Respiratory Therapist Competency Exams Prep Test

20 Questions | By Catherinehalcomb | Updated: Mar 21, 2022 | Attempts: 151

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Respiratory Therapist Competency Exams Prep Test - Quiz

Welcome to the Respiratory Therapist Competency Exams Prep Test. Respiratory therapists are responsible for examining and treating patients with cardiopulmonary or breathing disorders. Are you preparing for the final exam? If you are, then these questions will cover various sub-topics important for the exam.

Questions and Answers

1.

A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has increased peak inspiratory pressures, coarse rhonchi, and a fever. What should the respiratory therapist recommend?
- A.
  
  Sputum culture and gram stain
- B.
  
  Increase the tidal volume
- C.
  
  Chest physiotherapy
- D.
  
  Spontaneous breath trial
2.

Following extubation a patient has moderate stridor. The patient’s Spo2 on 0.30 FiO2 cool aerosol face mask is 95%. The patient’s heart rate is 90/min and respiratory rate is 20/min. What should the respiratory therapist recommend NEXT?
- A.
  
  Intubation and mechanical ventilation
- B.
  
  Chest physiotherapy
- C.
  
  Racemic epinephrine
- D.
  
  Cromolyn Sodium
3.

An unconscious patient arrives in the emergency department following a motor vehicle accident. What should the respiratory therapist do FIRST to establish this patient’s airway?
- A.
  
  Head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver
- B.
  
  Modified jaw thrust maneuver
- C.
  
  Reposition the patient on their side
- D.
  
  Jaw thrust maneuver
4.

Increased tactile fremitus is noted in the patient’s right lower lobe. Which of the following conditions would explain this?
- A.
  
  Pneumothorax
- B.
  
  Pneumonia
- C.
  
  COPD
- D.
  
  Pleural effusion
5.

Palpation of the patient’s trachea reveals a tracheal shift to the right side. Which of the following would most likely cause this finding?
- A.
  
  Right side atelectasis
- B.
  
  Right side pneumothorax
- C.
  
  Right side pleural effusion
- D.
  
  Left side pneumonia
6.

A patient with multiple right sided rib fractures would present with which the following findings?
- A.
  
  Dull percussion on right side
- B.
  
  See-saw chest movement
- C.
  
  Symmetrical chest expansion
- D.
  
  Flail chest
7.

Auscultation of a patient’s lungs reveals coarse bilateral crackles. This is most likely due to?
- A.
  
  Secretions
- B.
  
  Pulmonary edema
- C.
  
  Pulmonary fibrosis
- D.
  
  Atelectasis
8.

Auscultation of a 3-year-old child’s lungs reveals unilateral wheezing. This patient most likely has?
- A.
  
  Asthma
- B.
  
  Secretions in the airway
- C.
  
  Foreign body airway obstruction
- D.
  
  Pneumonia
9.

Increased accessory muscle use is most often due to?
- A.
  
  Hyperventilation
- B.
  
  Increased airway resistance
- C.
  
  Increased lung compliance
- D.
  
  Poor cardiac output
10.

Auscultation and percussion of a hemodynamically unstable patient’s left lung reveals distant breath sounds and hyperresonance. The respiratory therapist suspects a pneumothorax. What should the therapist recommend NEXT?
- A.
  
  Obtain an ABG
- B.
  
  Order a chest X-ray
- C.
  
  Needle decompression
- D.
  
  Chest tube insertion
11.

Following endotracheal intubation, chest assessment reveals breath sounds on the left side are distant and resonant to percussion. This is most likely due to?
- A.
  
  Right mainstem intubation
- B.
  
  Left side pneumothorax
- C.
  
  Large pleural effusion
- D.
  
  Esophageal intubation
12.

While auscultating voice sounds the therapist hears the soft A sound, or ahhhh, when the patient says the letter “E”. This change in sound is associated with which of the following conditions?
- A.
  
  Pneumothorax
- B.
  
  Pneumonia
- C.
  
  Pulmonary Edema
- D.
  
  COPD
13.

A patient receiving mechanical ventilation has distant breath sounds on the left side with a tracheal shift to the right. The therapist should suspect?
- A.
  
  Right mainstem intubation
- B.
  
  Left side pneumothorax
- C.
  
  Left upper lobe pneumonia
- D.
  
  Pulmonary embolus
14.

What is the estimated heart rate of this ECG?
- A.
  
  60
- B.
  
  50
- C.
  
  100
- D.
  
  75
15.

An elevated ST segment may indicate?
- A.
  
  Myocardial infarction
- B.
  
  Myocardial ischemia
- C.
  
  Normal
- D.
  
  Hyperkalemia
16.

Spiked or peaked T waves on an ECG may be due to?
- A.
  
  Hypokalemia
- B.
  
  Hyperkalemia
- C.
  
  Metabolic alkalosis
- D.
  
  Normal finding
17.

A patient’s bed in the ICU is raised to provide routine care. The patient has a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) in place and the transducer is attached to an IV pole next to the bed. What effect will this have on the patients CVP?
- A.
  
  No effect
- B.
  
  It will cause a false high reading
- C.
  
  It will cause a false low reading
- D.
  
  It will cause PVC’s
18.

A patient in the cardiac ICU has a pulmonary artery catheter in place. The patient is edematous and has a CVP reading of 12. The patient most likely has?
- A.
  
  Shock
- B.
  
  Hypovolemia
- C.
  
  Hypervolemia
- D.
  
  This CVP is normal
19.

A large difference between PIP and Pplat is most likely to be seen in which of the following disease states?
- A.
  
  Pulmonary Fibrosis
- B.
  
  Bronchiectasis
- C.
  
  Quadriplegia
- D.
  
  Status Asthmaticus
20.

Immediate potential complications with percutaneous tracheostomy tube insertion include everything except?
- A.
  
  Bleeding
- B.
  
  Pneumothorax
- C.
  
  Decreased LOC
- D.
  
  Subcutaneous Emphysema