NPS EXAM WITH REVIEWED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026/2027
What are the four critical life functions listed in order of priority? - Answer-1. Ventilation - inhale O2,
exhale CO2
2. Oxygenation - getting O2 into the blood
3. Circulation - heart beating to move blood around to get O2 to all parts of body
4. Perfusion - blood pressure; pressures to perfuse tissue to deliver oxygen to body cells
What is the first step in patient assessment? - Answer-Check the chart
What would be the next steps in patient assessment? - Answer-History and Physical Exam and check
radiographs
Which of the four critical life functions are the first priority? - Answer-Ventilation
What is the definition of an emergency? - Answer-When one or more of the life functions are being
threatened.
What assessments would measure how well a patient is ventilating? - Answer-RR, breath sounds, tidal
volume, chest movement; vital signs
How would you know that a patient is having a problem with oxygenation? - Answer-HEART RATE! This
is the first thing to change if you're not oxygenating. Color, sensorium
How will you know if a patient is circulating? - Answer-what kind of pulse, capillary refill, cardiac output
,What is the main parameter to know if someone is perfusing? - Answer-blood pressure
What other ways can perfusion be measured? - Answer-temperature, sensorium, urine output
What is the most common life function problem? - Answer-oxygenation
What is the first drug given to everybody? - Answer-oxygen
What items should be reviewed in a patient's chart before giving respiratory therapy treatments? -
Answer-everything
What is the age of a fetus neonate, infant, child, adolescent? - Answer-Fetus = Before birth
Neonate = 0-1 month
Infant = 1 month to 1 year
Child = 1 year to puberty
Adolescent = puberty to adult
What are the most important electrolytes and what is their function? - Answer-sodium, chloride,
potassium
What is the normal neonatal electrolyte value for sodium, chloride, and potassium? - Answer-Sodium =
133-149 mEq/L
Chloride = 87-114 mEq/L
Potassium = 5.3-6.4 mEq/L
What is the normal urine output level for an infant? - Answer-2 mL/kg per hour
,What values are included in the CBC and what are the normal values? - Answer-RBC = 4.1-5.7 mm3 WBC
= 6,800-14,300 mm3 (neonates may have a higher normal WBC)
Hematocrit = 37.4-56.1%
Hemoglobin = 12.7-18.6
g/dL
low on RBC = low on hemoglobin = oxygenation affected
RBC x 3 = hemoglobin
Hemoglobin x 3 = hematocrit (know this)
What is the normal type of hemoglobin? - Answer-Hemoglobin A
What is a Coomb's test? - Answer-incomapatabilty; RH Factor; give Rogham
What does bilirubin help to evaluate? - Answer-peaks during pregnancy, after delivery rises after few
days and then falls; if baby jaundice = bilirubin problem
What is the normal value for bilirubin for a full term infant at birth? - Answer-4-5 mg/dL at birth
How is hyper bilirubin treated? - Answer-phototherapy
What is the normal glucose level for a term infant? - Answer-55-115 mg/dL
What is the most common cause of hyperglycemia in the newborn? - Answer-infection or sepsis
, What are 3 causes of hypoglycemia in the newborn? - Answer-happens when mom is diabetic;
prematurity, hypothermia, shock, sepsis
What procedure is required to obtain fluid for L/S ratio measurement? - Answer-amniocentesis; very
invasive
What is the significance of an L/S Ratio of 1:1? - Answer-Anything less than
2:1 = not mature lungs = increased risk for RDS
How long does it take to get the results of the Shake Test? - Answer-15 minutes
What is the significance of the presence of bubbles in the Shake Test Fluid? - Answer-presence of
mature surfactant
What information is obtained from evaluation of PG and PC levels? - Answer-lung maturity levels
PG is best and most reliable indicator of lung maturity
What factors in the maternal history would indicate a high risk pregnancy? - Answer-current age - less
than 16 or older than 40; prenatal care; smoking; caffeine; fetal alcohol syndrome; nutrition; diabetes;
how many previous live births
What size of babies will diabetic mothers deliver? - Answer-Big babies; they look full term, but they
aren't
What is the significance of a Group B Strep Infection in the mother? - Answer-Can pass right on to baby
during delivery. Baby will be in distress.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026/2027
What are the four critical life functions listed in order of priority? - Answer-1. Ventilation - inhale O2,
exhale CO2
2. Oxygenation - getting O2 into the blood
3. Circulation - heart beating to move blood around to get O2 to all parts of body
4. Perfusion - blood pressure; pressures to perfuse tissue to deliver oxygen to body cells
What is the first step in patient assessment? - Answer-Check the chart
What would be the next steps in patient assessment? - Answer-History and Physical Exam and check
radiographs
Which of the four critical life functions are the first priority? - Answer-Ventilation
What is the definition of an emergency? - Answer-When one or more of the life functions are being
threatened.
What assessments would measure how well a patient is ventilating? - Answer-RR, breath sounds, tidal
volume, chest movement; vital signs
How would you know that a patient is having a problem with oxygenation? - Answer-HEART RATE! This
is the first thing to change if you're not oxygenating. Color, sensorium
How will you know if a patient is circulating? - Answer-what kind of pulse, capillary refill, cardiac output
,What is the main parameter to know if someone is perfusing? - Answer-blood pressure
What other ways can perfusion be measured? - Answer-temperature, sensorium, urine output
What is the most common life function problem? - Answer-oxygenation
What is the first drug given to everybody? - Answer-oxygen
What items should be reviewed in a patient's chart before giving respiratory therapy treatments? -
Answer-everything
What is the age of a fetus neonate, infant, child, adolescent? - Answer-Fetus = Before birth
Neonate = 0-1 month
Infant = 1 month to 1 year
Child = 1 year to puberty
Adolescent = puberty to adult
What are the most important electrolytes and what is their function? - Answer-sodium, chloride,
potassium
What is the normal neonatal electrolyte value for sodium, chloride, and potassium? - Answer-Sodium =
133-149 mEq/L
Chloride = 87-114 mEq/L
Potassium = 5.3-6.4 mEq/L
What is the normal urine output level for an infant? - Answer-2 mL/kg per hour
,What values are included in the CBC and what are the normal values? - Answer-RBC = 4.1-5.7 mm3 WBC
= 6,800-14,300 mm3 (neonates may have a higher normal WBC)
Hematocrit = 37.4-56.1%
Hemoglobin = 12.7-18.6
g/dL
low on RBC = low on hemoglobin = oxygenation affected
RBC x 3 = hemoglobin
Hemoglobin x 3 = hematocrit (know this)
What is the normal type of hemoglobin? - Answer-Hemoglobin A
What is a Coomb's test? - Answer-incomapatabilty; RH Factor; give Rogham
What does bilirubin help to evaluate? - Answer-peaks during pregnancy, after delivery rises after few
days and then falls; if baby jaundice = bilirubin problem
What is the normal value for bilirubin for a full term infant at birth? - Answer-4-5 mg/dL at birth
How is hyper bilirubin treated? - Answer-phototherapy
What is the normal glucose level for a term infant? - Answer-55-115 mg/dL
What is the most common cause of hyperglycemia in the newborn? - Answer-infection or sepsis
, What are 3 causes of hypoglycemia in the newborn? - Answer-happens when mom is diabetic;
prematurity, hypothermia, shock, sepsis
What procedure is required to obtain fluid for L/S ratio measurement? - Answer-amniocentesis; very
invasive
What is the significance of an L/S Ratio of 1:1? - Answer-Anything less than
2:1 = not mature lungs = increased risk for RDS
How long does it take to get the results of the Shake Test? - Answer-15 minutes
What is the significance of the presence of bubbles in the Shake Test Fluid? - Answer-presence of
mature surfactant
What information is obtained from evaluation of PG and PC levels? - Answer-lung maturity levels
PG is best and most reliable indicator of lung maturity
What factors in the maternal history would indicate a high risk pregnancy? - Answer-current age - less
than 16 or older than 40; prenatal care; smoking; caffeine; fetal alcohol syndrome; nutrition; diabetes;
how many previous live births
What size of babies will diabetic mothers deliver? - Answer-Big babies; they look full term, but they
aren't
What is the significance of a Group B Strep Infection in the mother? - Answer-Can pass right on to baby
during delivery. Baby will be in distress.
