RESPIRATORY THERAPIST TMC
PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
You check the chart and see the latest arterial blood gas on an adult patient was as
follows:
pH7.23
PaCO2 81
PaO2 64
HCO3 27
How would you classify these results?
A.fully compensated respiratory acidosis with mild hypoxemia
B.non-compensated respiratory acidosis with moderate hypoxemia
C.non-compensated respiratory acidosis with mild hypoxemia
D.fully compensated metabolic acidosis with moderate hypoxemia - ANSWER-C
mild hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 60-79 mmHg
moderate hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 40-59 mmHg
severe hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 < 40 mmHg
Normal PaO2 range - ANSWER-80-100 mm Hg
Question Number 6
While checking your patient's medical record, you see the following pulmonary function
testing results.
What would the result of this test be? - ANSWER-RESTRICTIVE
On an x-ray, what would you expect an emphysema patient's lungs to show?
A.ground glass opacities
B.hyperinflation
C.infiltrates
D.pulmonary edema - ANSWER-B
ground glass opacity - ANSWER-granular or pebbled radiopacity, resembling pulverized
glass. Gives an "Orange Peel" appearance.
*associated with diseases such as osteoporosis, osteitis deformans, or fibrous displasia
While preparing for patient rounds, you check the APGAR score of a baby that was born
last night. The 5-minute APGAR score was 5. In rounds, you plan to report the APGAR
score as
,A.unreliable.
B.severely depressed.
C.moderately depressed.
D.excellent condition. - ANSWER-C
APGAR moderately depressed - ANSWER-4-6
APGAR severely depressed - ANSWER-0-3
APGAR normal score - ANSWER-7-10
An APGAR score of __-__ is moderately depressed. - ANSWER-4-6
Question Number 9
Your patient's family member reports the patient having apnea while sleeping. After
obtaining a physician's order, you perform a sleep study. The results show that the
apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is 28. What is the severity of the patient's obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA)?
A.none
B.mild
C.moderate
D.severe - ANSWER-C
Severe OSA - ANSWER->30 events/hr
This is the correct answer. An AHI between __-__ represents moderate OSA. -
ANSWER-15-29
Mild OSA - ANSWER-AHI 5-15
Normal OSA - ANSWER-AHI < 5
Question Number 10
An ECG was obtained from your patient. On an ECG, what would indicate a working
pacemaker?
A.elevated ST segment
B.spikes
C.absence of P waves
D.T-wave inversion - ANSWER-B
Elevated ST segment indicates - ANSWER-myocardial infarction
The absence of P-waves and an irregular rhythm would suggest a diagnosis of... -
ANSWER-a fib
,Heart rhythms that can be shocked - ANSWER-Ventricular fibrillation: Chaotic,
unorganized heart rhythm
Ventricular tachycardia: Rapid, inefficient rhythm
Irregularly irregular rhythm - ANSWER-no consistent pattern to heart rhythm, usually
implying atrial fibrillation
T wave insertion - ANSWER-ventricles fail to repolarize normally
A pacemaker will cause
_____ on an ECG. - ANSWER-SPIKES
You enter your patient's room, and he appears to be sleeping. You call his name and
get no response. After gently tapping the patient, you vigorously shake the patient while
calling his name with no response. Finally, after performing a sternal rub, the patient
moans but does not open his eyes. What is the patient's current level of consciousness?
A.comatose
B.obtunded
C.somnolent
D.stuporous - ANSWER-D
Order of level of consciousness - ANSWER-alert
lethargy
obtunded
delirium
stuporous
comatose
Your patient is taking shallow breaths due to a rib injury. The patient complains of pain
when quickly inhaling. What device could help the patient breathe deeper?
A.an incentive spirometer
B.a high-flow nasal cannula
C.oscillatory positive end pressure
D.chest physiotherapy - ANSWER-A
An incentive spirometer helps patients take - ANSWER-slow, deep breaths.
During your assessment, your patient mentions smoking two packs of cigarettes per day
for the past 33 years. What is the patient's pack year? - ANSWER-66
Pack Year Equation - ANSWER-multiply the daily pack of cigarettes by the number of
years smoked.
You note that a patient with a spinal cord injury has rhonchi and a weak cough due to
muscle paralysis. Which would best help to clear the rhonchi?
A.insufflator-exsufflator
, B.oscillating positive expiratory pressure
C.incentive spirometer
D.hypertonic saline - ANSWER-A
Your patient is unable to effectively cough to clear secretions. An _______-_______
would help the patient cough and pull secretions out. - ANSWER-insufflator-exsufflator
You are preparing to obtain an arterial blood gas (ABG) from a patient in the emergency
room. You feel a right radial pulse, but after several minutes of palpating you still do not
feel a left radial pulse. What should you do?
A.The patient has no pulse; you should begin CPR.
B.Obtain the ABG at the right radial site.
C.Ask the nurse to feel for the patient's left pulse.
D.Attempt to draw the ABG from the patient's brachial site. - ANSWER-B
A shunt can cause the radial pulse to be - ANSWER-ABSENT
You are called to the emergency room to intubate a motor vehicle accident patient. Ten
minutes after intubation, you note the mechanical ventilator settings shown.
Vt310 mL
VE10.23 L/min
PIP46 cmH2O
RR16 bpm
What would you expect to see from your sedated patient?A.awake and alert
B.resting comfortably
C.disconnection from the ventilator
D.asymmetrical chest movement - ANSWER-D
a pneumothorax, causes - ANSWER-increased peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and
asymmetrical chest movement.
Which of the following is a contraindication to perform postural drainage and chest
physiotherapy while the patient is in the Trendelenburg position?
A.increased intracranial pressure
B.pneumonia
C.bronchitis
D.pleural effusion - ANSWER-a
Trendelenburg increases intracranial pressure, so it should ____ be used if a patient
already has an increased intracranial pressure. - ANSWER-NOT
While performing a patient assessment, you hear expiratory wheezing. What is the
cause of these breath sounds?
A.fluid in the alveoli
B.mucus in the airway
C.bronchoconstriction
PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
You check the chart and see the latest arterial blood gas on an adult patient was as
follows:
pH7.23
PaCO2 81
PaO2 64
HCO3 27
How would you classify these results?
A.fully compensated respiratory acidosis with mild hypoxemia
B.non-compensated respiratory acidosis with moderate hypoxemia
C.non-compensated respiratory acidosis with mild hypoxemia
D.fully compensated metabolic acidosis with moderate hypoxemia - ANSWER-C
mild hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 60-79 mmHg
moderate hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 40-59 mmHg
severe hypoxemia - ANSWER-PaO2 < 40 mmHg
Normal PaO2 range - ANSWER-80-100 mm Hg
Question Number 6
While checking your patient's medical record, you see the following pulmonary function
testing results.
What would the result of this test be? - ANSWER-RESTRICTIVE
On an x-ray, what would you expect an emphysema patient's lungs to show?
A.ground glass opacities
B.hyperinflation
C.infiltrates
D.pulmonary edema - ANSWER-B
ground glass opacity - ANSWER-granular or pebbled radiopacity, resembling pulverized
glass. Gives an "Orange Peel" appearance.
*associated with diseases such as osteoporosis, osteitis deformans, or fibrous displasia
While preparing for patient rounds, you check the APGAR score of a baby that was born
last night. The 5-minute APGAR score was 5. In rounds, you plan to report the APGAR
score as
,A.unreliable.
B.severely depressed.
C.moderately depressed.
D.excellent condition. - ANSWER-C
APGAR moderately depressed - ANSWER-4-6
APGAR severely depressed - ANSWER-0-3
APGAR normal score - ANSWER-7-10
An APGAR score of __-__ is moderately depressed. - ANSWER-4-6
Question Number 9
Your patient's family member reports the patient having apnea while sleeping. After
obtaining a physician's order, you perform a sleep study. The results show that the
apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is 28. What is the severity of the patient's obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA)?
A.none
B.mild
C.moderate
D.severe - ANSWER-C
Severe OSA - ANSWER->30 events/hr
This is the correct answer. An AHI between __-__ represents moderate OSA. -
ANSWER-15-29
Mild OSA - ANSWER-AHI 5-15
Normal OSA - ANSWER-AHI < 5
Question Number 10
An ECG was obtained from your patient. On an ECG, what would indicate a working
pacemaker?
A.elevated ST segment
B.spikes
C.absence of P waves
D.T-wave inversion - ANSWER-B
Elevated ST segment indicates - ANSWER-myocardial infarction
The absence of P-waves and an irregular rhythm would suggest a diagnosis of... -
ANSWER-a fib
,Heart rhythms that can be shocked - ANSWER-Ventricular fibrillation: Chaotic,
unorganized heart rhythm
Ventricular tachycardia: Rapid, inefficient rhythm
Irregularly irregular rhythm - ANSWER-no consistent pattern to heart rhythm, usually
implying atrial fibrillation
T wave insertion - ANSWER-ventricles fail to repolarize normally
A pacemaker will cause
_____ on an ECG. - ANSWER-SPIKES
You enter your patient's room, and he appears to be sleeping. You call his name and
get no response. After gently tapping the patient, you vigorously shake the patient while
calling his name with no response. Finally, after performing a sternal rub, the patient
moans but does not open his eyes. What is the patient's current level of consciousness?
A.comatose
B.obtunded
C.somnolent
D.stuporous - ANSWER-D
Order of level of consciousness - ANSWER-alert
lethargy
obtunded
delirium
stuporous
comatose
Your patient is taking shallow breaths due to a rib injury. The patient complains of pain
when quickly inhaling. What device could help the patient breathe deeper?
A.an incentive spirometer
B.a high-flow nasal cannula
C.oscillatory positive end pressure
D.chest physiotherapy - ANSWER-A
An incentive spirometer helps patients take - ANSWER-slow, deep breaths.
During your assessment, your patient mentions smoking two packs of cigarettes per day
for the past 33 years. What is the patient's pack year? - ANSWER-66
Pack Year Equation - ANSWER-multiply the daily pack of cigarettes by the number of
years smoked.
You note that a patient with a spinal cord injury has rhonchi and a weak cough due to
muscle paralysis. Which would best help to clear the rhonchi?
A.insufflator-exsufflator
, B.oscillating positive expiratory pressure
C.incentive spirometer
D.hypertonic saline - ANSWER-A
Your patient is unable to effectively cough to clear secretions. An _______-_______
would help the patient cough and pull secretions out. - ANSWER-insufflator-exsufflator
You are preparing to obtain an arterial blood gas (ABG) from a patient in the emergency
room. You feel a right radial pulse, but after several minutes of palpating you still do not
feel a left radial pulse. What should you do?
A.The patient has no pulse; you should begin CPR.
B.Obtain the ABG at the right radial site.
C.Ask the nurse to feel for the patient's left pulse.
D.Attempt to draw the ABG from the patient's brachial site. - ANSWER-B
A shunt can cause the radial pulse to be - ANSWER-ABSENT
You are called to the emergency room to intubate a motor vehicle accident patient. Ten
minutes after intubation, you note the mechanical ventilator settings shown.
Vt310 mL
VE10.23 L/min
PIP46 cmH2O
RR16 bpm
What would you expect to see from your sedated patient?A.awake and alert
B.resting comfortably
C.disconnection from the ventilator
D.asymmetrical chest movement - ANSWER-D
a pneumothorax, causes - ANSWER-increased peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) and
asymmetrical chest movement.
Which of the following is a contraindication to perform postural drainage and chest
physiotherapy while the patient is in the Trendelenburg position?
A.increased intracranial pressure
B.pneumonia
C.bronchitis
D.pleural effusion - ANSWER-a
Trendelenburg increases intracranial pressure, so it should ____ be used if a patient
already has an increased intracranial pressure. - ANSWER-NOT
While performing a patient assessment, you hear expiratory wheezing. What is the
cause of these breath sounds?
A.fluid in the alveoli
B.mucus in the airway
C.bronchoconstriction
