RRT RRT MCQ 4

Question 1

A patient on mechanical ventilation develops decreased compliance and new bilateral infiltrates 48 hours post-intubation. Which lung-protective strategy parameter should be monitored to prevent VILI?

Accepted Answer

Plateau pressure below 30 cmH2O

Answer

Plateau pressure reflects alveolar distending pressure and should be kept below 30 cmH2O to minimize ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).

Question 2

A patient has the following ABG: pH 7.50, PaCO2 30 mmHg, HCO3 23 mEq/L. What is the acid-base interpretation?

Accepted Answer

Acute respiratory alkalosis

Answer

A high pH with low PaCO2 and normal bicarbonate indicates acute respiratory alkalosis with no metabolic compensation yet.

Question 3

When performing a therapeutic bronchoscopy to remove a mucus plug, what is the MAXIMUM safe duration of each suction pass?

Accepted Answer

10–15 seconds

Answer

Each suction pass during bronchoscopy should be limited to 10–15 seconds to prevent significant oxygen desaturation and mucosal trauma.

Question 4

A patient is receiving BiPAP with IPAP 14 cmH2O and EPAP 6 cmH2O. What is the effective pressure support being delivered?

Accepted Answer

8 cmH2O

Answer

Effective pressure support in BiPAP equals IPAP minus EPAP (14 − 6 = 8 cmH2O), which drives tidal volume delivery.

Question 5

Which pulse oximetry reading is MOST likely to be falsely elevated (overestimated) in a patient with carbon monoxide poisoning?

Accepted Answer

SpO2 by standard pulse oximetry

Answer

Standard pulse oximetry cannot distinguish oxyhemoglobin from carboxyhemoglobin, so SpO2 reads falsely high in CO poisoning; co-oximetry is required for accurate measurement.

RRT Exam Practice Test

RRT Exam Practice Test

RRT RRT MCQ 4