Respiratory Therapist State Board Test 2025
with 400 Prep Questions and Correct Answers
from Past Actual Exams/ NBRC / TMC/ RRT
Exam Test Bank Latest 2025-2026 (New!)
The respiratory therapist has analyzed the FI02 of a patient receiving 40% O2 via
an aerosol mask. The therapist notes that the analyzed FI02 is 38%. The therapist
should:
A. re-analyze the F102.
B. record the reading.
C. re-calibrate the analyzer.
D. increase the FI02 by 2%. - ANSWER-B. record the reading.
The therapist has initiated ultrasonic therapy with 0.45% saline for a patient with
bronchial pneumonia. After approximately 5 minutes of the treatment the patient
begins to complain of shortness of breath. Upon auscultation the therapist notes
severely diminished breath sounds and rhonchi. The patient is cyanotic,
tachypneic, tachycardic, and retracting. Which of the following should the therapist
perform first?
A. Suction the patient immediately
B. Start O2 per nasal cannula at 4 LPM
C. Give a stat racemic epinephrine treatment
D. Intubate and mechanically ventilate - ANSWER-A. Suction the patient
immediately
The therapist is verifying the ventilator parameters on a patient being ventilated by
volume cycled ventilator. He notices that the exhaled tidal volume is 200 mL and
pg. 1
,the ordered tidal volume is 750 mL. The cuff pressure is 5 mmHg. After insertion
of 10 cc of air, the cuff pressure is still 5 mmHg. Which of the following should
the therapist do at this time?
A. Obtain a stat chest x-ray
B. Extubate and reintubate
C. Increase the FI02 to 1.0
D. Insert 10 cc of air into the cuff - ANSWER-B. Extubate and reintubate
A patient's x-ray shows diffuse infiltrates in the lower lobes, auscultation reveals
coarse rhonchi and rales bilaterally, and has a slight temperature is noted. Which of
the following should the therapist recommend to improve her ventilation?
A. Ultrasonic nebulizer
B. Pulmonary drainage and percussion
C. Continuous ventilation
D. Oxygen therapy - ANSWER-B. Pulmonary drainage and percussion
A patient with chronic bronchitis is to receive therapy to help remove a large
amount of thick purulent secretions. Which of the following devices would be most
helpful?
1. mechanical percussor
2. incentive spirometer
3. heated humidifier
4. ultrasonic nebulizer - ANSWER-1. mechanical percussor
4. ultrasonic nebulizer
pg. 2
,A patient has a tracheostomy tube in place. The measured cuff pressure is 28 torr.
Which of the following statements is/are true of this situation?
1. The pressure is appropriate for minimal tracheal occlusion.
2. This pressure will most likely cause arterial occlusion.
3. At this pressure, only lymphatic flow will be affected.
4. The pressure will cause tracheal necrosis if maintained. - ANSWER-2. This
pressure will most likely cause arterial occlusion.
4. The pressure will cause tracheal necrosis if maintained.
A pressure-cycled ventilator being used for continuous ventilation fails to cycle
into inspiration. This might be caused by:
1. Sensitivity set too high
2. Failure of apnea control
3. An obstruction in the system
4. Expiratory line disconnected - ANSWER-2. Failure of apnea control
4. Expiratory line disconnected
Proper instruction for a post-op appendectomy patient receiving incentive
spirometry therapy would include:
1. Deep inspirations
2. Inspiratory hold
3. Strong cough effort
4. Pursed lip breathing - ANSWER-1. Deep inspirations
2. Inspiratory hold
3. Strong cough effort
pg. 3
, A patient with an artificial airway in place is being ventilated with a pressure
cycled ventilator that will not cycle off at end- inspiration. What is the most likely
problem? - ANSWER-the cuff has ruptured
A change in airway resistance would be reflected by a change in:
A. dynamic compliance.
B. thoracic compliance.
C. lung compliance.
D. static compliance. - ANSWER-A. dynamic compliance.
The first parameter to measure when a mechanically ventilated patient is placed on
PEEP is:
A. respiratory rate and cardiac rate.
B. compliance.
C. airway resistance.
D. Pa02. - ANSWER-B. compliance.
Which of the following would NOT occur when increasing the flowrate on a
constant flow, volume-cycled ventilator that is in the control mode?
A. inspiratory time would decrease
B. the I:E ratio would change
C. the expiratory time would increase
D. The minute ventilation would increase - ANSWER-D. The minute ventilation
would increase
During resuscitation efforts, the therapist notes that the resuscitation bag collapses
easily when squeezed and there is no evidence of chest expansion. What would
cause this to occur?
pg. 4
with 400 Prep Questions and Correct Answers
from Past Actual Exams/ NBRC / TMC/ RRT
Exam Test Bank Latest 2025-2026 (New!)
The respiratory therapist has analyzed the FI02 of a patient receiving 40% O2 via
an aerosol mask. The therapist notes that the analyzed FI02 is 38%. The therapist
should:
A. re-analyze the F102.
B. record the reading.
C. re-calibrate the analyzer.
D. increase the FI02 by 2%. - ANSWER-B. record the reading.
The therapist has initiated ultrasonic therapy with 0.45% saline for a patient with
bronchial pneumonia. After approximately 5 minutes of the treatment the patient
begins to complain of shortness of breath. Upon auscultation the therapist notes
severely diminished breath sounds and rhonchi. The patient is cyanotic,
tachypneic, tachycardic, and retracting. Which of the following should the therapist
perform first?
A. Suction the patient immediately
B. Start O2 per nasal cannula at 4 LPM
C. Give a stat racemic epinephrine treatment
D. Intubate and mechanically ventilate - ANSWER-A. Suction the patient
immediately
The therapist is verifying the ventilator parameters on a patient being ventilated by
volume cycled ventilator. He notices that the exhaled tidal volume is 200 mL and
pg. 1
,the ordered tidal volume is 750 mL. The cuff pressure is 5 mmHg. After insertion
of 10 cc of air, the cuff pressure is still 5 mmHg. Which of the following should
the therapist do at this time?
A. Obtain a stat chest x-ray
B. Extubate and reintubate
C. Increase the FI02 to 1.0
D. Insert 10 cc of air into the cuff - ANSWER-B. Extubate and reintubate
A patient's x-ray shows diffuse infiltrates in the lower lobes, auscultation reveals
coarse rhonchi and rales bilaterally, and has a slight temperature is noted. Which of
the following should the therapist recommend to improve her ventilation?
A. Ultrasonic nebulizer
B. Pulmonary drainage and percussion
C. Continuous ventilation
D. Oxygen therapy - ANSWER-B. Pulmonary drainage and percussion
A patient with chronic bronchitis is to receive therapy to help remove a large
amount of thick purulent secretions. Which of the following devices would be most
helpful?
1. mechanical percussor
2. incentive spirometer
3. heated humidifier
4. ultrasonic nebulizer - ANSWER-1. mechanical percussor
4. ultrasonic nebulizer
pg. 2
,A patient has a tracheostomy tube in place. The measured cuff pressure is 28 torr.
Which of the following statements is/are true of this situation?
1. The pressure is appropriate for minimal tracheal occlusion.
2. This pressure will most likely cause arterial occlusion.
3. At this pressure, only lymphatic flow will be affected.
4. The pressure will cause tracheal necrosis if maintained. - ANSWER-2. This
pressure will most likely cause arterial occlusion.
4. The pressure will cause tracheal necrosis if maintained.
A pressure-cycled ventilator being used for continuous ventilation fails to cycle
into inspiration. This might be caused by:
1. Sensitivity set too high
2. Failure of apnea control
3. An obstruction in the system
4. Expiratory line disconnected - ANSWER-2. Failure of apnea control
4. Expiratory line disconnected
Proper instruction for a post-op appendectomy patient receiving incentive
spirometry therapy would include:
1. Deep inspirations
2. Inspiratory hold
3. Strong cough effort
4. Pursed lip breathing - ANSWER-1. Deep inspirations
2. Inspiratory hold
3. Strong cough effort
pg. 3
, A patient with an artificial airway in place is being ventilated with a pressure
cycled ventilator that will not cycle off at end- inspiration. What is the most likely
problem? - ANSWER-the cuff has ruptured
A change in airway resistance would be reflected by a change in:
A. dynamic compliance.
B. thoracic compliance.
C. lung compliance.
D. static compliance. - ANSWER-A. dynamic compliance.
The first parameter to measure when a mechanically ventilated patient is placed on
PEEP is:
A. respiratory rate and cardiac rate.
B. compliance.
C. airway resistance.
D. Pa02. - ANSWER-B. compliance.
Which of the following would NOT occur when increasing the flowrate on a
constant flow, volume-cycled ventilator that is in the control mode?
A. inspiratory time would decrease
B. the I:E ratio would change
C. the expiratory time would increase
D. The minute ventilation would increase - ANSWER-D. The minute ventilation
would increase
During resuscitation efforts, the therapist notes that the resuscitation bag collapses
easily when squeezed and there is no evidence of chest expansion. What would
cause this to occur?
pg. 4
