Respiratory Therapy Quiz
Questions: 16 · 10 minutes
1. A ventilated patient has widespread alveolar collapse and poor oxygenation. What is the main intended effect of applying PEEP?
To help keep alveoli open at the end of expiration
To reduce oxygen concentration to room-air levels
To eliminate the patient's carbon dioxide production
To replace the need for inspiratory pressure
2. Which finding provides the clearest routine indication that an intubated patient may need airway suctioning?
A fixed schedule says suctioning is due, despite clear breath sounds.
The patient has a normal capnography waveform and no visible secretions.
The ventilator has been running for a predetermined number of hours.
Coarse breath sounds, visible secretions, or a sawtooth ventilator waveform are present.
3. Soon after central venous catheter placement, a patient develops sudden shortness of breath and markedly diminished breath sounds on one side. Which complication should be considered?
Chronic bronchitis
Pulmonary fibrosis
Stable obstructive sleep apnea
Pneumothorax
4. A patient begins hypoventilating while oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production remain otherwise stable. Which change is most directly expected?
PaCO₂ rises because less carbon dioxide is removed by alveolar ventilation.
PaCO₂ falls because carbon dioxide remains in the lungs.
Blood pH rises because carbonic acid increases.
Bicarbonate immediately falls enough to normalize the pH.
5. During stable mechanical ventilation, the capnography waveform and end-tidal CO₂ value suddenly fall to zero. What should be suspected first?
A gradual increase in metabolic carbon dioxide production
A circuit disconnection, airway displacement, or complete loss of exhaled gas sampling
Compensated metabolic alkalosis
A mild increase in airway resistance with continued ventilation
6. Spirometry shows a substantially reduced FEV₁ and a reduced FEV₁/FVC ratio. Which ventilatory pattern is most consistent with these findings?
An obstructive pattern
A restrictive pattern confirmed by spirometry alone
A normal ventilatory pattern
Isolated diffusion impairment
7. A mechanically ventilated patient suddenly develops a high-pressure alarm. Which finding is a likely cause?
A disconnected ventilator circuit
An empty humidifier chamber with an open circuit
A kinked tube or accumulated airway secretions
A leak around the endotracheal tube cuff
8. A patient with a tracheostomy develops thick, difficult-to-clear secretions. Why is adequate humidification especially important?
It increases hemoglobin concentration.
The artificial airway bypasses normal upper-airway warming and humidification.
It sterilizes secretions before suctioning.
It directly raises respiratory drive.
9. After intubation, breath sounds are much weaker on the left than the right. If the tube was advanced too far, where has it most likely entered?
The left upper-lobe bronchus
The esophagus
The pleural space
The right mainstem bronchus
10. Which oxygen-delivery device is designed to provide a relatively precise, controlled oxygen concentration?
Standard nasal cannula
Simple face mask
Non-rebreather mask
Venturi mask
11. Which practice best limits cross-transmission when reusable respiratory equipment is used for different patients?
Wipe only the visibly soiled exterior while leaving internal components untreated.
Rinse it with tap water and immediately transfer it to the next patient.
Clean and disinfect or sterilize it as required by its instructions and infection-control policy.
Reuse it without processing if both patients have similar respiratory symptoms.
12. An arterial blood gas shows pH 7.30, PaCO₂ 55 mmHg, and HCO₃⁻ 25 mEq/L. Which interpretation fits best?
Metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation
Respiratory alkalosis with metabolic compensation
Acute respiratory acidosis
Metabolic alkalosis without compensation
13. A patient with metabolic acidosis develops deep, rapid breathing. How does this response help compensate?
It retains carbon dioxide and raises carbonic acid.
It increases bicarbonate loss through the lungs.
It lowers PaCO₂ by increasing alveolar ventilation.
It prevents oxygen from diffusing into the blood.
14. Which arterial blood gas value directly represents the partial pressure of oxygen dissolved in arterial blood?
PaO₂
SaO₂
HCO₃⁻
PaCO₂
15. Which spirometry pattern is most consistent with possible restriction and would usually prompt confirmation with lung-volume testing?
Increased FVC with a reduced FEV₁/FVC ratio
Reduced FVC with a normal or elevated FEV₁/FVC ratio
Normal FVC with a markedly reduced FEV₁/FVC ratio
Increased FEV₁ with an increased residual volume measured by spirometry
16. A patient exposed to smoke in an enclosed space has a pulse oximetry reading of 98% but is confused and reporting a severe headache. Why might the reading be misleading?
Pulse oximetry measures carbon dioxide rather than oxygen saturation.
Standard pulse oximetry may interpret carboxyhemoglobin as oxyhemoglobin.
Smoke exposure always causes falsely low pulse oximetry readings.
Pulse oximetry becomes accurate only when supplemental oxygen is used.