Download SAE Exam Questions with Verified Answers,100% CORRECT and more Exams Nursing in PDF only on Docsity! SAE Exam Questions with Verified Answers Question 1: A medical student is assigned to care for a patient with a smoking history and who is suspected of having emphysema. She asks for recommendations on what tests might be used to help determine the diagnosis. You would recommend all of the following EXCEPT: a. Pulmonary function testing b. Chest radiograph c. Chest ultrasound d. Arterial blood gas - CORRECT ANSWER C. Chest Ultrasound Question 2: A patient is performing a stress test. Which of the following respiratory exchange ratio values would confirm that the patient has reached the anaerobic threshold? 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 - CORRECT ANSWER c. 1.0 Question 3: A patient is referred for a sleep study. The attending physician wants to know which parameters are measured during the study. You would measure all of the following EXCEPT: SpO2 ECG Inspiratory and expiratory breathing efforts ABG values - CORRECT ANSWER C and D Question 4: When preparing to assist the physician with the cardioversion of a patient, you must check the following: A. A strong R wave should be seen on the ECG monitor B. The charge level should be set as ordered C. The electric paddles should be kept clean for the best possible conduction D. Ensure that the ECG electrodes are attached properly - CORRECT ANSWER A,B,D Question 5: Your mechanically ventilated patient is going to have a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy performed. Of what kinds of considerations must you be aware? a. The VT must be monitored for a leak b. The inspiratory flow resistance will increase c. The inspiratory pressure will decrease d. The inspiratory pressure will increase - CORRECT ANSWER A, B, and D Question 6:After a sleep study has been performed, your patient is given a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea. His physician asks for your advice on the best method of management. You would recommend that a. The patient should use nasal CPAP when sleeping. b. The patient should sleep with an oropharyngeal airway to keep the tongue forward in the mouth. c. The patient should always sleep on his back. d. A tracheostomy should be performed, and the patient should be placed on a volume-cycled ventilator to sleep. - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 7: Your patient is being mechanically ventilated when the nurse calls you to evaluate the patient's condition. You discover that her breath sounds are absent over the left lung field, the left-sided percussion note is hyperresonant, and peak airway pressures have increased from 40 to 65 cm H2O. What would you recommend? a. Place a pleural chest tube into the right side. b. Increase the VT to better inflate the atelectatic left lung. c. Change the mode to synchronous intermittent mechanical ventilation from assist/control. d. Place a pleural chest tube into the left side. - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 8: After instructing a home care patient on the use of her small volume nebulizer, you want to be sure that she understands how to fill and clean it. How could you confirm this? a. Have the patient demonstrate use of the nebulizer to you b. Have the patient's boyfriend demonstrate use of the nebulizer to you. c. Have the patient answer your questions about the nebulizer d. Have the patient tell you how the equipment is assembled and cleaned. - CORRECT ANSWER a,c,d b. the patient's breathing rate has decreased c. there is a leak when the neonate turns its head d. someone has accidentally changed the oxygen percentage - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 18: You are taking care of a newborn who has aspirated meconium. You would recommend which of the following ventilator settings: a. I:E of 1:2 b. I:E of 2:1 c. I:E of 1:4 d.I:E of 1:1 - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 19: A premature neonate with a low Apgar score is demonstrating hypoxemia, intercostals retractions, and expiratory grunting noises. What is the best way to correct these problems? a. nebulize albuterol b. suction the neonate c. instill surfactant into the airway d. give supplemental oxygen - CORRECT ANSWER c Question 20: Your patient with pneumonia needs regular suctioning. You notice that her ventilator circuit has blood-streaked sputum in it. What should be done? a. put in a heat-moisture exchanger b. change the circuit c. flush out the sputum with normal saline d. put in a closed airway suctioning system - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 21: A 28-week gestational age neonate has the following arterial blood gas values while breathing 60% oxygen in an oxyhood: PaO2 48 torr, PaCO2 45 torr, and pH 7.35. What should be done in this situation? a. increase the oxygen to 70% b. begin mechanical ventilation c. intubate and being CPAP at 4 cm water d. begin nasal CPAP at 4 cm water - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 22: You are working with an 80-kg (176 lb) patient who is apneic after suffering a stroke. He is being ventilated with the A/C mode and has the following settings: Ve 8 L Rate 10 bpm I:E 1:3 Inspirated O2 40% Mechanical dead space 200 mL The ABG results are as follows: pH 7.33 PaCO2 50 torr PaO2 70 torr HcO3- 24 mEq/L Which of the following would you recommend? a. Decrease the mechanical dead space b. Decrease the patient's Ve c. Change the I:E to 1:2 d. Add 5cm H2O PEEP - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 23: Your patient with post-polio syndrome is being ventilated with a BiPAP system and has an IPAP level of 15 cm water and an EPAP level of 5 cm water. She complains of being short of breath. You check her Vt and find that it has dropped. How should the tidal volume be restored? a. Lower the IPAP level b. Lower the EPAP level c. Raise the IPAP level d. Raise the EPAP level - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 24: Expiratory retard would be indicated in a patient with: a. pulmonary edema b. air trapping on exhalation c. pleural effusion d. pneumothorax - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 25: Your ventilated patient has an exhaled Vt of 800 mL. Because of refractory hypoxemia, 8 cm of PEEP therapy is started. The peak pressure is 40 cm H2O and the static or plateau pressure is 30 cm H2O. The compliance factor has been determined to be 3 mL/cm H2O. Calculate the Cdyn for this patient. a. 32 mL/cm H2O b. 20 mL/cm H2O c. 25 mL/cm H2O d. 1 mL/cm H2O - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 26: Which of the following indicates that the patient is not tolerating PEEP? 1. Increased Cst 2. Decreased Cst 3. Increased intrapulmonary shunt 4. Stable heart rate 5. Decreasing blood pressure a. 1, 3, and 5 b. 2 and 3 c. 3 and 4 d. 2, 3, and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 27: The sensitivity control should be set at what level when the patient is being ventilated on the A/C mode? a. 0 cm H2O b. -1 to -2 cm H2O c. -5 cm H2O d. 1 to 2 cm H2O - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 29: An alert 25-year old patient is receiving mechanical ventilation. She has a spontaneous Vt of 200 mL and the desire to breathe spontaneously. After oral surgery, she has an endotracheal tube that is smaller than the ideal size. Her PaO2 level s 73 torr on 40% O2. What ventilator mode would you recommend for her? a. PSV with PEEP b. CPAP c. SIMV with PSV and PEEP d. SIMV with PSV - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 39:A conscious patient requires nasotracheal suctioning. During the procedure, the patient's blood pressure decreases from 100/60mm Hg, and the heart rate decreases from 110 to 60 bpm. What should be done? a. Change to a catheter with a larger diameter b. Shorten the suctioning time c. Insert an oropharyngeal airway before suctioning d. Squirt 5 mL of saline down the suction catheter into the patient's trachea - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 40: You are suctioning your patient when the vacuum is lost. You should do all of the following EXCEPT a. make sure the vacuum system is working b. make sure a tight connection exists between the suction catheter and the vacuum tubing c. check the catheter to make sure it is not obstructed d. get a larger suction catheter - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 41: You are preparing to suction a patient for a mucus sample when you notice that the vacuum is not reaching the end of the catheter. All of the following are possible causes of this problem EXCEPT: a. the vacuum is not turned on the proper level b. the vacuum tubing, specimen collector, and catheter system are connected so they are airtight c. the catheter is clogged with foreign matter d. the specimen jar is not screwed tightly into the special lid - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 42:Your 40-year old patient has pneumonia in her left lower lobe with a large amount of secretions. What would you recommend to be able to suction her better? a.use the largest diameter suction catheter available b. use a suction catheter with a coude tip c. use the longest suction catheter available d. suction for a longer period - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 43: The best position in which to place a patient before nasotracheal suctioning are 1. Supine 2. trendelenberg's position 3. sniff position (neck and head hyperextended) 4. Semi-fowler position a. 1 and 4 b. 1 and 3 c. 2 and 3 d. 3 and 4 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 44: Removing the tracheal secretions from your adult patient is difficult when you use -60 mm Hg of vacuum pressure. What should you do? suction for 20 seconds suction more frequently increase the vacuum pressure to -80 mm Hg change from the central vacuum system to a portable one - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 45: Your patient is being mechanically ventilated with 60% oxygen and 8 cm H2O of PEEP. Twice her SpO2 and blood pressure have decreased when she was removed from the ventilator for suctioning. What should be recommended to prevent this from happening again? a. switch to a smaller suction catheter b. switch to a larger suction catheter c. increase the PEEP to 10 cm H2O before and after suctioning d. use a closed-system suction catheter - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 46: While working the night shift, you are called to intubate an apneic patient. Which of the following would you need for an emergency oral intubation? 1. Laryngoscope handle 2. Stylet 3. Proper laryngoscope blade 4. 10-mL syringe 5. Magill forceps a. 1 and 2 b. 1, 2, and 5 c. 1, 2, 3 and 4 d. 2, 4, and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 47: A patient with a tracheostomy has just returned from a series of x- ray procedures. Suddenly, she develops respiratory distress and cannot breathe. Your attempt to pass a suction catheter through the tracheostomy tube does not work. You should proceed to: a. attempt to pass a smaller suction catheter b. remove the tracheostomy tube c. attempt to ventilate the patient's lungs with a manual resuscitator d. insert an endotracheal tube - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 48:Your patient is an 18-year old woman who was found unconscious from a drug overdose. She has severe atelectasis of the left lung caused by lying on her left side for 2 days. Her right lung is normal. She is going to require mechanical ventilation to open the atelectatic areas. What endotracheal tube would you suggest should be used to properly treat the abnormal lung? a. Double-lumen b. Standard c. fenestrated tracheostomy d. wire-reinforced - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 49: A conscious patient is recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome and is able to breathe spontaneously off of the mechanical ventilator for several hours. She currently has a standard 7.5 mm ID tracheostomy tube. to help her weaning process but to enable her to be ventilated at night, what should be done? a. remove the tracheostomy tube when she is off the ventilator b. substitute a speaking-type tracheostomy tube c. replace the current tracheostomy tube with one that is 6.0 mm ID d. substitute a fenestrated tracheostomy tube - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 50: Your patient who has a tracheostomy button with attached speaking valve is complaining that it is difficult to breathe. You find that a 12Fr suction catheter cannot be passed through the button. What should be done? a. place a transtracheal oxygen catheter through the tracheostomy button b. force a larger suction catheter through the button c. small vital capacity in a bedridden patient d. the patient has just eaten - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 60: To get the best patient results, manual percussion should be performed with 1. the hand cupped 2. a tight, fixed-wrist position 3. the elbows relaxed 4. the hand flat 5. the wrist relaxed a. 3, 4, and 5 b. 2, 3, and 4 c. 2 and 4 d. 1, 3, and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 61:When doing patient rounds, you notice that very little aerosol is going from a large-volume nebulizer to a patient's tracheostomy mask. Which of the following could be the problem? 1. The water level is above the refill line on the nebulizer's reservoir jar.2. The nebulizer is not screwed tightly into the DISS connector on the flowmeter. 3. The nebulizer jet is obstructed. 4. The water level is below the refill line on the nebulizer's reservoir jar. 5. The capillary tube is obstructed. a. 2, 3, 4, and 5 b. 1 and 2 c. 3 and 4 d. 1 and 4 - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 61:When doing patient rounds, you notice that very little aerosol is going from a large-volume nebulizer to a patient's tracheostomy mask. Which of the following could be the problem? 1. The water level is above the refill line on the nebulizer's reservoir jar.2. The nebulizer is not screwed tightly into the DISS connector on the flowmeter. 3. The nebulizer jet is obstructed. 4. The water level is below the refill line on the nebulizer's reservoir jar. 5. The capillary tube is obstructed. a. 2, 3, 4, and 5 b.. 1 and 2 c. 3 and 4 d. 1 and 4 - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 62: The physician wants a patient with a tracheostomy to inhale room air that is fully saturated at body temperature. The device that you select must be able to meet the following criteria: 1. Deliver 40% relative humidity 2. Deliver 100% relative humidity 3. Provide 47 mm Hg vapor pressure 4. Provide 44 mm Hg vapor pressure 5. Deliver 44 mg/L absolute humidity a. 2 and 4 b. 1, 3, and 5 c. 1 and 4 d. 2, 3, and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 63: Your ultrasonic nebulizer has a flashing couplant indicator light. You notice that the output has decreased from what it was earlier. The most likely problem is a. too much water in the solution cup b. too much water in the couplant chamber c. not enough water in the couplant chamber d. a loose electrical cable - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 64: Your patient's small-volume medication nebulizer is not putting out as much aerosol as it was a short time ago. To correct the problem, you would check which of the following? 1. Make sure the fluid level is correct. 2. Make sure the one-way valve is patent. 3. Make sure the jet is patent. 4. Make sure the O2 can flow down the capillary tube. 5. Make sure the fluid can flow up the capillary tube. a. 1 and 2 b. 1, 3, and 4 c. 2 and 4 d. 1, 3, and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 65: The pop-off valve is whistling on your patient's bubble humidifier to a 35% O2 air entrainment mask. What could be the problem? a. the reservoir jar is not screwed tightly into the top of the humidifier b. the air entrainment mask should be set at 28% O2 c. the small-bore tubing is pinched d. the air entrainment mask should be set at 40% O2 - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 66: An adult patient with chronic bronchitis has a normal temperature. To fully saturate the inhaled air, how much absolute humidity must be provided by the humidifier? a. 35º C b. 47 mm Hg c. 760 mm Hg d. 44 mg/L - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 67: An ultrasonic nebulizer would be recommended for aerosol therapy for the following reason: a. it delivers a wide variety of aerosol droplets b. its aerosol droplets are between 10 and 20 µm in diameter c. it delivers a uniform aerosol droplet of about 3µm in diameter d. it can be used to nebulize bland aerosols and liquid medications into an aerosol - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 68: A physician calls you to evaluate a 40-year old patient with bronchitis and to make a recommendation for an aerosol delivery system. The patient's breath sounds indicate the presence of large airway secretions. Despite a good cough effort, the patient has difficulty in raising them. What would you recommend? a. use a hand-held nebulizer with 3 cc of normal saline every 4 hours b. place the patient into a misent c. start a continuous ultrasonic nebulizer to an aerosol mask d. start a cascade-type humidifier to an aerosol mask - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 69: The physician wants more aerosol inside the mist tent of a 3-year old child. What would be the best way to do this? a. cut a hole in the top of the tent Question 79: You are making general rounds in the hospital when you find a patient whose reservoir tubing has fallen off his 40% T-piece. This would result in which of the following? a. increased inspired O2 b. increased inspired CO2 c. decreased inspired CO2 d. decrease inspired O2 - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 80: The risks of O2 therapy include all of the following EXCEPT a. pulmonary O2 toxicity b. denitrogen absorption atelectasis c. O2-induced hyperventilation d. retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 81: The normal range for the P(a-et)CO2 gradient is a. <1 torr b. 1-5 torr c. more than 15 torr d. about 40 torr - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 82: Your patient is known to have advanced COPD. when checking his Vd/Vt ratio, you would expect it to be a. unaffected by his condition b. increased c. normal d. decreased - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 83:Calculate a patient's pulmonary artery diastolic-pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PAd-PCWP) gradient if the PAP is 30/12 mm Hg and the PCWP is 8 mm Hg. a. 38 mm Hg b. 12 mm Hg c. 8 mm Hg d. 4 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 84: An adult patient has had a pulmonary artery catheter inserted. A normal PAP pressure in this patient would be a. 8 mm Hg b. 25/10 mm Hg c. 35/15 mm Hg d. 120/80 mm Hg - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 85: Capnography will be used to monitor a patient's recovery from anesthesia. What gas should be used for the "zero" calibration? a. room air for 0% carbon dioxide b. room air for 21% oxygen c. 5% carbon dioxide d. the same concentration of anesthetic gas as used with the patient - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 86: A patient with a history of congestive heart failure is inadvertently given intravenous fluids of 2000 mL instead of the ordered amount of 200 mL. Which of the following is most likely to be seen? a. decreased lung markings on chest radiograph b. increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure c. increased PaO2 d. decreased pulmonary artery pressure - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 87: A 40-year old patient recovering from ARDS is receiving mechanical ventilation with a tidal volume of 650 mL. The patient has an arterial line, a pulmonary arthery catheter, and capnometry for monitoring. The following information is gathered after a change in PEEP level: PaCo2 43 torr PaO2 79 torr PvO2 32 torr PetCO2 38 torr PeCO2 22 torr Calculate the patient's Vd a. 273 mL b. 319 mL c. 338 mL d. 384 mL - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 88: When evaluating a patient's stroke volume, which of the following is true? a it is an indicator of the adequacy of perfusion of the body tissues b. it is the output of blood for 1 minute c. it has a range of 50 to 120 mL in the adult d. it is the resistance to flow - CORRECT ANSWER C Question 89: The physician wants to know whether a new bronchodilator would be helpful to his patient with asthma. He orders a before and after bronchodilator study. The patient has the following peak flow values: 7.5L/min before the medication and 9.4 L/min after the medication. Calculate her percentage change. a. 25% b. 1.25%. c. -25% d. 80% - CORRECT ANSWER A Question 90: Which of the following are true of the PF measurement? 1. It is usually seen at the end of the patient's FVC effort. 2. It increases with height. 3. It increases with age. 4. It decreases with age. 5. It is usually seen at the beginning of the patient's FVC effort. a. 1, 2, and 3 b. 2, 4, and 5 c. 1, 2, and 4 d. 4 and 5 - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 91:Your patient has an FEV1% that is calculated to be 80% of his FVC. On the basis of this finding, the patient probably a. is having an asthma attack b. has a laryngeal tumor c. has a fibrotic lung disease d. is clinically normal - CORRECT ANSWER D Question 92: A patient weighs 45 kg (100 lb). Her predicted Vt would be a. 550 mL a. Rise of 0.10 unit b. Fall of 0.05 unit c. Fall of 0.10 unit. d. Rise of 0.05 unit - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 102: Interpret the following blood gas drawn from a patient who is breathing 35% O2: PaO2 86 torr SaO2 90% pH 7.29 PaCO2 37 torr HCO3- 17 mEq/L BE -8 mEq/L 1. Corrected hypoxemia 2. Uncorrected hypoxemia 3. Compensated metabolic acidosis 4. Uncompensated metabolic acidosis 5. Compensated respiratory acidosis a. 2 and 4 b. 1 and 4 c. 2 and 5 d. 1 and 3 - CORRECT ANSWER B Question 103: Interpret the following blood gas drawn from a patient who is breathing 60% O2: PaO2 72 torr SaO2 945 pH 7.18 PaCO2 50 torr HCO3- 18 mEq/L BE 10 mEq/L 1. Uncorrected hypoxemia 2. Corrected hypoxemia 3. Uncorrected respiratory acidosis 4. Uncorrected metabolic acidosis 5. Combined metabolic and respiratory acidosis a. 1 and 5. b. 2 and 5. c. 2 and 3 d. 2 and 4 - CORRECT ANSWER A Why do you use a Coude tip for Left Mainstream suctioning? - CORRECT ANSWER It is used for the Left side mainly due to the angle of the suction tip. What is normal suctioning pressure? - CORRECT ANSWER -80--100 What is time frame for suctioning a patient? - CORRECT ANSWER 10-15 seconds What is trendeleberg position? - CORRECT ANSWER head down, feet up What is Sniff position? - CORRECT ANSWER head and neck hyperextended What would help with putting a patient in sniff position? - CORRECT ANSWER a neck roll What is Semi-Fowler's position? - CORRECT ANSWER Head elevated 30-45% What is frustrated tube? - CORRECT ANSWER Fenestrations permit airflow, which, in addition to air leaking around the tube, allows the patient to phonate and cough more effectively What is macroglossia? - CORRECT ANSWER enlarged tongue