Answers
1. All of the following would cause an increased level of carbon
dioxide in the arterial blood, EXCEPT:
A: short exhalation
phase. B: reduced tidal
volume.
C: slow, shallow
breathing. D: deep,
rapid breathing
Answer D
2. A woman presents with acute shortness of breath. Her
breathing appears labored and her skin is pale. You should:
A: deliver humidified oxygen and administer an inhaled
bronchodilator. B: ensure that her oxygen saturation does not
fall below 85 percent.
C: administer high-flow oxygen and assess the quality of her breathing.
D: place her supine and assist her ventilations with a bag-mask device.
Answer C
,3. Which of the following signs or symptoms is indicative of cerebral
hypoxia?
A: Diffuse wheezing on
exhalation B: Chief complaint
of dyspnea
C: Heart rate greater than 120 beats/min
D: Decreased level of consciousness
Answer D;
4. You are assessing a 66-year-old man who has emphysema and
complains of worsened shortness of breath. He is confused, has a
heart rate of 120 beats/min, and an oxygen saturation of 89%.
Which of the following assess- ment findings should concern you
the MOST?
A: Confusion
B: Worsened shortness of
breath C: Low oxygen
saturation
D: Tachycardia
Answer A;
5. Which of the following is the preferred initial method for
providing artificial ventilations to an apneic adult?
,A: Flow-restricted, oxygen-powered ventilation device
B: Two-person bag-valve-mask technique with 100%
oxygen C: Mouth-to-mask technique with
supplemental oxygen
D: One-person bag-valve-mask technique with 100% oxygen
Answer C;
6. Which of the following processes occurs during inhalation?
A: The intercostal muscles and diaphragm both contract.
B: The diaphragm contracts and the intercostal
muscles relax. C: The diaphragm descends and the
intercostal muscles relax.
D: The intercostal muscles relax and the diaphragm descends.
Answer A;
7. Which of the following would MOST likely occur if an adult patient
is breathing at a rate of 45 breaths/min with shallow depth?
A: Most of his or her inhaled air will not go beyond the anatomic
dead space. B: The lungs would become hyperinflated, potentially
causing a pneumotho- rax.
C: Alveolar minute volume would increase due to the rapid
respiratory rate. D: The volume of air that reaches the alveoli would
increase significantly.
, Answer A;
8. Occasional, irregular breaths that may be observed in a cardiac
arrest patient are called:
A: Biot respirations.
B: Cheyne-Stokes
respirations. C: ataxic
respirations.
D: agonal gasps.
Answer D;
9. During the inhalation phase of breathing:
A: the muscles in between the ribs relax, which lifts the ribs up
and out. B: pressure within the thorax decreases and air is
drawn into the lungs. C: air passively enters the lungs as
pressure within the thorax increases.
D: the diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract and ascend.
Answer B;
10. You are assessing a 70-year-old male who complains of pain in
both of his legs. He is conscious and alert, has a blood pressure of
160/90 mm Hg, a pulse rate of 110 beats/min, and respirations of 14
breaths/min and unlabored. Further assessment reveals edema to