Therapist Multiple-Choice SAE (Latest 2026)
Actual Questions and Answers 100% Correct
(verified)
What patient would most likely benefit from pressure support ventilation? -✓✓A patient
on SIMV with a mandatory rate of 12/min and total rate of 24/min.
A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has developed a temperature of 99.9° F with
purulent secretions over the last 12 hours. The respiratory therapist has also noted a
steady increase in peak inspiratory pressure. What initial recommendation should be
made to address these changes? -✓✓Obtain a sputum gram stain.
Which of the following information may be obtained from a FVC maneuver during
bedside pulmonary function testing? -✓✓FEV1 and PEFR
A patient who is receiving continuous mechanical ventilation is fighting the ventilator.
His breath sounds are markedly diminished on the left, there is dullness to percussion
on the left, and the trachea is shifted to the left. The most likely explanation for the
problem is that -✓✓the endotracheal tube has slipped into the right main stem
bronchus.
The respiratory therapist notes a developing hematoma after an arterial blood gas was
drawn from the right radial artery. The immediate response is to -✓✓apply pressure to
the site.
A patient's breathing pattern irregularly increases and decreases and is interspersed
with periods of apnea up to 1 minute. Which of the following conditions is the most likely
cause of this problem? -✓✓Elevated intracranial pressure
The respiratory therapist is asked to evaluate the presence of Auto-PEEP on a patient
receiving mechanical ventilation. In order to do this, the therapist should -✓✓initiate an
expiratory hold just prior to the next ventilator-delivered breath
Normal cardiac output -✓✓4-8 L/min
Normal Pulmonary Artery pressure (PAP) -✓✓25/8
(Mean) 13-14 mm Hg
When PAP and/OR cardiac output is low, what do you recommend? -✓✓Positive
inotropic agent
Bronchial breath sounds heard over the lung periphery indicate -✓✓lung consolidation
, While performing diagnostic chest percussion, the respiratory therapist notes decreased
resonance to percussion. Which of the following are potential causes of this finding? -
✓✓Pleural effusion, Pneumonia, Atelectasis
the respiratory therapist notes bubbling in the water seal chamber during the inspiratory
phase. The therapist should report this to the physician as -✓✓a persistent
bronchopleural fistula.
A 19-year-old patient is brought to the Emergency Department after taking a handful of
pills. The patient is obtunded but is making regular, sonorous respiratory efforts.
Auscultation reveals coarse rhonchi bilaterally. Which of the following should be done
FIRST to assess this patient? -✓✓Obtain an ABG.
A young healthy adult with complaints of intermittent wheezing is seen in the pulmonary
clinic. A pre/post bronchodilator spirometry reveals a normal study with no reversibility.
Which of the following should the respiratory therapist recommend? -✓✓Bronchial
provocation
Bronchial provocation -✓✓A bronchial challenge test is a medical test used to assist in
the diagnosis of asthma. The patient breathes in nebulized methacholine
A tracheostomy tube has just been inserted percutaneously into a patient with a C3
fracture. How much air should the respiratory therapist initially inject into the cuff? -
✓✓Enough to achieve a minimal occluding volume.
The following ABG results are reported for a patient in the ED on room air: pH 7.20;
PaCO2 24 torr; PaO2 95 torr; HCO3 10 mEq/L; SaO2 95%; BE -15 mEq/L. The
respiratory therapist should recommend
(when pH and Bicarbe are low, patient has metabolic acidosis) -✓✓administer sodium
bicarbonate
A 16 year-old patient with cystic fibrosis attends high school. Which of the following
bronchial hygiene therapies would be most appropriate for this patient? -✓✓Vibratory /
oscillatory PEP
A patient receiving oxygen therapy at home calls in the middle of the night and reports
that the oxygen supply tubing will not stay attached to her transtracheal catheter. The
flow rate to the transtracheal catheter is set at 0.5 L/min. The patient has attempted to
flush the catheter with saline and push a cleaning rod through it without success. The
respiratory therapist should instruct the patient to -✓✓switch to nasal cannula
Following abdominal surgery, a 70 year-old patient receives mechanical ventilation in
the ICU at the following settings: VC, A/C; VT 550 mL, respiratory rate 14/min, FIO2
Actual Questions and Answers 100% Correct
(verified)
What patient would most likely benefit from pressure support ventilation? -✓✓A patient
on SIMV with a mandatory rate of 12/min and total rate of 24/min.
A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has developed a temperature of 99.9° F with
purulent secretions over the last 12 hours. The respiratory therapist has also noted a
steady increase in peak inspiratory pressure. What initial recommendation should be
made to address these changes? -✓✓Obtain a sputum gram stain.
Which of the following information may be obtained from a FVC maneuver during
bedside pulmonary function testing? -✓✓FEV1 and PEFR
A patient who is receiving continuous mechanical ventilation is fighting the ventilator.
His breath sounds are markedly diminished on the left, there is dullness to percussion
on the left, and the trachea is shifted to the left. The most likely explanation for the
problem is that -✓✓the endotracheal tube has slipped into the right main stem
bronchus.
The respiratory therapist notes a developing hematoma after an arterial blood gas was
drawn from the right radial artery. The immediate response is to -✓✓apply pressure to
the site.
A patient's breathing pattern irregularly increases and decreases and is interspersed
with periods of apnea up to 1 minute. Which of the following conditions is the most likely
cause of this problem? -✓✓Elevated intracranial pressure
The respiratory therapist is asked to evaluate the presence of Auto-PEEP on a patient
receiving mechanical ventilation. In order to do this, the therapist should -✓✓initiate an
expiratory hold just prior to the next ventilator-delivered breath
Normal cardiac output -✓✓4-8 L/min
Normal Pulmonary Artery pressure (PAP) -✓✓25/8
(Mean) 13-14 mm Hg
When PAP and/OR cardiac output is low, what do you recommend? -✓✓Positive
inotropic agent
Bronchial breath sounds heard over the lung periphery indicate -✓✓lung consolidation
, While performing diagnostic chest percussion, the respiratory therapist notes decreased
resonance to percussion. Which of the following are potential causes of this finding? -
✓✓Pleural effusion, Pneumonia, Atelectasis
the respiratory therapist notes bubbling in the water seal chamber during the inspiratory
phase. The therapist should report this to the physician as -✓✓a persistent
bronchopleural fistula.
A 19-year-old patient is brought to the Emergency Department after taking a handful of
pills. The patient is obtunded but is making regular, sonorous respiratory efforts.
Auscultation reveals coarse rhonchi bilaterally. Which of the following should be done
FIRST to assess this patient? -✓✓Obtain an ABG.
A young healthy adult with complaints of intermittent wheezing is seen in the pulmonary
clinic. A pre/post bronchodilator spirometry reveals a normal study with no reversibility.
Which of the following should the respiratory therapist recommend? -✓✓Bronchial
provocation
Bronchial provocation -✓✓A bronchial challenge test is a medical test used to assist in
the diagnosis of asthma. The patient breathes in nebulized methacholine
A tracheostomy tube has just been inserted percutaneously into a patient with a C3
fracture. How much air should the respiratory therapist initially inject into the cuff? -
✓✓Enough to achieve a minimal occluding volume.
The following ABG results are reported for a patient in the ED on room air: pH 7.20;
PaCO2 24 torr; PaO2 95 torr; HCO3 10 mEq/L; SaO2 95%; BE -15 mEq/L. The
respiratory therapist should recommend
(when pH and Bicarbe are low, patient has metabolic acidosis) -✓✓administer sodium
bicarbonate
A 16 year-old patient with cystic fibrosis attends high school. Which of the following
bronchial hygiene therapies would be most appropriate for this patient? -✓✓Vibratory /
oscillatory PEP
A patient receiving oxygen therapy at home calls in the middle of the night and reports
that the oxygen supply tubing will not stay attached to her transtracheal catheter. The
flow rate to the transtracheal catheter is set at 0.5 L/min. The patient has attempted to
flush the catheter with saline and push a cleaning rod through it without success. The
respiratory therapist should instruct the patient to -✓✓switch to nasal cannula
Following abdominal surgery, a 70 year-old patient receives mechanical ventilation in
the ICU at the following settings: VC, A/C; VT 550 mL, respiratory rate 14/min, FIO2
