REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS |ALREADY VERIFIED
2023
What is the most important sign in a critically ill pt? Why? - ANS
✔✔✔Tachypnea
Indicates metabolic acidosis w/ respiratory alkalosis
compensation
A pt misses dialysis for a few days and comes in with fluid
overload. He's tachycardic and tachypneic. On physical exam,
you find JVD, pulsus paradoxus (20 mmHg drop during
inspiration), and HoTN (80/40) with distant, muffled heart
sounds. Lungs are clear to auscultation. What is the dx? - ANS
✔✔✔Cardiac tamponade; obstructive shock
If a pt has a thyromental distance of 2 cm, what can you expect
about their airway? - ANS ✔✔✔Difficult airway w/ an anteriorly
displaced larynx
, A COPD pt comes in with difficulty breathing. He then becomes
apneic and unresponsive. How would you ventilate this pt? -
ANS ✔✔✔BVM
A pt arrives after falling from a ladder and has a frontal
laceration. On examination, you find papilledema and labored
breathing w/o being able to clear secretions. What is your
biggest concern when intubating this pt? - ANS ✔✔✔Cerebral
edema/increasing ICP
Intubation tends to cause an increase in ICP. Administer
lidocaine prior to intubation to inhibit vagal stimulation.
An ESRD pt w/ hyperkalemia develops dyspnea and requires
intubation. Which paralytic agent/NMB should you avoid and
why? - ANS ✔✔✔Succinylcholine
Worsens hyperkalemia
A pt is admitted after an OD. He starts to have apneic episodes
and his SpO2 is dropping. You place him on a non-rebreather
mask w/ 100% O2, yet his SpO2 remains at 80%. Why is it not
being corrected?
Then, if you try a BVM and it also fails, and video laryngoscopy
is unavailable, what is your next best choice for an airway? -