NBRC CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
◉Kussmaul's breathing. Answer: increased respiratory rate (usually
over 20 breaths/min), increased depth, irregular rhythm, breathing
sounds labored
Cause: metabolic acidosis, renal failure, diabetic ketoacidosis
◉Dry or nonproductive cough may indicate. Answer: a tumor in the
lungs
◉Productive cough may indicate. Answer: an infection or chronic
lung disease
◉Tachycardia indications. Answer: hypoxemia, anxiety, stress
(recommend oxygen therapy)
,◉Bradycardia indications. Answer: heart failure, shock,
code/emergency (recommend atropine)
◉Paradoxical pulse/pulsus paradoxus. Answer: pulse/blood
pressure varies with respiration. May indicate severe air trapping
(status asthmaticus, tension pneumothorax, cardica tampanade)-felt
on exhalation
◉Tracheal deviation pulled toward the abnormal side (same side of
pathology). Answer: -pulmonary atelectasis
-pulmonary fibrosis
-pneumonectomy
-diaphragmatic paralysis
◉Tracheal deviation pushed to the normal side (opposite side of
pathology). Answer: -massive pleural effusion
-tension pneumothorax
-neck or thyroid tumors
-large mediastinal mass
◉Crepitus or Extrapulmonary air. Answer: subcutaneous
emphysema
◉Resonant. Answer: normal air-filled lung
, ◉Flat. Answer: normally heard over the sternus, muscle, or areas of
atelctasis
◉Dull. Answer: normally heard over fluid-filled organs such as the
heart or liver. Pleural effusion or pneumonia will cause this thudding
sound
◉Tympanic. Answer: normally heard over air-filled stomach. This is
a drum-like sound and indicated increased volume when heard over
the lungs
◉Hyperresonant. Answer: booming sound that can be heard in an
area of the lung where either a pneumothorax or emphysema may
be present.
◉Bilateral vesicular sounds. Answer: normal breath sounds in both
lungs
◉Bronchial breath sounds. Answer: normal breath sounds over the
trachea or bronchi- these breath sounds are abnormal over the lungs
and indicates lung consolidation
◉Coarse crackles. Answer: rhonchi that clear with a cough-large
airway secretions (suction or have the patient cough)
COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
◉Kussmaul's breathing. Answer: increased respiratory rate (usually
over 20 breaths/min), increased depth, irregular rhythm, breathing
sounds labored
Cause: metabolic acidosis, renal failure, diabetic ketoacidosis
◉Dry or nonproductive cough may indicate. Answer: a tumor in the
lungs
◉Productive cough may indicate. Answer: an infection or chronic
lung disease
◉Tachycardia indications. Answer: hypoxemia, anxiety, stress
(recommend oxygen therapy)
,◉Bradycardia indications. Answer: heart failure, shock,
code/emergency (recommend atropine)
◉Paradoxical pulse/pulsus paradoxus. Answer: pulse/blood
pressure varies with respiration. May indicate severe air trapping
(status asthmaticus, tension pneumothorax, cardica tampanade)-felt
on exhalation
◉Tracheal deviation pulled toward the abnormal side (same side of
pathology). Answer: -pulmonary atelectasis
-pulmonary fibrosis
-pneumonectomy
-diaphragmatic paralysis
◉Tracheal deviation pushed to the normal side (opposite side of
pathology). Answer: -massive pleural effusion
-tension pneumothorax
-neck or thyroid tumors
-large mediastinal mass
◉Crepitus or Extrapulmonary air. Answer: subcutaneous
emphysema
◉Resonant. Answer: normal air-filled lung
, ◉Flat. Answer: normally heard over the sternus, muscle, or areas of
atelctasis
◉Dull. Answer: normally heard over fluid-filled organs such as the
heart or liver. Pleural effusion or pneumonia will cause this thudding
sound
◉Tympanic. Answer: normally heard over air-filled stomach. This is
a drum-like sound and indicated increased volume when heard over
the lungs
◉Hyperresonant. Answer: booming sound that can be heard in an
area of the lung where either a pneumothorax or emphysema may
be present.
◉Bilateral vesicular sounds. Answer: normal breath sounds in both
lungs
◉Bronchial breath sounds. Answer: normal breath sounds over the
trachea or bronchi- these breath sounds are abnormal over the lungs
and indicates lung consolidation
◉Coarse crackles. Answer: rhonchi that clear with a cough-large
airway secretions (suction or have the patient cough)
