,Chapter 01: The Patient Interview
Des Jardins: Clinical Manifestations and Assessment of Respiratory Disease, 8th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The respiratory care practitioner is conducting a patient interview. The main purpose of this
interview is to:
a. review data with the patient.
b. gather subjective data from the patient.
c. gather objective data from the patient.
d. fill out the history form or checklist.
ANS: B
The interview is a meeting between the respiratory care practitioner and the patient. It allows the
collection of subjective data about the patient’s feelings regarding his/her
condition. The history should be done before the interview. Although data can be reviewed,
that is not the primary purpose of the interview.
2. For there to be a successful interview, the respiratory therapist must:
a. provide leading questions to guide the patient.
b. reassure the patient.
c. be an active listener.
d. use medical terminology to show knowledge of the subject matter.
The personal qualities that a respiratory therapist must have to conduct a successful interview include
being an active listener, having a genuine concern for the patient, and having empathy. Leading
questions must be avoided. Reassurance may provide a false sense of comfort to the patient. Medical
jargon can sound exclusionary and paternalistic to a patient.
3. Which of the following would be found on a history form?
1. Age
2. Chief complaint
3. Present health
4. Family history
5. Health insurance provider
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4, 5
d. 1, 2, 3, 4
ANS: D
Age, chief complaint, present health, and family history are typically found on a health history
form because each can impact the patient’s health. Health insurance provider information, while
needed for billing purposes, would not be found on the history form.
, 4. External factors the respiratory care practitioner should make efforts to provide during an
interview include which of the following?
1. Minimize or prevent interruptions.
2. Ensure privacy during discussions.
3. Interviewer is the same sex as the patient to prevent bias.
4. Be comfortable for the patient and interviewer.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
External factors, such as a good physical setting, enhance the interviewing process. Regardless of the
interview setting (the patient’s bedside, a crowded emergency room, an office in the hospital or clinic,
or the patient’s home), efforts should be made to (1) ensure privacy, (2) prevent interruptions, and (3)
secure a comfortable physical environment (e.g., comfortable room temperature, sufficient lighting,
absence of noise). An interviewer of either gender, who acts professionally, should be able to
interview a patient of either gender.
5. The respiratory therapist is conducting a patient interview. The therapist chooses to use
open-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow the therapist to do which of the
following?
1. Gather information when a patient introduces a new topic.
2. Introduce a new subject area.
3. Begin the interview process.
4. Gather specific information.
a. 4
b. 1, 3
c. 1, 2, 3
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
An open-ended question should be used to start the interview, introduce a new section of questions,
and gather more information from a patient’s topic. Closed or direct questions are used to gather
specific information.
6. The direct question interview format is used to:
1. speed up the interview.
2. let the patient fully explain his/her situation.
3. help the respiratory therapist show empathy.
4. gather specific information.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 3
ANS: A
Direct or closed questions are best to gather specific information and speed up the interview. Open-
ended questions are best suited to let the patient fully explain his/her situation and possibly help the
respiratory therapist show empathy.
, 7. During bthe binterview bthe bpatient bstates, b―Every btime bI bclimb bthe bstairs bI bhave bto bstop bto
bcatch bmy bbreath.‖ bHearing bthis, bthe brespiratory btherapist breplies, b―So, bit bsounds blike byou
bget bshort bof bbreath bclimbing bstairs.‖ bThis binterviewing btechnique bis bcalled:
a. clarification.
b. modeling.
c. empathy.
d. reflection.
ANS: b D
With breflection, bpart bof bthe bpatient’s bstatement bis brepeated. bThis blets bthe bpatient bknow bthat bwhat
bhe/she bsaid bwas bheard. bIt balso bencourages bthe bpatient bto belaborate bon bthe btopic.
Clarification, bmodeling, band bempathy bare bother bcommunication btechniques.
8. The brespiratory btherapist bmay bchoose bto buse bthe bpatient binterview btechnique bof
bsilence bin bwhich bof bthe bfollowing bsituations?
a. To bprompt bthe bpatient bto bask ba bquestion
b. After ba bdirect bquestion
c. After ban bopen-ended bquestion
d. To ballow bthe bpatient bto breview bhis/her bhistory
ANS: b C
After ba bpatient bhas banswered ban bopen-ended bquestion, bthe brespiratory btherapist bshould bpause b(use
bsilence) bbefore basking bthe bnext bquestion. bThis bpause ballows bthe bpatient bto badd bsomething belse bbefore
bmoving bon. bThe bpatient bmay balso bchoose bto bask ba bquestion.
9. To bhave bthe bmost bproductive binterviewing bsession, bwhich bof bthe bfollowing btypes bof
N bR bI bG bB.
bresponses bto bassist bin bthe binterview bshouUld btShe brNespTiratory btOherapist bavoid?
a. Confrontation
b. Reflection
c. Facilitation
d. Distancing
ANS: b D
With bconfrontation, bthe brespiratory btherapist bfocuses bthe bpatient’s battention bon ban baction, bfeeling, bor
bstatement bmade bby bthe bpatient. bThis bmay bprompt ba bfurther bdiscussion. bReflection bhelps bthe bpatient
bfocus bon bspecific bareas band bcontinues bin bhis/her bown bway. bFacilitation bencourages bpatients bto bsay
bmore, bto bcontinue bwith bthe bstory. bThe brespiratory btherapist bshould bavoid bgiving badvice, busing
bavoidance blanguage, band busing bdistancing blanguage.
10. When bclosing bthe binterview, bthe brespiratory btherapist bshould bdo bwhich bof bthe bfollowing?
1. Recheck bthe bpatient’s bvital bsigns.
2. Thank bthe bpatient.
3. Ask bif bthe bpatient bhas bany bquestions.
4. Close bthe bdoor bbehind bhimself/herself bfor bpatient bprivacy.
a. 2
b. 2, b3
c. 1, b3, b4
d. 1, b2, b4 bANS: b B
Des Jardins: Clinical Manifestations and Assessment of Respiratory Disease, 8th
Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The respiratory care practitioner is conducting a patient interview. The main purpose of this
interview is to:
a. review data with the patient.
b. gather subjective data from the patient.
c. gather objective data from the patient.
d. fill out the history form or checklist.
ANS: B
The interview is a meeting between the respiratory care practitioner and the patient. It allows the
collection of subjective data about the patient’s feelings regarding his/her
condition. The history should be done before the interview. Although data can be reviewed,
that is not the primary purpose of the interview.
2. For there to be a successful interview, the respiratory therapist must:
a. provide leading questions to guide the patient.
b. reassure the patient.
c. be an active listener.
d. use medical terminology to show knowledge of the subject matter.
The personal qualities that a respiratory therapist must have to conduct a successful interview include
being an active listener, having a genuine concern for the patient, and having empathy. Leading
questions must be avoided. Reassurance may provide a false sense of comfort to the patient. Medical
jargon can sound exclusionary and paternalistic to a patient.
3. Which of the following would be found on a history form?
1. Age
2. Chief complaint
3. Present health
4. Family history
5. Health insurance provider
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4, 5
d. 1, 2, 3, 4
ANS: D
Age, chief complaint, present health, and family history are typically found on a health history
form because each can impact the patient’s health. Health insurance provider information, while
needed for billing purposes, would not be found on the history form.
, 4. External factors the respiratory care practitioner should make efforts to provide during an
interview include which of the following?
1. Minimize or prevent interruptions.
2. Ensure privacy during discussions.
3. Interviewer is the same sex as the patient to prevent bias.
4. Be comfortable for the patient and interviewer.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
External factors, such as a good physical setting, enhance the interviewing process. Regardless of the
interview setting (the patient’s bedside, a crowded emergency room, an office in the hospital or clinic,
or the patient’s home), efforts should be made to (1) ensure privacy, (2) prevent interruptions, and (3)
secure a comfortable physical environment (e.g., comfortable room temperature, sufficient lighting,
absence of noise). An interviewer of either gender, who acts professionally, should be able to
interview a patient of either gender.
5. The respiratory therapist is conducting a patient interview. The therapist chooses to use
open-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow the therapist to do which of the
following?
1. Gather information when a patient introduces a new topic.
2. Introduce a new subject area.
3. Begin the interview process.
4. Gather specific information.
a. 4
b. 1, 3
c. 1, 2, 3
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
An open-ended question should be used to start the interview, introduce a new section of questions,
and gather more information from a patient’s topic. Closed or direct questions are used to gather
specific information.
6. The direct question interview format is used to:
1. speed up the interview.
2. let the patient fully explain his/her situation.
3. help the respiratory therapist show empathy.
4. gather specific information.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 3
ANS: A
Direct or closed questions are best to gather specific information and speed up the interview. Open-
ended questions are best suited to let the patient fully explain his/her situation and possibly help the
respiratory therapist show empathy.
, 7. During bthe binterview bthe bpatient bstates, b―Every btime bI bclimb bthe bstairs bI bhave bto bstop bto
bcatch bmy bbreath.‖ bHearing bthis, bthe brespiratory btherapist breplies, b―So, bit bsounds blike byou
bget bshort bof bbreath bclimbing bstairs.‖ bThis binterviewing btechnique bis bcalled:
a. clarification.
b. modeling.
c. empathy.
d. reflection.
ANS: b D
With breflection, bpart bof bthe bpatient’s bstatement bis brepeated. bThis blets bthe bpatient bknow bthat bwhat
bhe/she bsaid bwas bheard. bIt balso bencourages bthe bpatient bto belaborate bon bthe btopic.
Clarification, bmodeling, band bempathy bare bother bcommunication btechniques.
8. The brespiratory btherapist bmay bchoose bto buse bthe bpatient binterview btechnique bof
bsilence bin bwhich bof bthe bfollowing bsituations?
a. To bprompt bthe bpatient bto bask ba bquestion
b. After ba bdirect bquestion
c. After ban bopen-ended bquestion
d. To ballow bthe bpatient bto breview bhis/her bhistory
ANS: b C
After ba bpatient bhas banswered ban bopen-ended bquestion, bthe brespiratory btherapist bshould bpause b(use
bsilence) bbefore basking bthe bnext bquestion. bThis bpause ballows bthe bpatient bto badd bsomething belse bbefore
bmoving bon. bThe bpatient bmay balso bchoose bto bask ba bquestion.
9. To bhave bthe bmost bproductive binterviewing bsession, bwhich bof bthe bfollowing btypes bof
N bR bI bG bB.
bresponses bto bassist bin bthe binterview bshouUld btShe brNespTiratory btOherapist bavoid?
a. Confrontation
b. Reflection
c. Facilitation
d. Distancing
ANS: b D
With bconfrontation, bthe brespiratory btherapist bfocuses bthe bpatient’s battention bon ban baction, bfeeling, bor
bstatement bmade bby bthe bpatient. bThis bmay bprompt ba bfurther bdiscussion. bReflection bhelps bthe bpatient
bfocus bon bspecific bareas band bcontinues bin bhis/her bown bway. bFacilitation bencourages bpatients bto bsay
bmore, bto bcontinue bwith bthe bstory. bThe brespiratory btherapist bshould bavoid bgiving badvice, busing
bavoidance blanguage, band busing bdistancing blanguage.
10. When bclosing bthe binterview, bthe brespiratory btherapist bshould bdo bwhich bof bthe bfollowing?
1. Recheck bthe bpatient’s bvital bsigns.
2. Thank bthe bpatient.
3. Ask bif bthe bpatient bhas bany bquestions.
4. Close bthe bdoor bbehind bhimself/herself bfor bpatient bprivacy.
a. 2
b. 2, b3
c. 1, b3, b4
d. 1, b2, b4 bANS: b B
