FULL REVIEW CRT/RRT (NBRC) questions and
answers 2025\2026 A+ Grade
Ascites
- correct answer accumulation of fluid in the abdomen caused by LIVER FAILURE
Venous distention
- correct answer -occurs with CHF
-seen with obstructive patients (seen in exhalation phase)
Capillary refill
- correct answer -indication of peripheral circulation
-Normal < 3 seconds
Jaundice skin color
- correct answer -increase in bilirubin.
-mostly in face and trunk
Bradypnea (oligopnea)
- correct answer -decreased respiratory rate (<12bpm) variable depth and irregular rhythm
Hyperpnea
- correct answer -increased rate, depth, with regular rhythm
Cheyne-Stokes
- correct answer -gradually increasing then decreasing rate and depth in a cycle lasting from 30 - 180
secs, with apnea up to 60 secs
-increased ICP, meningitis, overdose
,Biots
- correct answer -increased rate and depth with irregular periods of apnea
-CNS problem, head/brain injury
Kussmaul's
- correct answer -increased rate, depth, irregular rhythm, breathing sounds labored
-Raspy voice
Apneustic
- correct answer prolonged gasping inspiration followed by extremely short, insufficient expiration
-respiratory center problems, trauma, tumor
cachectic
- correct answer muscle atrophy/loss of muscle tone
retractions
- correct answer -chest moves inward during inspiratory efforts instead of outward
-blocked airway in adults = INTUBATE
-RDS in infants
Character of cough
- correct answer -dry, non-productive cough may indicate tumor in the lungs or asthma
-productive cough may indicate infection
evidence of difficult airway
- correct answer -short receding mandible (chin)
-enlarged tongue (macroglossia)
-bull neck
,-limited neck range-of-motion
pulsus paradoxus
- correct answer -pulse/blood pressure varies with respiration. may indicate severe air trapping (status
asthmaticus or cardiac tamponade)
tactile fremitus
- correct answer -vibrations felt by hand on chest wall
-vocal fremitus: voice vibrations on the chest wall
-pleural rub fremitus: grating sensation due to roughened pleural spaces
-Rhonchial fremitus(palpable rhonchi): secretions in airways
Crepitus
- correct answer -bubbles of air under skin that can be palpated and indicates subcutaneous emphysema
Resonant percussion
- correct answer -hollow sound
-normal lungs
Flat percussion
- correct answer -heard over sternum, muscles, or areas of atelectasis
Dull percussion
- correct answer -heard over fluid-filled organs such as heart or liver (thudding)
-pleural effusion or pneumonia
Tympanic percussion
- correct answer -heard over air-filled stomach.
-drum-like sound and when heard over lung = increased volume
Hyperresonant
- correct answer -found where pneumothorax or emphysema is present.
, -booming sound
vesicular breath sounds
- correct answer normal sounds in lungs
bronchial breath sounds
- correct answer -normal sounds over airways.
-breath sounds over lungs indicate LUNG CONSOLIDATION
Egophony
- correct answer -patient instructed to say E and sounds like A.
-lung consolidation
Bronchophony / whisphered pectoriloquy
- correct answer -increased intensity or transmission of the spoken voice and indicate CONSOLIDATION
or PNEUMONIA
-increase in spoken voice = consolidation
-decrease in spoken voice = obstructon, pneumo, emphysema
Rales
- correct answer -crackles
-secretions/fluid
Coarse rales
- correct answer -rhonchi
-LARGE airway secretions
-needs suctioning
medium rales
- correct answer -middle airway secretions
-needs CPT
answers 2025\2026 A+ Grade
Ascites
- correct answer accumulation of fluid in the abdomen caused by LIVER FAILURE
Venous distention
- correct answer -occurs with CHF
-seen with obstructive patients (seen in exhalation phase)
Capillary refill
- correct answer -indication of peripheral circulation
-Normal < 3 seconds
Jaundice skin color
- correct answer -increase in bilirubin.
-mostly in face and trunk
Bradypnea (oligopnea)
- correct answer -decreased respiratory rate (<12bpm) variable depth and irregular rhythm
Hyperpnea
- correct answer -increased rate, depth, with regular rhythm
Cheyne-Stokes
- correct answer -gradually increasing then decreasing rate and depth in a cycle lasting from 30 - 180
secs, with apnea up to 60 secs
-increased ICP, meningitis, overdose
,Biots
- correct answer -increased rate and depth with irregular periods of apnea
-CNS problem, head/brain injury
Kussmaul's
- correct answer -increased rate, depth, irregular rhythm, breathing sounds labored
-Raspy voice
Apneustic
- correct answer prolonged gasping inspiration followed by extremely short, insufficient expiration
-respiratory center problems, trauma, tumor
cachectic
- correct answer muscle atrophy/loss of muscle tone
retractions
- correct answer -chest moves inward during inspiratory efforts instead of outward
-blocked airway in adults = INTUBATE
-RDS in infants
Character of cough
- correct answer -dry, non-productive cough may indicate tumor in the lungs or asthma
-productive cough may indicate infection
evidence of difficult airway
- correct answer -short receding mandible (chin)
-enlarged tongue (macroglossia)
-bull neck
,-limited neck range-of-motion
pulsus paradoxus
- correct answer -pulse/blood pressure varies with respiration. may indicate severe air trapping (status
asthmaticus or cardiac tamponade)
tactile fremitus
- correct answer -vibrations felt by hand on chest wall
-vocal fremitus: voice vibrations on the chest wall
-pleural rub fremitus: grating sensation due to roughened pleural spaces
-Rhonchial fremitus(palpable rhonchi): secretions in airways
Crepitus
- correct answer -bubbles of air under skin that can be palpated and indicates subcutaneous emphysema
Resonant percussion
- correct answer -hollow sound
-normal lungs
Flat percussion
- correct answer -heard over sternum, muscles, or areas of atelectasis
Dull percussion
- correct answer -heard over fluid-filled organs such as heart or liver (thudding)
-pleural effusion or pneumonia
Tympanic percussion
- correct answer -heard over air-filled stomach.
-drum-like sound and when heard over lung = increased volume
Hyperresonant
- correct answer -found where pneumothorax or emphysema is present.
, -booming sound
vesicular breath sounds
- correct answer normal sounds in lungs
bronchial breath sounds
- correct answer -normal sounds over airways.
-breath sounds over lungs indicate LUNG CONSOLIDATION
Egophony
- correct answer -patient instructed to say E and sounds like A.
-lung consolidation
Bronchophony / whisphered pectoriloquy
- correct answer -increased intensity or transmission of the spoken voice and indicate CONSOLIDATION
or PNEUMONIA
-increase in spoken voice = consolidation
-decrease in spoken voice = obstructon, pneumo, emphysema
Rales
- correct answer -crackles
-secretions/fluid
Coarse rales
- correct answer -rhonchi
-LARGE airway secretions
-needs suctioning
medium rales
- correct answer -middle airway secretions
-needs CPT
