1. The respiratory therapist is monitoring an adult oxygen patient with pulse oximetry.
The unit
shows that the oxygen saturation is 89%, and the pulse rate is 108, on 2 liters per minute. What
actions should the respiratory therapist recommend?
A. Increase the oxygen flow to 2.5 L/min, and continue to monitor.
B. Deliver an albuterol treatment, and reassess the patient condition.
C. Decrease oxygen flow to 1.5 L/min, and continue to monitor.
D. Maintain the oxygen flow rate at 2 L/min, and continue to monitor.
2. Which of the following supports a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism?
1. chest X-ray
2. pulmonary angiography
3. magnetic resonance imaging
4. helical/spiral CT scan
A. 1, 3, and 4 only
B. 2, 3, and 4 only
C. 1 and 4 only
D. 2 and 3 only
3. A patient's complete blood count (CBC) shows that the white blood count (WBC) is twice the
high end of the normal range. This indicates
A. leukemia.
Old am
B. leukopenia.
C. leukocytosis.
D. viral infection.
4. The respiratory therapist is called to the labor and delivery suite to stand by for a high-risk
delivery of a premature patient. It is noted that the patient's lecithin-sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio is
1.43. The therapist should anticipate
A. a high risk of tetralogy of Fallot.
B. a low risk of respiratory distress syndrome.
C. a high risk of meconium aspiration.
D. a high risk of respiratory distress syndrome.
5. An epilepsy patient has been admitted to the hospital for uncontrolled grand mal seizures.
Upon reviewing the patient's record, the respiratory therapist notes the following arterial blood
gas (ABG) analysis:
pH 7.22
PaCO2 43 mm Hg
PaO2 73 mm Hg
HCO3- 22.5 mEq/L
What does this indicate?
A. The blood gas analysis shows lactic acidosis.
B. The patient is hypoventilating.
C. The patient is recovering from an apneic episode.
D. The blood gas analysis should be questioned.
6. The respiratory therapist is reviewing the most recent complete blood count (CBC) in the
patient's medical record. It shows her hemoglobin (Hb) is 12.1 gm/dl and her hematocrit (Hct) is
37%. This result
A. is likely the result of chronic hypoxemia.
B. is the low end of normal for a woman.
C. indicates polycythemia for a woman.
D. is the high end of normal for a woman.
7. The respiratory therapist is reviewing the results of a patient's pulmonary function test and
notes that the total lung capacity (TLC) was 65% of predicted. The best interpretation of these
results is
A. combined obstructive and restrictive lung disease.
B. severe restrictive lung disease.
C. mild obstructive lung disease.
D. moderate restrictive lung disease.
8. The respiratory therapist is reviewing the record of a newly admitted adult male patient with
chronic bronchitis. The therapist notes that the patient's red blood cell (RBC) count is 7.2 x
106/mm3. The therapist should conclude that the patient has
A. polycythemia.
B. erythrocytopenia.
C. hyperemia.
D. neutrocytosis.
9. Which of the following is used in the determination of the Apgar score?
1. heart rate
2. eye movement
3. respirations
4. skin color
5. muscle tone
6. reflex irritability
A. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6
B. 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 only
C. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 only
D. 1, 2, 3, and 4 only
10. A chest CT scan on a patient shows several small pulmonary emboli and infarctions. Which
of the following is consistent with that finding?
1. normal chest X-ray
2. increased A-a gradient
3. increased PaCO2
4. decreased PaO2
A. 1,2, 3, and 4
B. 1, 2, and 4 only
C. 1, 2, and 3 only
D. 2 and 4 only
11. The respiratory therapist is performing spirometry at a public screening event. After
completing three reasonable attempts at a forced vital capacity, the quality grade is a "B." What
should the respiratory therapist do NEXT?
A. Inform the patient that the test results are not reliable.
B. Repeat the test until a "C" grade is obtained.
C. Record the results of the best of the three efforts.
D. Inform the patient that a "B" grade indicates moderate obstructive lung disease.
12. A review of the patient's record shows an increase in the diffusing capacity for carbon
monoxide (DLCO). Which of the following is likely?
A. asbestosis
B. emphysema
C. left to right cardiac shunt
D. cystic fibrosis
13. Reviewing the patient record of a 24-hour-old infant, the respiratory therapist reads that the
recent X-ray indicates an increased "ground glass" appearance over previous films. The most
likely reason is
A. meconium aspiration.
B. bilateral pneumothorax.
C. respiratory distress syndrome.
D. congenital heart disease.
14. The respiratory therapist is reviewing a record of an exhaled nitric oxide test for an adult
patient. At a flow rate of 50 mL/second, it shows a measurement of 11 ppb. What is this test
showing?
A. This patient's result is within normal limits.
B. This patient should be started on a trial of steroids.
C. This patient is poorly compliant with steroid usage.
D. This patient likely has mild asthma.
15. Under normal circumstances, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) correlates well to
A. pulmonary artery systolic pressure.
B. right ventricular pressure.
C. left atrial pressure.
D. mitral valve function.
16. The respiratory therapist is preparing to perform an initial physical assessment on a patient
and reviews the nursing notes, which state that the patient displays jugular venous distension.
Which of the following could be the cause?
A. obstruction of pulmonary vein
B. right ventricular failure
C. hypovolemia
D. systolic hypertension
17. The respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient with vomiting and diarrhea. The laboratory
results show that the patient is hypernatremic (sodium = 188 mEq/L). The best immediate
treatment is
A. continue to monitor the patient.
B. administer IV fluids.
C. administer KCL (potassium chloride).
D. administer NaHCO3- (sodium bicarbonate).
18. A respiratory therapist notes in the patient's record that physical examination has revealed 3+
pitting edema. This is most likely indicative of
A. chronic hypertension.
B. right ventricular insufficiency.
C. left ventricular insufficiency.
D. hypovolemia.
19. While scanning the laboratory results in a patient's medical record, the respiratory therapist
notices that a strong left shift is seen on the differential WBC count. This is indicative of
A. HIV/AIDS.
B. viral infection.
C. leukocytopenia
D. acute bacterial infection.
20. A 50-year-old male patient has Guillain-Barré syndrome of recent onset. Which of the
following values is most critical for the respiratory therapist to monitor in order to determine the
patient's need for ventilatory support?
A. peak inspiratory flow
B. expiratory reserve volume
C. residual volume
D. inspiratory capacity
21. A pediatric asthma patient has an exhaled oral nitric oxide level of 28 ppb. This indicates
A. normal exhaled nitric oxide levels.
B. ongoing eosinophilic inflammation.
C. poor oxygenation.
D. a high-normal level of exhaled nitric oxide.
22. Reviewing the chart of a patient on mechanical ventilation with an endotracheal tube in place
shows that a sputum culture reveals gram-negative bacteria. Which of the following is correct?
A. The bacteria may be from the gastrointestinal tract.
B. The bacteria may be MRSA.
C. The bacteria may be staphylococci.
D. The bacteria may be streptococci.
23. A sleep study in the patient record shows a normal respiratory disturbance index (RDI),
normal oximetry, but increased respiratory effort-related arousals (RERAs). Which diagnosis
should the respiratory therapist consider?
A. normal results
B. upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS)
C. central sleep apnea
D. obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
24. An elderly patient has fallen from a ladder and suffered four rib fractures, and a chest X-ray
reveals right-sided pleural effusion. Fluid produced during thoracentesis would most likely
appear to be
A. serous.
B. purulent.
C. opalescent.
D. sanguineous.
25. The respiratory therapist is measuring dynamic compliance and static compliance on a
mechanically ventilated patient. One hour later, with no other variables being changed, static
compliance has not changed, but dynamic compliance has decreased. Which of the following has
most likely occurred?
A. Airway resistance has decreased.
B. Airway resistance has increased.
C. Pulmonary elastance has decreased.
D. Pulmonary elastance has increased.
1. The respiratory therapist notes in a patient's PFT report that his diffusion capacity
is 55% of normal. Which of the following conditions would most likely produce
this result?
A. emphysema
A series of arterial blood gas results for a patient show that the pH and PaCO 2 are both
moving in the same direction. This indicates that the problem is
A. primarily metabolic in nature
Auto-PEEP can be measured by evaluating airway pressure
A. at end-expiratory pause.
A neonate breathing room air is being monitored with a transcutaneous oxygen
electrode placed on his right upper chest. At 8 AM, the patient's oxygen value was 54
mm Hg. The respiratory therapist notices that the oxygen value is 116 mm Hg at 10 AM.
What is the most likely explanation for this change?
A. Air has leaked under the electrode.
The respiratory therapist is reviewing the record of a patient's cardiopulmonary arrest
event. Capnometry readings during the event were recorded. The therapist should
expect to see what type of pattern in the PETCO2 readings?
A. initially low then rising
A chest X-ray on a patient shows a haziness in the perihilar regions, and the pulmonary
vascular markings are not well defined. Which of the following is a likely interpretation?
bilateral pulmonary edema
A chest X-ray shows a marked blunting of the costophrenic angles in a postoperative
patient. The most likely cause is
A. pleural effusion.
A patient with known renal failure has an arterial blood gas result that shows metabolic
acidosis. How should the acidosis be treated?
A. with administration of sodium bicarbonate
The respiratory therapist is listening to breath sounds on a patient being treated for
status asthmaticus. The crackles heard earlier are less pronounced, and the breath
sounds are "distant" and harder to hear. Which statement best describes the current
situation? This is evidence of impending respiratory failure.
A 68-kg (150-lb) adult male who is not intubated is breathing with a tidal volume of 350
mL. The respiratory therapist estimates the patient's V D/VT ratio as 0.43
A respiratory therapist is performing postbronchodilator spirometry to assess a COPD
patient's severity of airflow limitation. Which of the following measures would be most
useful for this assessment? FEV1
A respiratory therapist is evaluating a 27-year-old patient in the emergency department
who complains of a sudden onset of shortness of breath while running in preparation for
a triathlon. The room air oxygen saturation is 92% at rest. Which of the following should
the therapist consider at this point? spontaneous pneumothorax
In reviewing the record of a postoperative thoracotomy patient, the respiratory therapist
notes that the patient's inspiratory capacity is decreasing and that a chest radiograph
reveals a wedge-shaped density in the right lower lobe, with no loss in lung volume. The
most likely reason for these findings is that the patient has developed Pneumonia
A trauma patient in significant respiratory distress is admitted to the emergency
department. Upon review of the medical record, the respiratory therapist notes that a
chest X-ray report reveals hyperlucency in the right lung field and an absence of
vascular markings. The therapist should conclude that the patient has a pneumothorax..
The respiratory therapist notes that an intubated patient's PETCO2 reading has changed from 42
mm Hg to 35 mm Hg with no change in minute ventilation. Which of the following is the MOST
likely cause of this change? Hypovolemia
The respiratory therapist is examining a 7-year-old female patient and notes a
quickening of the pulse rate during inspiration. This indicates the presence of
A patient is being assessed for smoke inhalation. The carboxyhemoglobin level is
measured at 12%. What should the respiratory therapist recommend?
A. 100% oxygen via nonrebreather mask
An afebrile 7-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with a dry,
nonproductive cough and shortness of breath. Room air oxygen saturation is 92% at
rest. Which of the following tests should the respiratory therapist recommend next? peak
expiratory flow rate
The respiratory therapist is teaching a 28-year-old patient how to effectively use her albuterol
metered-dose inhaler (MDI) at home. Which of the following demonstrates that learning has
occurred in the affective domain?
The patient agrees that it is important not to miss a dose.
A patient is admitted to the emergency department with a complaint of shortness of
breath and tachypnea. Examination shows a decrease in breath sounds of the right
hemithorax. A tracheal shift to the left is noted at the sternal notch. Which of the
following is a diagnosis that the respiratory therapist would consider?
right-sided pneumothorax
A respiratory therapist is standing by for a high-risk delivery. The term baby is delivered
by Caesarean section and has an APGAR score of 8. The respiratory therapist should
recommend which of the following? Continue to monitor the respiratory status.
A patient is seen with Kussmaul respirations, cardiac arrhythmia, headache, and a 36-
hour history of massive diarrhea. What would the respiratory therapist expect the
patient's arterial blood gases to show? metabolic acidosis, possibly partially compensated
A respiratory therapist is assessing a patient with metastatic breast cancer. The
therapist notes a marked dullness to percussion over both lower lobes posteriorly with
the patient in a supine position. Which of the following should the therapist consider?
pleural effusion
The respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient for a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD). This assessment should note characteristic symptoms of COPD such as: 1, 2,
and 3 only
Which of the following would be part of the respiratory therapist's initial assessment for
a patient suspected of an asthma exacerbation? 1, 2, and 5 only
Which of the following tests can be used to identify patients with a high index of
suspicion for obstructive sleep apnea? Berlin
Which of the following conditions can result in clubbing of the digits? Bronchiectasis
A 2-year-old male is in the emergency department with a 2-day history of moderate
fever that has been difficult to control. He is anxious and is drooling. The room air
oxygen saturation is 90%. Which of the following should the respiratory therapist
suspect? Epiglottitis
A sweat chloride test performed on a 6-month-old infant shows 26 mmol/L. This test
result indicates that it is not likely that the patient has cystic fibrosis.
There is a large infiltrate present in the right upper lobe on a chest X-ray. The
respiratory therapist would consider which of the following as most likely?
Bronchopneumonia
A chest X-ray shows that the trachea is shifted to the left. Which of the following might
account for this finding? 1 and 3 only
Which of the following parameters is measured by the modified Borg scale? the degree of
respiratory discomfort
A respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient suspected of having amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis. Which of the following should the therapist include in the initial assessment? 1
only
The respiratory therapist is examining a 7-year-old female patient and notes a
quickening of the pulse rate during inspiration. This indicates the presence of
normal cardiac rhythm.
A chest X-ray on a patient shows a haziness in the perihilar regions, and the pulmonary
vascular markings are not well defined. Which of the following is a likely interpretation?
bilateral pulmonary edema
A 2-year-old female is seen in the emergency department with a history of a low-grade
fever for 48 hours and a barking cough. The mother indicates that the child had a cold
last week and never really got totally better. The respiratory therapist should suspect
which of the following? laryngotracheobronchitis (croup)
A respiratory therapist is standing by for a high-risk delivery. The term baby is delivered
by Caesarean section and has an APGAR score of 8. The respiratory therapist should
recommend which of the following? Continue to monitor the respiratory status.
Which of the following will definitely produce cyanosis? 5 g/dl of deoxyhemoglobin
A series of arterial blood gas results for a patient show that the pH and PaCO 2 are both
moving in the same direction. This indicates that the problem is primarily metabolic in nature
A respiratory therapist is asked to evaluate a suspected chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) patient. Which of the following should the therapist include in the
assessment? 1, 2, and 4 only
An afebrile 7-year-old patient presents to the emergency department with a dry,
nonproductive cough and shortness of breath. Room air oxygen saturation is 92% at
rest. Which of the following tests should the respiratory therapist recommend next? peak
expiratory flow rate
Which of the following is a painful abnormal deposit of fibrinous exudate on the pleural
surface? Pleurisy
A chest X-ray shows a marked blunting of the costophrenic angles in a postoperative
patient. The most likely cause is pleural effusion.
The respiratory therapist notes in a patient's PFT report that his diffusion capacity is
55% of normal. Which of the following conditions would most likely produce this result?
Emphysema
Auto-PEEP can be measured by evaluating airway pressure at end-expiratory pause
Which of the following is an indication for performing a cardiac stress test? stable angina
pectoris
A respiratory therapist is performing postbronchodilator spirometry to assess a COPD
patient's severity of airflow limitation. Which of the following measures would be most
useful for this assessment? FEV1
A Tensilon test shows that muscle performance improves with administration of the
drug. The respiratory therapist should expect that a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis is likely.
In assessing a patient at a public screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD), which of the following should a respiratory therapist consider? 1, 2, and 3 only
A nitrogen washout test has been conducted on a patient for 8 minutes. The percentage
of nitrogen in the expired air has not diminished to the desired level. What is the MOST
likely explanation for this finding? The patient has an abnormally high residual volume.
The respiratory therapist is reviewing a chest X-ray interpretation in the record of a 67-
year-old patient, admitted for hip replacement, who has a history of smoking. The
interpretation reveals flattened hemidiaphragms and an increased A-P diameter. These
findings are suggestive of which of the following conditions? Emphysema
The respiratory therapist is told a patient was admitted to the ICU for observation after a
head injury sustained in a fall from a second-story roof. His most recent Glasgow Coma
Score is 10. What should the respiratory therapist recommend for a respiratory care
plan?
A. Monitor respiratory signs and symptoms.
A physician suspects pleural effusion in a patient with congestive heart failure. Which of the
following should the respiratory therapist recommend in order to assist with this diagnosis?
lateral decubitus chest X-ray
A physician wishes to evaluate the pulmonary vasculature, specifically the large
vessels, of a patient. Which imaging procedure should the respiratory therapist
recommend? MRI scan
A physician is closely monitoring an ICU patient's potassium levels, which have been
unstable. She asks the respiratory therapist what ECG pattern changes might be
reflective of hypokalemia. The therapist's response should be Inverted Twaves
A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is being seen in a clinic
with a complaint of increased shortness of breath and decreased exercise tolerance
since her last visit. The patient is currently on 2 L/min of oxygen by nasal cannula and
has a FEV1/FVC ratio of 67%. Which of the following tests should the respiratory therapist
perform NEXT to assess the patient? 6-minute walk test
An elderly patient with a history of very significant emphysema presents to the
emergency department (ED) with shortness of breath. The ED physician asks the
respiratory therapist which value in an ABG analysis would be most reflective of the
severity of the patient's pulmonary disease. The therapist's response should be
HCO3-.
In which of the following situations should the respiratory therapist recommend
placement of an arterial line? An unstable patient is receiving dobutamine to maintain BP.
A 38-year-old male is admitted to the emergency department with a sudden onset of
massive hemoptysis. The STAT chest X-ray is inconclusive. Which of the following tests
would be most useful in identifying the cause of the hemoptysis? CT scan
A physician involved in quality control activities for a large hospital wishes to assess the
efficiency of chest compressions in producing blood flow during CPR. The physician
asks the respiratory therapist if there is a way that this can be measured. The therapist's
best response would be continuous measurement of PETCO2.
A patient in the surgical intensive care unit has just been extubated 6 hours
postoperatively. Which of the following should the respiratory therapist assess to
monitor the patient's respiratory status? 2 and 3 only
A cancer patient has sustained damage to her thoracic duct and has undergone
thoracentesis. The respiratory therapist recommends an analysis of the fluid that was
obtained. The therapist should expect that the analysis will suggest the presence of
chylothorax.
An 8-year-old patient is being mechanically ventilated in the PICU. The physician
informs the respiratory therapist that he wishes to monitor the patient's PaCO 2 closely.
The physician also informs the therapist that the patient has coagulopathy and that arterial
puncture is contraindicated. The therapist should recommend end-tidal expired
PaCO2 monitoring.
The respiratory therapist has requested sputum analysis for a patient suspected of
having pneumonia. Concerned about the suitability of the sample analyzed, the
therapist notes the Gram stain results. A true sample from the lung would contain
numerous leukocytes and few epithelial cells.
A cardiac arrest patient is intubated with an endotracheal tube in the emergency
department and placed on mechanical ventilation. An hour later, the respiratory therapist
notes that the ventilator high-pressure alarm is sounding frequently. Ventilator
parameters are all set as ordered and suctioning does not resolve the situation. What
should the therapist do NEXT? Check for bilateral breath sounds
A patient in the ICU has an indwelling arterial line in place for monitoring and sampling.
The respiratory therapist notes that the wave forms are "damped" and less distinct than
1 hour ago. At this point, the therapist should
A. irrigate the line and remove any air bubbles.
A physician in the Critical Care Unit wants to monitor right ventricular preload in a
cardiac patient. The physician asks the respiratory therapist which hemodynamic
parameter would provide this information. The therapist's response should be).
B. central venous pressure (CVP).
A patient with no lung disease is suspected of having primary pulmonary hypertension.
The respiratory therapist suggests to the physician that placement of a pulmonary artery
catheter might assist with the differential diagnosis. Which set of findings would confirm
the diagnosis? high PAP, normal PCWP, normal CVP
To deliver effective breaths with a bag-valve mask manual ventilator during
cardiopulmonary resuscitation of an adult patient, the respiratory therapist should
assess which of the following? Observe chest rise with the minimal volume
A patient in the ICU has an indwelling arterial catheter in place for sampling access.
When obtaining a blood gas sample from the catheter, the respiratory therapist notes
that it is impossible to withdraw blood even after flushing the line. The therapist should
discontinue the arterial line.
The respiratory therapist is assessing a new patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) being seen
in the CF clinic. The patient is stable. Which of the following tests should the therapist
recommend for baseline pulmonary monitoring? 1, 2, and 3 only
A patient is being weaned from mechanical ventilation with a spontaneous breathing
trial. She develops respiratory distress, tachycardia, and diaphoresis and is returned to
the mechanical ventilator at the previous settings. After 5 minutes her heart rate is still
elevated and her diaphoresis has still not resolved. Which action should the respiratory
therapist take FIRST? Obtain an arterial blood gas sample
A 26-year-old patient is in the emergency department post-motor vehicle collision. He
has respiratory distress, with a room air oxygen saturation of 86%, heart rate of 145
beats/min, and a respiratory rate of 33 breaths/min. Which of the following tests would
initially be useful to further evaluate the patient? 1 and 2 only
The respiratory therapist is reviewing the patient record and notes that a recent arterial
blood gas shows a metabolic acidosis. What additional lab work should the therapist
review? serum electrolytes
The respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient who is scheduled for bariatric surgery
the following week. The results of an Epworth scale show a score of 9. Which of the
following additional tests should the therapist recommend NEXT? overnight sleep study
An elderly cancer patient in the ICU suddenly develops profound frank hemoptysis. The
respiratory therapist should recommend which of the following at this time? diagnostic
bronchoscopy
A respiratory therapist enters the room of a patient with congestive heart failure (CHF)
who has recently become febrile and tachycardic. The patient is very weak and
apathetic and faints upon sitting up. The therapist then calls for the nurse. After the
therapist ensures that the patient has regained consciousness, he recommends that an
electrolyte panel be ordered. Upon analysis of the patient's electrolyte levels, the
therapist should expect to find that the patient is Hyponatremic
The respiratory therapist is evaluating a 16-year-old patient who is being assessed in
the asthma clinic. Which of the following would be most useful to establish a
classification for the management plan? 1, 2, and 3 onlypos…
A cooperative pediatric patient with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) has been brought to
the emergency department with a 2-day history of fever and an upper respiratory
infection. Which of the following should the respiratory therapist monitor?
chest X-ray
oxygen saturation
tidal volume
maximal inspiratory pressure
A patient has presented with angina pectoris. The attending physician wishes to
determine the extent of the patient's coronary artery disease. The physician informs the
respiratory therapist that the patient has refused to stay overnight for routine
angiography and asks the therapist for a recommendation of an alternate diagnostic
procedure. The therapist should recommend CT angiography.
A patient is being evaluated for pulmonary hypertension. Which of the following tests
should the respiratory therapist utilize to confirm the diagnosis? 1, 2, and 3 only
A physician is having difficulty making a differential diagnosis for an ICU patient and is
uncertain whether the patient's abnormal findings on X-ray represent congestive heart
failure or early ARDS. The physician asks the respiratory therapist for a
recommendation regarding further diagnostic testing. The therapist should recommend
a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).
The respiratory therapist is preparing to perform a cardiac output procedure on an ICU
patient with a pulmonary artery catheter. Which of the following values is needed to
complete the calculation?
1. volume to be injected
2. temperature of injectate
3. pH of injectate
4. PaO2 of injectate
A neonate receiving mechanical ventilation in the NICU develops respiratory distress,
and the PtcO2 is dropping rapidly. The respiratory therapist notes that the chest expansion is not
equal bilaterally. What action should the therapist take NEXT? Transilluminate the thorax.
A respiratory therapist is working for a national sports team performing cardiopulmonary
monitoring for players during exercise. The team physician would like to evaluate
cardiopulmonary fitness and asks the therapist if there is a value that could be
measured with a blood test. Which of the following would be the therapist's best
response? SvO2
A postoperative patient in the ICU has shown a decrease in oxygen saturation over the
past 24 hours, which has been confirmed by arterial blood gas. The chest X-ray is
unchanged, but increasing tachycardia is noted. What further testing should the
respiratory therapist consider? high-resolution CT angiography
The respiratory therapist is conducting a home visit for a ventilator-dependent patient
who has complained of increasing shortness of breath over the past week. Which of the
following tests should the therapist consider to further assess the patient? exhaled tidal
volume
A patient being treated for smoke inhalation has been on oxygen therapy by
nonrebreather mask for 3 hours at 12 L/min flow. Which of the following parameters
should the respiratory therapist monitor to determine the effectiveness of the current
therapy? carboxyhemoglobin
A 21-year-old cystic fibrosis patient is being evaluated in the emergency department for
a sudden onset of shortness of breath. The respiratory therapist notes the following:
respiratory rate is 28 breaths/min, heart rate is 138 beats/min, and SaO 2 on a cannula at 4
L/min is 84%. The patient reports feeling well until the onset of a coughing fit 2 hours
previously. Which additional test should the therapist recommend NEXT? STAT chest X-ray
An inpatient with a contagious disease has an order for diagnostic testing. To perform the test,
the patient must be transported to a different location within the hospital. Which of the following
infection control guidelines should be applied? Throughout the transport, the patient should
wear all appropriate barrier protection consistent with the route and risk for
transmission.
A respiratory therapist working for a home care company has discovered that several of
her pediatric tracheostomy patients have infections with a virulent strain
of Staphylococcus aureus. What is the most likely cause of these infections? poor handwashing
habits of the visiting respiratory therapist
After use, items that require sterilization should be washed, rinsed, and sent for sterilization.
