A patient who appears emaciated presents to the emergency department with a history of low-grade, intermittent, afternoon fevers; frequent, paroxysmal bouts of coughing; hemoptysis; and night sweats. The following should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis (a list of possible disease states that could account for the observed signs and symptoms): 1. Tuberculosis. 2. Pneumonia. 3. Some types of cancers. 4. Pleuritic chest pain.

The direct question interview format is used to: 1. Speed up the interview. 2. Let the patient fully explain his/her situation 3. Help the RT show empathy 4. Gather specific information

Which of the following can be responsible for the production of murmurs? 1. Stenotic AV valves 2. Incompetent AV valves 3. Incompetent semilunar valves 4. Dextrocardia

When closing the interview, the respiratory therapist should do which of the following? 1. Recheck the patient’s vital signs. 2. Thank the patient. 3. Ask if the patient has any questions. 4. Close the door behind himself/herself for patient privacy.

Which of the following sequences of events best describes the cough mechanism?

Snoring is most commonly associated with which of the following conditions?

A 42-year-old male patient with a history of poorly controlled asthma is seen in the emergency department by the respiratory therapist (RT). The patient is seated in a chair and clearly is in extreme respiratory distress, with inspiratory and expiratory wheezing throughout. He reports that he has had a fever for the past 2 days and has eaten and drunk very little. He also reports some chest pain, and his blood pressure is 95/55 mm Hg. At one point, the patient stands to move from the chair to the stretcher and has an episode of syncope. The differential diagnosis for this patient should include which of the following? 1. Myocardial infarction (MI) 2. Acute asthma exacerbation 3. Dehydration 4. Cerebrovascular accident (CVA; stroke)

Which of the following are causes of hypotension? 1. Left ventricular failure 2. Peripheral vasodilation 3. Hypovolemia 4. Right heart failure

At what point on the posterior chest wall can the inferior border of the lung normally be found?

Which of the following mechanisms does explain why patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have a poor cough? 1. Weak muscles of breathing 2. Increased elastic recoil 3. Airway obstruction 4. Decreased lung compliance