RRT TMC EXAM | 160 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS |
2025/2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
You are called to the emergency department to help care for a patient who was
in a vehicle accident and has chest injuries including broken ribs. Crepitations
are felt while palpitating the patient's neck. What is most likely the cause of
this? Answer - The patient's lung has an air leak
A forced expiratory measurement obtained after the administration of a
bronchodilator shows an increase in FEV1 from 60% to 80% of predicted. This
indicates a: Answer - Reversible airway obstruction
During capnography monitoring of a mechanically ventilated patient, you note
that the end-tidal PCO2 (PetCO2) has dropped to 0 mm Hg. This finding may
indicate: Answer - complete airway obstruction
An unconscious apneic patient with a full stomach cannot be orally intubated in
the emergency room. Which of the following would your recommend be?
Answer - inserting an esophageal-tracheal combitube
While establishing initial ventilatory support settings for a new patient, the
most important consideration is the: Answer - patients size and clinical
condition
,A male patient has a lower than normal mixed venous O2 content. Which of
the following is the most likely cause of this condition? Answer - Fever
(hyperthermia)
You are trying to wean an alert intubated patient off full ventilatory support
using the CPAP protocol with 40% O2. Early in the initial effort her respiratory
rate increases from 24 to 30/min and you start to observe some use of her
accessory muscles while breathing. Which of the following would be your first
action at this time? Answer - apply 5-10 cm H20 pressure support
What is the approximate duration of flow of an oxygen E-cylinder at 1000 psi
running at 4 L/min? Answer - 70 minutes
While using a Yankauer device to suction an adult patient, you are unable to
remove thick secretions. The regulator attached to the oropharyngeal
suctioning device displays a reading of -70 mm Hg. Which of the following
actions should you take at this time? Answer - increase the suction pressure to
-120 mm Hg
While setting up a 12-lead EKG on a patient, you are unable obtain any
electrical signal. The batteries are fully charged and the device was able to
power-on. The most likely cause of this problem is which of the following?
Answer - a missing lead
Which of the following imaging procedures is used to evaluate the arteries for
abnormalities such as aneurysm, atherosclerosis, embolism, occlusion,
stenosis, thrombosis, trauma, or vasculitis? Answer - angiography
You obtain an expired carbon monoxide (CO) reading of 18 ppm on a COPD
patient participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Based on this
finding, you can conclude that the patient: Answer - has smoked within the
prior 12-24 hours
, While monitoring a patient during a spontaneous breathing trial, which of the
following observations would cause you to stop the trial and return the patient
to ventilatory support? Answer - decrease in O2 saturation from 91% to 82%
Your patient is receiving volume control A/C ventilation. She has become
increasingly agitated and the end-tidal CO2 has decreased from 38 to 27 torr
over the last 3 hours. Which of the following is most likely the cause? Answer -
increased ventilation
A normal vital capacity for a female patient who is five feet three inches tall
and weighs fifty kilograms would be approximately: Answer - 3500 mL
An asthmatic patient is struggling to initiate inspiration on a ventilator
operating in the assist-control mode. Which of the following ventilator settings
would you first check in order to resolve of this problem? Answer - the
sensitivity
On inspection of a patient's EKG strip, you note that there are no identifiable P
waves; rapid irregular undulations of the isoelectric line; and an irregular
ventricular rhythm. In addition, the precordial cardiac rate is greater than the
peripheral pulse rate. What is the most likely problem? Answer - atrial
fibrillation
Which of the following is the best bedside measurement for assessing the
integrated function of the respiratory muscles and mechanical properties of
the lungs and thorax? Answer - Vital Capacity (VC)
While inspecting an EKG rhythm strip from an adult patient, you note the
following: rate of 148; regular rhythm; normal P waves, P-R intervals, and QRS
complexes. What is most likely the problem? Answer - Sinus Tachycardia
2025/2026 UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE SOLUTION
You are called to the emergency department to help care for a patient who was
in a vehicle accident and has chest injuries including broken ribs. Crepitations
are felt while palpitating the patient's neck. What is most likely the cause of
this? Answer - The patient's lung has an air leak
A forced expiratory measurement obtained after the administration of a
bronchodilator shows an increase in FEV1 from 60% to 80% of predicted. This
indicates a: Answer - Reversible airway obstruction
During capnography monitoring of a mechanically ventilated patient, you note
that the end-tidal PCO2 (PetCO2) has dropped to 0 mm Hg. This finding may
indicate: Answer - complete airway obstruction
An unconscious apneic patient with a full stomach cannot be orally intubated in
the emergency room. Which of the following would your recommend be?
Answer - inserting an esophageal-tracheal combitube
While establishing initial ventilatory support settings for a new patient, the
most important consideration is the: Answer - patients size and clinical
condition
,A male patient has a lower than normal mixed venous O2 content. Which of
the following is the most likely cause of this condition? Answer - Fever
(hyperthermia)
You are trying to wean an alert intubated patient off full ventilatory support
using the CPAP protocol with 40% O2. Early in the initial effort her respiratory
rate increases from 24 to 30/min and you start to observe some use of her
accessory muscles while breathing. Which of the following would be your first
action at this time? Answer - apply 5-10 cm H20 pressure support
What is the approximate duration of flow of an oxygen E-cylinder at 1000 psi
running at 4 L/min? Answer - 70 minutes
While using a Yankauer device to suction an adult patient, you are unable to
remove thick secretions. The regulator attached to the oropharyngeal
suctioning device displays a reading of -70 mm Hg. Which of the following
actions should you take at this time? Answer - increase the suction pressure to
-120 mm Hg
While setting up a 12-lead EKG on a patient, you are unable obtain any
electrical signal. The batteries are fully charged and the device was able to
power-on. The most likely cause of this problem is which of the following?
Answer - a missing lead
Which of the following imaging procedures is used to evaluate the arteries for
abnormalities such as aneurysm, atherosclerosis, embolism, occlusion,
stenosis, thrombosis, trauma, or vasculitis? Answer - angiography
You obtain an expired carbon monoxide (CO) reading of 18 ppm on a COPD
patient participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Based on this
finding, you can conclude that the patient: Answer - has smoked within the
prior 12-24 hours
, While monitoring a patient during a spontaneous breathing trial, which of the
following observations would cause you to stop the trial and return the patient
to ventilatory support? Answer - decrease in O2 saturation from 91% to 82%
Your patient is receiving volume control A/C ventilation. She has become
increasingly agitated and the end-tidal CO2 has decreased from 38 to 27 torr
over the last 3 hours. Which of the following is most likely the cause? Answer -
increased ventilation
A normal vital capacity for a female patient who is five feet three inches tall
and weighs fifty kilograms would be approximately: Answer - 3500 mL
An asthmatic patient is struggling to initiate inspiration on a ventilator
operating in the assist-control mode. Which of the following ventilator settings
would you first check in order to resolve of this problem? Answer - the
sensitivity
On inspection of a patient's EKG strip, you note that there are no identifiable P
waves; rapid irregular undulations of the isoelectric line; and an irregular
ventricular rhythm. In addition, the precordial cardiac rate is greater than the
peripheral pulse rate. What is the most likely problem? Answer - atrial
fibrillation
Which of the following is the best bedside measurement for assessing the
integrated function of the respiratory muscles and mechanical properties of
the lungs and thorax? Answer - Vital Capacity (VC)
While inspecting an EKG rhythm strip from an adult patient, you note the
following: rate of 148; regular rhythm; normal P waves, P-R intervals, and QRS
complexes. What is most likely the problem? Answer - Sinus Tachycardia
