The Acute Respiratory Care Unit of UMMC

/in /by

You are an advanced-level RRT working in the Acute Respiratory Care Unit of UMMC with pulmonologist Jessica Spano, MD. Your patient is Dr. John Carter, a 56-year-old white retired manager of Wal-Mart, who is known to have COPD and is on continual oxygen by nasal prongs.

He has smoked two packs a day for his adult life. Last night, he was unable to sleep because increased shortness of breathe and cough. His cough produced yellow sputum. He has to sit upright in bed to be able to breathe. VS are T 101.6 F, P 98, R 36, BP 150/90. On examination, he is cyanotic and frightened and has nasal prongs in his nose. Air entry is diminished in both lungs, and there are crackles at both bases.

You have been ordered to draw blood for ABGs and to measure the amount of air entering and leaving his lungs by using spirometry.

  1. What is your profession? D
    1. Nurse b. physical therapist c. physician d. respiratory therapist

 

  1. What is another name for nasal “prongs”? A
    1. Cannula b. ventilator c. respirator d. intubation

 

  1. The medical term for “shortness of breath” is
    1. Tachypnea b. Apnea c. Dyspnea d. Eupnea

 

  1. The yellow sputum is indicative of?
    1. Asthma b. Bacterial infection c. Atelectasis d. Pleurisy

 

  1. Cyanosis may indicate
    1. Decreased oxygen in the blood
    2. He has a barrel chest
    3. Increased heart rate
    4. Increased carbon dioxide in the blood
  2. An ABG comes from C
    1. Pleural fluid b. exhaled air c. arterial blood d. sputum analysis