Respiratory Therapy NBRC
500 Practice Q&A
Exam
Pulmonary Patient Assessment
1. The respiratory therapist is conducting an interview on a patient who has just
entered the emergency department. The patient states that he has difficulty
breathing when he is lying down and sleeps with three pillows at night. This is
indicative of which of the following breathing conditions?
A. tachypnea
B. orthopnea
C. euthopnea
D. dyspnea
2. A 24-year-old comatose woman enters the emergency department with the
following arterial blood gases:
pH 7.21
PaCO2 23 torr
PaO2 65 torr
HCO3 8 mEq/L
Which of the following breathing patterns is this patient most likely exhibiting?
A. Cheyne-Stokes
B. Biot’s
C. Kussmaul’s
D. hypopnea
3. A patient is coughing up purulent secretions. This is an indication of which of
the following?
A. pleural effusion
B. pneumothorax
C. bacterial pneumonia
D. hemoptisis
1
,4. A hyperresonant lung sound is heard while the respiratory therapist is
percussing over the patient’s lower left lung field. This is indicative of which of
the following pulmonary conditions?
A. left lower lobe atelectasis
B. left-sided pneumothorax
C. pleural effusion
D. lobar pneumonia
5. While auscultating the chest of a patient in ICU you hear crackles in both lung
bases. This is most likely the result of which of the following?
A. pulmonary edema
B. tracheal stenosis
C. bronchoconstriction
D. glottic edema
6. A ventilator patient suddenly becomes restless and agitated and the high
pressure alarm begins sounding. The respiratory therapist auscultates
diminished breath sounds in the left lung and palpates the trachea right of mid-
line. Which of the following has most likely occurred?
A. right-sided pneumothorax
B. massive atelectasis of the left lung
C. ET tube slipped into right mainstem bronchus
D. left-sided tension pneumothorax
7. A patient states that she has been coughing up thick, green, foul-smelling
secretions. The respiratory care practitioner would conclude this patient has
A. pulmonary edema.
B. a Pseudomonas infection.
C. hemoptysis.
D. bronchial asthma.
8. A patient who seems unconscious but will awaken when stimulated is said to
be
A. lethargic.
B. comatose.
C. obtunded.
D. disoriented.
2
, 9. The respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient and observes a six second
capillary refill time. This indicates the patient
A. has pulmonary edema.
B. has inadequate perfusion to the extremities.
C. has adequate pulmonary perfusion.
D. has an increased cardiac output.
10. While conducting a pulmonary evaluation on a patient, the respiratory
therapist auscultates diminished breath sounds on the right side and palpates
the trachea being shifted toward the right side. The therapist should suspect
which of the following?
A. right-sided tension pneumothorax
B. massive atelectasis of the right lung
C. left-sided pneumothorax
D. pleural effusion of the left lung
11. Which of the following muscles are utilized during normal breathing?
I. scalenes
II. diaphragm
III. sternomastoid
IV. external intercostals
A. II only
B. I and III only
C. I and IV only
D. II and IV only
12. A 38-year-old woman presents in ER complaining of shortness of breath. A
CBC reveals a hemoglobin level of 6 gm%. The respiratory therapist
determines her SpO2 is 99%. Which of the following statements are true
regarding this patient’s condition?
I. The patient is hypoxic.
II. The patient is most likely cyanotic.
III. Oxygen is not indicated at this time.
A. I only
B. III only
C. I and II only
D. I and III only
3
, 13. A patient in the cardiac care unit is hemodynamically unstable with fluctuating
arterial blood pressures. Which of the following should the respiratory
therapist recommend to best monitor this patient’s hemodynamic status?
A. pulse oximeter
B. radial artery catheter
C. radial artery puncture for ABGs
D. echocardiogram daily
14. The respiratory therapist is reviewing the chart of a patient in ICU who has a
Swan-Ganz catheter in place. Which hemodynamic value would best
determine the extent of the patient’s left heart failure?
A. central venous pressure (CVP)
B. pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)
C. pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)
D. mean arterial pressure
15. To most effectively monitor the hemodynamic status of a patient with ARDS
who is being mechanically ventilated, the respiratory therapist should
recommend which of the following?
A. Swan-Ganz catheter
B. EKG monitor
C. peripheral arterial line
D. pulse oximeter
16. A 28-week-old neonate is suspected of having a pneumothorax. Which of
the following should the respiratory therapist recommend to help diagnose if
this condition is present?
I. transillumination of the chest
II. transcutaneous PO2 monitoring
III. chest x-ray
IV. arterial blood gases
A. I and III only
B. I, II and III only
C. II, III and IV only
D. I, III and IV only
4
500 Practice Q&A
Exam
Pulmonary Patient Assessment
1. The respiratory therapist is conducting an interview on a patient who has just
entered the emergency department. The patient states that he has difficulty
breathing when he is lying down and sleeps with three pillows at night. This is
indicative of which of the following breathing conditions?
A. tachypnea
B. orthopnea
C. euthopnea
D. dyspnea
2. A 24-year-old comatose woman enters the emergency department with the
following arterial blood gases:
pH 7.21
PaCO2 23 torr
PaO2 65 torr
HCO3 8 mEq/L
Which of the following breathing patterns is this patient most likely exhibiting?
A. Cheyne-Stokes
B. Biot’s
C. Kussmaul’s
D. hypopnea
3. A patient is coughing up purulent secretions. This is an indication of which of
the following?
A. pleural effusion
B. pneumothorax
C. bacterial pneumonia
D. hemoptisis
1
,4. A hyperresonant lung sound is heard while the respiratory therapist is
percussing over the patient’s lower left lung field. This is indicative of which of
the following pulmonary conditions?
A. left lower lobe atelectasis
B. left-sided pneumothorax
C. pleural effusion
D. lobar pneumonia
5. While auscultating the chest of a patient in ICU you hear crackles in both lung
bases. This is most likely the result of which of the following?
A. pulmonary edema
B. tracheal stenosis
C. bronchoconstriction
D. glottic edema
6. A ventilator patient suddenly becomes restless and agitated and the high
pressure alarm begins sounding. The respiratory therapist auscultates
diminished breath sounds in the left lung and palpates the trachea right of mid-
line. Which of the following has most likely occurred?
A. right-sided pneumothorax
B. massive atelectasis of the left lung
C. ET tube slipped into right mainstem bronchus
D. left-sided tension pneumothorax
7. A patient states that she has been coughing up thick, green, foul-smelling
secretions. The respiratory care practitioner would conclude this patient has
A. pulmonary edema.
B. a Pseudomonas infection.
C. hemoptysis.
D. bronchial asthma.
8. A patient who seems unconscious but will awaken when stimulated is said to
be
A. lethargic.
B. comatose.
C. obtunded.
D. disoriented.
2
, 9. The respiratory therapist is evaluating a patient and observes a six second
capillary refill time. This indicates the patient
A. has pulmonary edema.
B. has inadequate perfusion to the extremities.
C. has adequate pulmonary perfusion.
D. has an increased cardiac output.
10. While conducting a pulmonary evaluation on a patient, the respiratory
therapist auscultates diminished breath sounds on the right side and palpates
the trachea being shifted toward the right side. The therapist should suspect
which of the following?
A. right-sided tension pneumothorax
B. massive atelectasis of the right lung
C. left-sided pneumothorax
D. pleural effusion of the left lung
11. Which of the following muscles are utilized during normal breathing?
I. scalenes
II. diaphragm
III. sternomastoid
IV. external intercostals
A. II only
B. I and III only
C. I and IV only
D. II and IV only
12. A 38-year-old woman presents in ER complaining of shortness of breath. A
CBC reveals a hemoglobin level of 6 gm%. The respiratory therapist
determines her SpO2 is 99%. Which of the following statements are true
regarding this patient’s condition?
I. The patient is hypoxic.
II. The patient is most likely cyanotic.
III. Oxygen is not indicated at this time.
A. I only
B. III only
C. I and II only
D. I and III only
3
, 13. A patient in the cardiac care unit is hemodynamically unstable with fluctuating
arterial blood pressures. Which of the following should the respiratory
therapist recommend to best monitor this patient’s hemodynamic status?
A. pulse oximeter
B. radial artery catheter
C. radial artery puncture for ABGs
D. echocardiogram daily
14. The respiratory therapist is reviewing the chart of a patient in ICU who has a
Swan-Ganz catheter in place. Which hemodynamic value would best
determine the extent of the patient’s left heart failure?
A. central venous pressure (CVP)
B. pulmonary artery pressure (PAP)
C. pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP)
D. mean arterial pressure
15. To most effectively monitor the hemodynamic status of a patient with ARDS
who is being mechanically ventilated, the respiratory therapist should
recommend which of the following?
A. Swan-Ganz catheter
B. EKG monitor
C. peripheral arterial line
D. pulse oximeter
16. A 28-week-old neonate is suspected of having a pneumothorax. Which of
the following should the respiratory therapist recommend to help diagnose if
this condition is present?
I. transillumination of the chest
II. transcutaneous PO2 monitoring
III. chest x-ray
IV. arterial blood gases
A. I and III only
B. I, II and III only
C. II, III and IV only
D. I, III and IV only
4
