RRT Patient Assessment 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.
Read the first 7 RRT Patient Assessment flashcards as text
Which clinical presentation is most consistent with hypercapnia (elevated PaCO2)?
Answer: Headache, drowsiness, flushed skin, and diaphoresis
Hypercapnia causes CO2-mediated vasodilation and CNS depression, producing headache, drowsiness, flushed skin, and diaphoresis; severe hypercapnia leads to CO2 narcosis.
Orthopnea, a common complaint assessed in patients with cardiac disease, is defined as:
Answer: Breathlessness that occurs specifically when lying flat and is relieved by sitting upright
Orthopnea is dyspnea that occurs when lying flat due to increased venous return and fluid redistribution to the lungs in heart failure, promptly relieved by sitting upright.
The Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale is specifically used to:
Answer: Quantify the degree of breathlessness in relation to activities of daily living
The mMRC scale grades dyspnea from 0 (no breathlessness) to 4 (too breathless to leave the house), quantifying functional disability caused by shortness of breath.
Use of sternocleidomastoid and scalene muscles during quiet, resting breathing in an adult patient indicates:
Answer: Severe respiratory distress requiring increased muscular effort
Accessory muscle use (sternocleidomastoid, scalene) during quiet breathing indicates that primary respiratory muscles are insufficient and the patient is in severe respiratory distress.
Tracheal deviation toward the right side in a patient would most likely be caused by:
Answer: Left-sided tension pneumothorax pushing structures rightward
Tracheal deviation away from the midline shifts toward the side opposite the pressure source; a left-sided tension pneumothorax creates pressure that pushes the trachea to the right.
The tripod position observed during patient assessment of a breathless patient is best described as:
Answer: Patient seated and leaning forward with hands on knees or a support surface
The tripod position (sitting forward, bracing hands on knees or a table) stabilizes the shoulder girdle so accessory muscles can assist breathing more effectively and increases functional residual capacity.
Whispered pectoriloquy is a positive finding when assessing for pulmonary consolidation. It is defined as:
Answer: Clear, distinct transmission of whispered words heard through the stethoscope over consolidated tissue
Whispered pectoriloquy is the abnormally clear and loud transmission of whispered words (e.g., '1-2-3') over consolidated lung, because solid tissue transmits high-frequency sounds better than air-filled lung.