TMC EXAM A QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has received Halcion in the last twenty minutes. The physician
orders the institution of spontaeneous breathing trials to commence immediately. Which of the
following medications would be most helpful to the patient?
a. Meperidine
b. Valium
c. Romazicon (Flumazenil)
d. Morphine Sulfate - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Romazicon (Flumazenil)
In preparation for ventilator weaning the physician requests a VD/VT ratio assessment. Which of the
following is needed to determine the deadspace-tidal volume ratio?
a. Single breath nitrogen elimination and caponographic data
b. Helium dilution study and an arterial blood gas
c. Arterial blood gases and capnographic data
d. Helium dilution study and single breath nitrogen elimination - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Arterial blood
gases and capnographic data
A respiratory therapist is determining a VD/VT ratio. Which of the following is needed to complete this
analysis?
a. VT and VA
b. PetCO2 and PaCO2
c. FIO2 and PaO2
d. PECO2 and PaO2 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. PetCO2 and PaCO2
Which of the following is LEAST likely to promote the spread of nosocomial infection in a hospital?
a. Poor hand washing among staff
b. Frequent disconnection of a ventilator circuit
c. Changing small volume nebulizer equipment every 48 hours
d. Use of unit dose medication - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Use of unit dose medication
,Which of the following can be used to estimate the level of Hemoglobin?
a. C(a-v)O2
b. PAO2
c. Theophylline level
d. RBC - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. RBC
Which of the following alarms would be most important for a patient receiving positive pressure
ventilation by a pressure-cycled ventilator?
a. Low volume
b. I:E ratio
c. Low FIO2
d. High pressure - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Low volume
Patients with large necks who experience frequent dislodging of their tracheostomy tubes need (a)
a. Longer tracheostomy tube
b. Shorter tracheostomy tube
c. Larger tracheostomy tube
d. Nasal intubation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Longer tracheostomy tube
Which of the following would be most effective at resolving a humidity deficit for a patient who is
intubated with an 8.0-mm endotracheal tube?
a. Large volume nebulizer
b. Concha heated humidifier
c. HME
d. Bubble humidifier - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Concha heated humidifier
A patient with suspected myasthenia gravis in the emergency room should receive which of the
following to confirm a diagnosis?
a. Norcuron
b. Edrophonium bromide
,c. Neostigmine
d. Meperidine (Demerol) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Edrophonium bromide
Which of the following is an important action when drawing an arterial blood gas sample?
a. Choose a radial site with adequate ulnar circulation
b. Use a 16 gauge needle
c. Compress the site prior to puncture
d. Run the sample within 15 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Choose a radial site with adequate
ulnar circulation
Which of the following would be most helpful for a patient with fixed upper airway obstruction?
a. Aerosolized epinephrine
b. Beta II agonist medication
c. Corticosteroids
d. Heliox therapy - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Heliox therapy
Which of the following oxygen modalities would be appropriate for a 220-lb (100-kg) male with diabetic
ketoacidosis who requires 40% supplemental oxygen?
a. Air-entrainment mask
b. Non-rebreathing mask
c. Nasal cannula
d. Simple mask - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Air-entrainment mask
While administering a treatment with Albuterol to a patient with COPD, the therapist notes a sudden
change in the patient's color to marked cyanosis. The patient appears apneic and the heart rate on the
pulse oximeter indicates 30/min. The therapist should FIRST
a. Administer oxygen by non-rebreathing mask
b. Auscultate breath sounds
c. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
d. Go get help - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
, A 70-kg (154-lb) female patient is receiving mechanical ventilation on the following settings:
Mode: assist/control
Mandatory rate: 14
Total rate: 14
VT: 500 mL
FiO2: 0.55
PEEP: 12 cmH2O
Arterial blood gases revel
pH 7.49 / PaCO2 32 / PaO2 109 / HCO3 24 / BE 0
The respiratory therapist should
a. Decrease mandatory rate
b. Decrease FIO2
c. Increase mandatory rate
d. Decrease PEEP - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Decrease PEEP
Prior to the removal of chest tubes, which of the following should be done?
a. The chest tube should be expose to normal atmospheric pressure
b. Clamp the chest tube for 24 hours
c. Flush the chest tube with normal saline
d. Suction pressure should be increased temporarily - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Clamp the chest tube
for 24 hours
Which of the following will help a patent to speak while intubated with a tracheostomy tube?
a. Pass-Muir valve
b. Inner cannula
c. Double lumen endotracheal tube
A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has received Halcion in the last twenty minutes. The physician
orders the institution of spontaeneous breathing trials to commence immediately. Which of the
following medications would be most helpful to the patient?
a. Meperidine
b. Valium
c. Romazicon (Flumazenil)
d. Morphine Sulfate - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Romazicon (Flumazenil)
In preparation for ventilator weaning the physician requests a VD/VT ratio assessment. Which of the
following is needed to determine the deadspace-tidal volume ratio?
a. Single breath nitrogen elimination and caponographic data
b. Helium dilution study and an arterial blood gas
c. Arterial blood gases and capnographic data
d. Helium dilution study and single breath nitrogen elimination - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Arterial blood
gases and capnographic data
A respiratory therapist is determining a VD/VT ratio. Which of the following is needed to complete this
analysis?
a. VT and VA
b. PetCO2 and PaCO2
c. FIO2 and PaO2
d. PECO2 and PaO2 - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. PetCO2 and PaCO2
Which of the following is LEAST likely to promote the spread of nosocomial infection in a hospital?
a. Poor hand washing among staff
b. Frequent disconnection of a ventilator circuit
c. Changing small volume nebulizer equipment every 48 hours
d. Use of unit dose medication - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Use of unit dose medication
,Which of the following can be used to estimate the level of Hemoglobin?
a. C(a-v)O2
b. PAO2
c. Theophylline level
d. RBC - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. RBC
Which of the following alarms would be most important for a patient receiving positive pressure
ventilation by a pressure-cycled ventilator?
a. Low volume
b. I:E ratio
c. Low FIO2
d. High pressure - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Low volume
Patients with large necks who experience frequent dislodging of their tracheostomy tubes need (a)
a. Longer tracheostomy tube
b. Shorter tracheostomy tube
c. Larger tracheostomy tube
d. Nasal intubation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Longer tracheostomy tube
Which of the following would be most effective at resolving a humidity deficit for a patient who is
intubated with an 8.0-mm endotracheal tube?
a. Large volume nebulizer
b. Concha heated humidifier
c. HME
d. Bubble humidifier - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Concha heated humidifier
A patient with suspected myasthenia gravis in the emergency room should receive which of the
following to confirm a diagnosis?
a. Norcuron
b. Edrophonium bromide
,c. Neostigmine
d. Meperidine (Demerol) - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Edrophonium bromide
Which of the following is an important action when drawing an arterial blood gas sample?
a. Choose a radial site with adequate ulnar circulation
b. Use a 16 gauge needle
c. Compress the site prior to puncture
d. Run the sample within 15 minutes - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Choose a radial site with adequate
ulnar circulation
Which of the following would be most helpful for a patient with fixed upper airway obstruction?
a. Aerosolized epinephrine
b. Beta II agonist medication
c. Corticosteroids
d. Heliox therapy - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Heliox therapy
Which of the following oxygen modalities would be appropriate for a 220-lb (100-kg) male with diabetic
ketoacidosis who requires 40% supplemental oxygen?
a. Air-entrainment mask
b. Non-rebreathing mask
c. Nasal cannula
d. Simple mask - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅a. Air-entrainment mask
While administering a treatment with Albuterol to a patient with COPD, the therapist notes a sudden
change in the patient's color to marked cyanosis. The patient appears apneic and the heart rate on the
pulse oximeter indicates 30/min. The therapist should FIRST
a. Administer oxygen by non-rebreathing mask
b. Auscultate breath sounds
c. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
d. Go get help - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅c. Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
, A 70-kg (154-lb) female patient is receiving mechanical ventilation on the following settings:
Mode: assist/control
Mandatory rate: 14
Total rate: 14
VT: 500 mL
FiO2: 0.55
PEEP: 12 cmH2O
Arterial blood gases revel
pH 7.49 / PaCO2 32 / PaO2 109 / HCO3 24 / BE 0
The respiratory therapist should
a. Decrease mandatory rate
b. Decrease FIO2
c. Increase mandatory rate
d. Decrease PEEP - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅d. Decrease PEEP
Prior to the removal of chest tubes, which of the following should be done?
a. The chest tube should be expose to normal atmospheric pressure
b. Clamp the chest tube for 24 hours
c. Flush the chest tube with normal saline
d. Suction pressure should be increased temporarily - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅b. Clamp the chest tube
for 24 hours
Which of the following will help a patent to speak while intubated with a tracheostomy tube?
a. Pass-Muir valve
b. Inner cannula
c. Double lumen endotracheal tube
