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RRT Knowledge Flashcards

7 cards from real RRT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. A patient with cystic fibrosis is ordered high-frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO). The primary mechanism of mucus clearance with this therapy is:

    Answer: Creating oscillating airflow that alters mucus rheology and facilitates clearance

    HFCWO generates rapid chest wall compressions that create oscillating airflow, thinning mucus and moving it toward central airways.

  2. Which hemodynamic parameter is MOST directly measured by a pulmonary artery catheter (Swan-Ganz)?

    Answer: Cardiac output via thermodilution

    The pulmonary artery catheter directly measures cardiac output using thermodilution; SVR and other derived values are calculated.

  3. A patient on volume-controlled ventilation develops a sudden increase in peak airway pressure with unchanged plateau pressure. The MOST likely cause is:

    Answer: Increased airway resistance

    A rise in peak pressure with an unchanged plateau pressure indicates increased airway resistance (e.g., bronchospasm, secretions, kinked tube) since plateau reflects compliance.

  4. The normal P50 for adult hemoglobin (the PaO2 at which Hgb is 50% saturated) is approximately:

    Answer: 27 mmHg

    The normal P50 for adult hemoglobin is approximately 27 mmHg, representing the midpoint of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve.

  5. Which condition causes a LEFT shift of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve?

    Answer: Alkalosis

    Alkalosis decreases 2,3-DPG effect and increases hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen, shifting the curve left (Hgb holds O2 more tightly).

  6. In a patient receiving pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), an increase in lung compliance will result in:

    Answer: Increased tidal volume at the same set pressure

    In PCV, the driving pressure is fixed; improved compliance allows more volume delivery per breath, so tidal volume increases.

  7. A respiratory therapist is setting up a large-volume nebulizer (LVN) for oxygen delivery. To achieve an FiO2 of 0.40, the air-to-oxygen entrainment ratio should be set to approximately:

    Answer: 3:1

    A 3:1 air-to-oxygen entrainment ratio with a 100% oxygen source produces an approximate FiO2 of 0.40.