Review and Pretest FCCS
1. Which of the following parameters may be a late sign of cardiovascular disturbance
signaling failure of the compensatory mechanisms?
A. Tachycardia
B. Bradycardia
C. Hypotension
D. Hypertension: C
2. Investigative tests should be based on the patient's history and physical examination as
well as on previous tests. Which of the following is one of the most important indicators
of critical illness?
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Metabolic acidosis
C. Elevated creatinine
D. Hyponatremia: B
3. A 22-year-old man is brought to the emergency room after falling from a horse. He is
awaiting transfer to another facility. He has a chest contusion and a non-displaced femur
fracture. He is in spinal motion restriction with a cervical collar and long backboard. He has
worsening respiratory distress and hypoxemia requiring endotracheal intubation. Which of
the following modifications of the manual assisted ventilation technique is appropriate?
A. Place an oral airway one size larger than usual.
B. Add additional downward pressure on the face mask once it is sealed.
C. Use a jaw thrust technique in place of neck extension.
D. Increase the tidal volume with each manual assisted breath.: C
4. Which of the following anatomic features is most likely to contribute to difficulty in
maintaining a patent airway in a supine patient?
A. Edentulous mandible
B. Posteriorly displaced tongue
C. Deviated nasal septum
, Review and Pretest FCCS
D. Anteriorly displaced thyroid cartilage: B
5. An elderly patient is on the medical ward for respiratory distress. Which of the following
is correct regarding airway assessment?
A. Laryngeal displacement toward the chest during inspiration occurs only with upper
airway obstruction
B. Chest rise with inspiration indicates an adequate tidal volume
C. Unilateral absent breath sounds on auscultation is a tension pneumothorax
D. Complete airway obstruction is likely when chest retraction and movement is present,
but there are no breath sounds: D
6. An 82-year-old man who awoke with chest pain in the morning is being evaluated in the
emergency department. He is alert and oriented. Shortly after being placed on a cardiac
monitor in normal sinus rhythm with ST segment elevations, he becomes unresponsive and
develops ventricular fibrillation. Which of the following initial interventions is most
appropriate for this patient?
A. Do not initiate treatment because, due to his age, he probably has a do-not-resuscitate
order on file.
B. Attempt to contact the family before treating to discuss the level of interven-tion.
C. Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation while preparing to defibrillate.
D. Start bag-mask-valve ventilation while preparing to intubate.: C
7. Which of the following is the purpose of cardiopulmonary resuscitation?
A. To reverse symptomatic bradycardia in an ICU patient who is on multiple vasoactive
infusions
B. To reverse sudden cardiac death in a patient who is in the palliative care unit
C. To prolong the life of a patient who has a do-not-resuscitate order on file to allow time
for family to arrive
D. To reverse sudden, unexpected death from a reversible disease process or iatrogenic
complications: D
1. Which of the following parameters may be a late sign of cardiovascular disturbance
signaling failure of the compensatory mechanisms?
A. Tachycardia
B. Bradycardia
C. Hypotension
D. Hypertension: C
2. Investigative tests should be based on the patient's history and physical examination as
well as on previous tests. Which of the following is one of the most important indicators
of critical illness?
A. Respiratory acidosis
B. Metabolic acidosis
C. Elevated creatinine
D. Hyponatremia: B
3. A 22-year-old man is brought to the emergency room after falling from a horse. He is
awaiting transfer to another facility. He has a chest contusion and a non-displaced femur
fracture. He is in spinal motion restriction with a cervical collar and long backboard. He has
worsening respiratory distress and hypoxemia requiring endotracheal intubation. Which of
the following modifications of the manual assisted ventilation technique is appropriate?
A. Place an oral airway one size larger than usual.
B. Add additional downward pressure on the face mask once it is sealed.
C. Use a jaw thrust technique in place of neck extension.
D. Increase the tidal volume with each manual assisted breath.: C
4. Which of the following anatomic features is most likely to contribute to difficulty in
maintaining a patent airway in a supine patient?
A. Edentulous mandible
B. Posteriorly displaced tongue
C. Deviated nasal septum
, Review and Pretest FCCS
D. Anteriorly displaced thyroid cartilage: B
5. An elderly patient is on the medical ward for respiratory distress. Which of the following
is correct regarding airway assessment?
A. Laryngeal displacement toward the chest during inspiration occurs only with upper
airway obstruction
B. Chest rise with inspiration indicates an adequate tidal volume
C. Unilateral absent breath sounds on auscultation is a tension pneumothorax
D. Complete airway obstruction is likely when chest retraction and movement is present,
but there are no breath sounds: D
6. An 82-year-old man who awoke with chest pain in the morning is being evaluated in the
emergency department. He is alert and oriented. Shortly after being placed on a cardiac
monitor in normal sinus rhythm with ST segment elevations, he becomes unresponsive and
develops ventricular fibrillation. Which of the following initial interventions is most
appropriate for this patient?
A. Do not initiate treatment because, due to his age, he probably has a do-not-resuscitate
order on file.
B. Attempt to contact the family before treating to discuss the level of interven-tion.
C. Start cardiopulmonary resuscitation while preparing to defibrillate.
D. Start bag-mask-valve ventilation while preparing to intubate.: C
7. Which of the following is the purpose of cardiopulmonary resuscitation?
A. To reverse symptomatic bradycardia in an ICU patient who is on multiple vasoactive
infusions
B. To reverse sudden cardiac death in a patient who is in the palliative care unit
C. To prolong the life of a patient who has a do-not-resuscitate order on file to allow time
for family to arrive
D. To reverse sudden, unexpected death from a reversible disease process or iatrogenic
complications: D
