Review Questions

Select the ONE best answer.

  1. Use the following information to answer questions 1 and 2. 

    I.     Trachea
    II.    Oropharynx
    III.   Bronchioles
    IV.   Bronchi
    V.    Cricoid cartilage

    Place these 5 structures in order according to the way inhaled air would encounter them.

    1. V, II, I, IV, and III
    2. V, II, I, III, and IV
    3. II, V, I, III, and IV
    4. II, V, I, IV, and III

  2. Which of the structures listed above is/are part of the upper airway?

    1. II only
    2. V only
    3. II and V only
    4. I, II and V only

  3. Which of the following is true about the lung volumes of a person with COPD?

    1. Residual volume increases.
    2. Tidal volume increases.
    3. Expiratory reserve volume increases.
    4. Total lung volume increases.

  4. A patient who twisted his or her ankle while running is found to be tachypneic during your assessment. Possible reason(s) for this include:

    1. Increased pH of the CSF.
    2. Increased pH of the blood.
    3. Increased pCO2 of the blood.
    4. Increased FiO2 of the atmosphere.

  5. Consider the following scenario for questions 5 and 6:

    A 42-year-old female patient is complaining of a sudden onset of dizziness that started while at rest and is constant but not worsening with a change in position. She has been on bed rest for the past 2 weeks after an infection to her incision for a total knee replacement. Her vital signs are HR: 108; RR: 24; SpO2: 91% (on 15 LPM O2 via mask); BP: 132/88. Her lung sounds are clear in all fields and equal bilaterally. Her skin color and temperature are unremarkable. She has not passed out, and her blood sugar is within normal limits.

    This patient is most likely having a problem with:

    1. Ventilation.
    2. External respiration.
    3. Internal respiration.
    4. Perfusion.

  6. Based on the assessment information given, select the most likely condition this patient is experiencing.

    1. Pulmonary edema
    2. Pulmonary stenosis
    3. Pulmonary embolism
    4. Pulmonary contusion

  7. In which of the following patients would the use of a nasopharyngeal airway be most appropriate?

    1. A 7-month-old female found apneic in a crib
    2. A 17-year-old female struck in the face with a batted softball during a game
    3. An awake, combative, 27-year-old male patient who consumed half a bottle of bourbon
    4. An 86-year-old male responsive only to painful stimuli with hyperglycemia

  8. You are doing an interfacility transport of a patient who was intubated prior to your arrival at the sending facility. The chest X-ray from the previous facility confirmed proper placement before you departed. During transport, the patient’s pulse oximetry begins to drop, and the EtCO2 waveform is slightly  lower than earlier. The patient still has a pulse. Of the following, which should you do first?

    1. Using a laryngoscope, check that the tube is still in the trachea.
    2. Suction the ETT with a soft-suction catheter.
    3. Perform a bilateral needle thoracostomy.
    4. Remove the ETT and attempt to reintubate.

  9. The ETT of the patient in the previous question is confirmed as still being in the trachea. It has been suctioned, all equipment is functioning properly, and O2 is flowing at 15 LPM. However, the pulse oximetry is continuing to drop, and the EtCO2 is starting to increase. It is notably harder to ventilate the patient, and the left side of the chest is not rising as it was earlier in the transport. What should you do next?

    1. Perform a bilateral needle thoracostomy.
    2. Perform a needle thoracostomy on the left anterior chest.
    3. Perform a needle thoracostomy on the right anterior chest.
    4. Pull the ETT back 1 cm at a time to relieve bronchial intubation.

  10. Which of the following sets of signs and symptoms would you expect to find to help confirm your diagnosis from question number 9?

    1. Decreased breath sounds on the left side, trachea deviated to the left side, and JVD
    2. Decreased breath sounds on the left side, trachea deviated to the right side, and JVD
    3. Decreased breath sounds on the right side, trachea deviated to the right side, and JVD
    4. Decreased breath sounds on the right side, trachea deviated to the left side, and JVD

  11. For a 55-year-old male patient in status asthmaticus on 10 LPM O2 via a nebulizer who has already received 2 nebulized albuterol treatments and 500 mcg of ipratropium bromide, which of the following would be the next best treatment option?

    1. 2 g of magnesium sulfate intravenously
    2. 0.3 mg of 1:1,000 epinephrine intramuscularly
    3. CPAP
    4. 125 mg of methylprednisolone

  12. You have arrived at the home of a 3-year-old female who is in respiratory distress. She is seated in a tripod position and drooling, stating she is unable to swallow. Her mother indicates that she has recently been sick with a strep throat infection. You suspect your patient has:

    1. Anaphylaxis.
    2. Croup.
    3. Epiglottitis.
    4. Laryngitis.