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.
Read the first 7 RRT Knowledge flashcards as text
A 32-week premature neonate presents with grunting, nasal flaring, and retractions within 2 hours of birth. Chest X-ray shows diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacities. The MOST likely diagnosis is:
Answer: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
Neonatal RDS is caused by surfactant deficiency in premature infants and presents with early respiratory distress and bilateral ground-glass infiltrates on X-ray.
Which parameter BEST reflects a patient's alveolar ventilation?
Answer: PaCO2
PaCO2 is inversely proportional to alveolar ventilation and is the gold standard measure of the adequacy of ventilation.
When using a helium-oxygen (heliox) mixture to treat upper airway obstruction, the MOST appropriate concentration is:
Answer: 70% He / 30% O2
A 70% helium / 30% oxygen mixture provides the optimal balance of low gas density for improved flow while delivering sufficient FiO2.
A patient has a total lung capacity (TLC) of 6.0 L, a residual volume (RV) of 2.4 L, and an RV/TLC ratio of 40%. This pattern is MOST consistent with:
Answer: Obstructive lung disease
An elevated RV/TLC ratio above 35% indicates air trapping characteristic of obstructive lung disease such as emphysema or severe asthma.
The recommended initial tidal volume setting for a mechanically ventilated patient with ARDS is:
Answer: 6–8 mL/kg predicted body weight
The ARDSNet protocol recommends 6 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW), with a range of 4–8 mL/kg PBW to limit volutrauma.
A patient has the following ABG: pH 7.35, PaCO2 55 mmHg, HCO3 30 mEq/L. This result is MOST consistent with:
Answer: Chronic respiratory acidosis (compensated)
A near-normal pH with elevated PaCO2 and elevated HCO3 indicates chronic respiratory acidosis with full metabolic compensation (1 mEq/L HCO3 rise per 10 mmHg PaCO2 rise).
Which maneuver should the respiratory therapist perform FIRST when a ventilated patient develops acute desaturation?
Answer: Manually ventilate with 100% oxygen and assess the patient
Disconnecting the patient from the ventilator and manually ventilating with 100% O2 allows immediate assessment of lung compliance and rules out ventilator malfunction.