Chest physiotherapy is initiated for a patient who is alert and oriented.  As therapy progresses, a respiratory therapist notices the patient is no longer responsive to verbal stimuli.  The therapist checks the patient’s pulse and finds that the heart rate is 30.  The patient has a respiratory rate of 6.  Which of the following should the therapist do NEXT?

A patient is intubated after a motor vehicle crash.  A respiratory therapist palpates asymmetrical chest movement during inspiration, but no crepitus.  Breath sounds are diminished on the left.  Which of the following should the therapist do FIRST?

Spontaneous breathing trials with a T-piece have been initiated for a 50-year-old patient who has been receiving mechanical ventilation for 4 weeks.  With each trial, the patient becomes agitated, dyspneic, and tachypneic, and must be returned to the ventilator.  Which of the following should the respiratory therapist recommend?

A 25-year-old patient with apnea is receiving PC ventilation.  Arterial blood gas results are as follows: . pH 7.20 PaCO2  65 torr PaO2  70 torr HCO3- 25 mEq/L BE -4 mEq/L A respiratory therapist should recommend increasing the

A respiratory therapist observes the following data while monitoring mechanical ventilation:                                            8:00 AM       9:00 AM       10:00 AM   Peak Pressure (cm H2O)        35               40                  43Plateau Pressure (cm H2O)   30               28                  24Set PEEP was constant.  Which of the following is present?

A 55-year-old male presents with GI bleeding.   Arterial blood gas results reveal an arterial oxygen tension of 45 torr.  Pulse oximetry readings are unreliable.  The patient is in mild respiratory distress, but is not cyanotic. To evaluate the patient’s oxygenation status further, it is most important to review the patient’s

A 65-year-old patient who is post-CABG was extubated 4 hours ago and complains of increasing shortness of breath.  Breath sounds are decreased over the right lung field. The following data are available:HR 105RR 25BP155/90 mm HgSpO290% on 4-L nasal cannulaWhich of the following studies should a respiratory therapist recommend NEXT?

Data below were obtained while an adult patient was receiving VC ventilation with an FIO2 of 0.50:                                           1300             1315          1330           1345PEEP (cm H2O)                      5               10                15              20BP (mm Hg)                       140/90        130/90       120/80      110/80SpO2 (%)                                75              90               94               95Static compliance                   20               40               60               55(mL/cm H2O)  Which of the following levels of PEEP should a respiratory therapist choose?

When administering dornase alfa (Pulmozyme) with a hand-held nebulizer, a respiratory therapist notes a patient is developing marked congestion with copious sputum production.  The therapist’s most appropriate action is to pause the treatment and

Following insertion of a CVP catheter, a chest radiograph is taken to evaluate the position of the catheter.  When viewing the radiograph, a respiratory therapist notes the tip of the catheter is in the superior vena cava.  The therapist should conclude the catheter