Risk Assessment & Management Flashcards
7 cards from real CRE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Risk Assessment & Management flashcards as text
A 65-year-old COPD patient lives in a rural area with the nearest hospital 90 minutes away. Which element of a comprehensive risk management plan is most critical for this patient specifically?
Answer: A detailed COPD action plan with clear escalation criteria and telemedicine access
Geographic isolation amplifies the risk of delayed emergency care; a written action plan with telehealth options provides structured early intervention before transport is needed.
Which finding on a chest X-ray of a mechanically ventilated patient should prompt the respiratory educator to alert the clinical team for urgent risk reassessment?
Answer: New opacification in a dependent lobe consistent with aspiration pneumonia
New aspiration pneumonia on imaging in a ventilated patient signals increased infection risk and requires immediate clinical reassessment and possible ventilator strategy adjustment.
An adult asthma patient is prescribed an ICS/LABA combination inhaler. During risk assessment, the educator learns the patient also smokes one pack per day. What is the most evidence-based risk communication priority?
Answer: Counsel on smoking cessation as the single most impactful modifiable risk factor for asthma outcomes
Smoking induces corticosteroid resistance and worsens asthma control; smoking cessation is the most impactful intervention regardless of medication optimization.
Which psychosocial factor, when identified during a respiratory risk assessment, is most strongly associated with poor asthma self-management and increased emergency department utilization?
Answer: Low socioeconomic status and housing insecurity
Low socioeconomic status and housing insecurity are independently associated with medication non-adherence, trigger exposure, and higher ED utilization in asthma patients.
A COPD patient is being considered for long-term oxygen therapy. Which arterial blood gas criterion qualifies a patient for continuous home oxygen under CMS guidelines?
Answer: PaO2 ≤ 55 mmHg or SpO2 ≤ 88% at rest
CMS reimburses LTOT when resting PaO2 is ≤55 mmHg or SpO2 ≤88%, or PaO2 56–59 mmHg with evidence of cor pulmonale, erythrocytosis, or edema.
During a home risk assessment, a respiratory educator finds that a pediatric asthma patient's bedroom contains a pet cat, visible mold on the window frame, and a gas stove in an adjacent kitchen. Which of these is the highest-priority allergen risk factor for perennial asthma in this child?
Answer: Cat dander — a potent perennial indoor allergen with high sensitization rates in children
Cat allergen (Fel d 1) is highly potent, persists in dust for months, and is one of the leading sensitizers in pediatric asthma, making it the priority perennial risk.
A respiratory educator is helping a pulmonary rehabilitation team stratify patients for exercise intensity. Which tool provides the most direct objective measure of functional exercise capacity to guide risk stratification?
Answer: 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) distance and SpO2 nadir
The 6MWT provides objective data on functional exercise capacity and exertional hypoxemia, making it the gold standard for exercise risk stratification in pulmonary rehabilitation.