NUR 2016: MECHANICAL VENTILATION TEST 2 QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
1) What is a normal PIP range? -- Answer ✔✔ 20-30 cm H20 (the higher the number
the less compliant the lungs, the harder the vent has to push the tidal volume in)
2) What PIP range has been shown to increase lung injury? -- Answer ✔✔ Upper 30s-
40s
3) What are the modes on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ Volume controlled, pressure
controlled, time-cycled, pressure support/synchronized intermittent mechanical
ventilation
4) What is the volume controlled mode on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ A set rate and
volume. (Works well for most pts but not ideal for super sick pts)
5) How do you know you need to switch the ventilator mode from volume controlled
to pressure controlled? -- Answer ✔✔ If you keep getting high PIPs.
6) What is the pressure controlled mode on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ Removes the
set volume but you still have a set rate and set PIP. Will only allow however much
volume the lungs can tolerate.
, 7) What is minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔ The volume of gas inhaled and exhaled in
a minute. Respiratory rate x tidal volume
8) What is the normal range for minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-8 L/min
9) What does it mean if the patient has a minute ventilation of over 8 L/min? -- Answer
✔✔ You are hyperventilating the patient
10) What does it mean if the patient has a minute ventilation of less than 4 L/min? --
Answer ✔✔ You are hypoventilating the patient
11) If your patient has a respiratory rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 450, what is their
minute ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer
✔✔ 8,100 = 8.1 L/min. This means we are hyperventilating the patient.
12) If your patient has a respiratory rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 240, what is their
minute ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer
✔✔ 4,320 = 4.32 L/min. This is a good minute ventilation.
13) If your patient has a rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 180, what is their minute
ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔
3,240 = 3.24 L/min. We are hypoventilating the patient.
14) If your patient is on a pressure control mode on the ventilator and their minute
ventilation is too low, what setting needs to be changed on the vent? -- Answer ✔✔
The rate
15) You have a patient on the volume controlled ventilator mode. You checked on him
in the morning and his PIP was 27 cm H2O. You come back and check on him in the
afternoon and his PIP shows 38 cm H2O.
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
1) What is a normal PIP range? -- Answer ✔✔ 20-30 cm H20 (the higher the number
the less compliant the lungs, the harder the vent has to push the tidal volume in)
2) What PIP range has been shown to increase lung injury? -- Answer ✔✔ Upper 30s-
40s
3) What are the modes on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ Volume controlled, pressure
controlled, time-cycled, pressure support/synchronized intermittent mechanical
ventilation
4) What is the volume controlled mode on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ A set rate and
volume. (Works well for most pts but not ideal for super sick pts)
5) How do you know you need to switch the ventilator mode from volume controlled
to pressure controlled? -- Answer ✔✔ If you keep getting high PIPs.
6) What is the pressure controlled mode on a ventilator? -- Answer ✔✔ Removes the
set volume but you still have a set rate and set PIP. Will only allow however much
volume the lungs can tolerate.
, 7) What is minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔ The volume of gas inhaled and exhaled in
a minute. Respiratory rate x tidal volume
8) What is the normal range for minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔ 4-8 L/min
9) What does it mean if the patient has a minute ventilation of over 8 L/min? -- Answer
✔✔ You are hyperventilating the patient
10) What does it mean if the patient has a minute ventilation of less than 4 L/min? --
Answer ✔✔ You are hypoventilating the patient
11) If your patient has a respiratory rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 450, what is their
minute ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer
✔✔ 8,100 = 8.1 L/min. This means we are hyperventilating the patient.
12) If your patient has a respiratory rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 240, what is their
minute ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer
✔✔ 4,320 = 4.32 L/min. This is a good minute ventilation.
13) If your patient has a rate of 18 and a tidal volume of 180, what is their minute
ventilation? What is your assessment of their minute ventilation? -- Answer ✔✔
3,240 = 3.24 L/min. We are hypoventilating the patient.
14) If your patient is on a pressure control mode on the ventilator and their minute
ventilation is too low, what setting needs to be changed on the vent? -- Answer ✔✔
The rate
15) You have a patient on the volume controlled ventilator mode. You checked on him
in the morning and his PIP was 27 cm H2O. You come back and check on him in the
afternoon and his PIP shows 38 cm H2O.
