSWER: B, The best diagnostic test to determine whether a pulmonary
embolism is present is the V/Q lung scan. (Application)
, 4|Page
7. To most effectively increase a sedated, paralyzed patient's alveolar minute
ventilation while the patient is on volume-controlled ventilation in the assist-
control mode, you would recommend increasing which of the following?
A. PEEP
B. Inspiratory flow
C. VT
D. Ventilator rate
ANSWER: C
Alveolar minute ventilation = (VT - VD) × respiratory rate
It represents the volume actually reaching the alveoli per minute. It takes into
account anatomic dead space (VD), which is approximately 1 mL/lb of body
weight. Anatomic VD is that portion of the airway where no gas exchange occurs.
If a patient's alveolar minute ventilation is to be increased, the VT must be
increased. If only the ventilator rate is increased, the same VT is delivered, even
though the minute ventilation (VT × RR) increases. (Recall)
What is the formula for alveolar minute ventilation?
ANSWER: (VT - VD) × respiratory rate
8. Failure to hyperoxygenate a patient on a ventilator before ET suctioning
may result in
A. Hypoxemia
B. Hypocapnia
C. Bradycardia
D. Hypertension
