EGAN’S FUNDAMENTALS OF RESPIRATORY
CARE EXAM FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026 GRADED A+
◉ What is the physiologic result of the infant's more compliant
thorax compared with that of an adult? Answer: They breathe larger
tidal volumes based on IBW.
◉ What is the name of the external landmark that identifies the
point at which the trachea branches into the right and left mainstem
bronchi? Answer: angle of Louis
◉ Approximately what percent of the normal changes in thoracic
volume during quiet inspiration is due to the action of the
diaphragm? Answer: 75
◉ How far is the diaphragm pulled down during tidal breathing?
Answer: 1 to 2 cm
◉ What pulmonary disorder could lead to acute flattening of the
diaphragm? Answer: asthma
,◉ The diaphragm is innervated by which of the following nerves?
Answer: phrenic
◉ The nerves that innervate the diaphragm arise from which area?
Answer: spinal nerves C3 to C5
◉ What is the lowest level on the spinal cord that an injury could
cause diaphragmatic impairment or paralysis? Answer: C3
◉ Which accessory muscles are active during resting and active
inspiration and pull up on all the ribs expanding the thorax? Answer:
external intercostals
◉ Which of the following is the most important ventilatory function
of the scalene muscles? Answer: lift upper chest particularly during
times of high ventilatory demand
◉ As ventilatory muscles, the sternomastoids do which of the
following? Answer: elevate the upper chest, increasing chest
anteroposterior diameter
◉ When a COPD patient leans forward braced in a tripod position,
this lends particular advantage to which accessory muscles of
inspiration? Answer: pectoralis
,◉ Which accessory muscles of ventilation work to pull the ribs
closer together? Answer: internal intercostals
◉ The abdominal muscles can actually contribute to inspiration by
contraction at the end of exhalation. Answer: true
◉ To what structures do the parietal pleural membranes adhere or
cover? Answer: lung
◉ What is the function of the very small amount of pleural fluid that
is found in the pleural space? Answer: reduces friction
◉ What is the name given to the acute angle formed by the costal
pleura joining the diaphragmatic pleura? Answer: costophrenic
angle
◉ What is the mediastinum? Answer: structure separating the right
and left thoracic cavities
◉ Why is the left lung narrower than the right lung? Answer: There
is upward pressure of the abdominal contents.
, ◉ What forces establish the subatmospheric pressure found in the
pleural space? Answer: equal opposing tendency of the chest wall to
expand and lung to collapse.
◉ How would lung perfusion in a "zone 1" area best be described?
Answer: reduced
◉ How does the lung parenchyma receive most of its oxygen?
Answer: from the alveolar gases
◉ How does the body compensate for a pulmonary embolus that
occludes a branch of the pulmonary artery? Answer: Increased
bronchial arterial flow to the area
◉ What does the detection of lymphatic channels on standard chest
radiographs indicate? Answer: system that is overwhelmed by
excessive fluid
◉ What is the affect of damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerves?
Answer: vocal cord impairment or paralysis
◉ What determines the airway diameter in the normal lung?
Answer: balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone
CARE EXAM FULL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026 GRADED A+
◉ What is the physiologic result of the infant's more compliant
thorax compared with that of an adult? Answer: They breathe larger
tidal volumes based on IBW.
◉ What is the name of the external landmark that identifies the
point at which the trachea branches into the right and left mainstem
bronchi? Answer: angle of Louis
◉ Approximately what percent of the normal changes in thoracic
volume during quiet inspiration is due to the action of the
diaphragm? Answer: 75
◉ How far is the diaphragm pulled down during tidal breathing?
Answer: 1 to 2 cm
◉ What pulmonary disorder could lead to acute flattening of the
diaphragm? Answer: asthma
,◉ The diaphragm is innervated by which of the following nerves?
Answer: phrenic
◉ The nerves that innervate the diaphragm arise from which area?
Answer: spinal nerves C3 to C5
◉ What is the lowest level on the spinal cord that an injury could
cause diaphragmatic impairment or paralysis? Answer: C3
◉ Which accessory muscles are active during resting and active
inspiration and pull up on all the ribs expanding the thorax? Answer:
external intercostals
◉ Which of the following is the most important ventilatory function
of the scalene muscles? Answer: lift upper chest particularly during
times of high ventilatory demand
◉ As ventilatory muscles, the sternomastoids do which of the
following? Answer: elevate the upper chest, increasing chest
anteroposterior diameter
◉ When a COPD patient leans forward braced in a tripod position,
this lends particular advantage to which accessory muscles of
inspiration? Answer: pectoralis
,◉ Which accessory muscles of ventilation work to pull the ribs
closer together? Answer: internal intercostals
◉ The abdominal muscles can actually contribute to inspiration by
contraction at the end of exhalation. Answer: true
◉ To what structures do the parietal pleural membranes adhere or
cover? Answer: lung
◉ What is the function of the very small amount of pleural fluid that
is found in the pleural space? Answer: reduces friction
◉ What is the name given to the acute angle formed by the costal
pleura joining the diaphragmatic pleura? Answer: costophrenic
angle
◉ What is the mediastinum? Answer: structure separating the right
and left thoracic cavities
◉ Why is the left lung narrower than the right lung? Answer: There
is upward pressure of the abdominal contents.
, ◉ What forces establish the subatmospheric pressure found in the
pleural space? Answer: equal opposing tendency of the chest wall to
expand and lung to collapse.
◉ How would lung perfusion in a "zone 1" area best be described?
Answer: reduced
◉ How does the lung parenchyma receive most of its oxygen?
Answer: from the alveolar gases
◉ How does the body compensate for a pulmonary embolus that
occludes a branch of the pulmonary artery? Answer: Increased
bronchial arterial flow to the area
◉ What does the detection of lymphatic channels on standard chest
radiographs indicate? Answer: system that is overwhelmed by
excessive fluid
◉ What is the affect of damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerves?
Answer: vocal cord impairment or paralysis
◉ What determines the airway diameter in the normal lung?
Answer: balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone
