Ventilator Management and Respiratory Support Flashcards
7 cards from real FP-C practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ventilator Management and Respiratory Support flashcards as text
Auto-PEEP (intrinsic PEEP) in a mechanically ventilated patient is best described as:
Answer: Air trapping due to incomplete exhalation before the next breath
Auto-PEEP results from air trapping when expiratory time is insufficient for complete exhalation, increasing baseline alveolar pressure.
A patient with severe asthma is intubated and mechanically ventilated. SpO2 is 94% but bilateral breath sounds are absent. Ventilator shows high peak pressures. The FIRST action should be:
Answer: Disconnect from the ventilator and manually bag slowly
Severe auto-PEEP causing tension physiology requires immediate disconnection to allow passive exhalation and decompress trapped air.
A high-pressure alarm is triggered on the transport ventilator. Which of the following is the LEAST likely cause?
Answer: ETT cuff deflation
ETT cuff deflation would cause a leak and low-pressure/low-volume alarm, not a high-pressure alarm.
Permissive hypercapnia during mechanical ventilation is defined as intentionally allowing PaCO2 to rise above normal in order to:
Answer: Minimize tidal volumes and ventilator-induced lung injury
Permissive hypercapnia accepts elevated PaCO2 as a trade-off for using lower tidal volumes that reduce ventilator-induced lung injury.
Patient-ventilator dyssynchrony during transport is BEST identified by:
Answer: Observation of patient effort against the ventilator and irregular waveforms
Dyssynchrony is identified by observing the patient fighting the ventilator, accessory muscle use, and irregular flow/pressure waveforms on the ventilator.
When transporting a ventilated patient with suspected ARDS, which ventilator strategy is supported by evidence to reduce mortality?
Answer: Low tidal volumes (6 mL/kg IBW) with adequate PEEP
The ARDSNet protocol supports low tidal volume (6 mL/kg IBW) with PEEP titration to reduce mortality in ARDS patients.
A transport ventilator's low-minute-volume alarm activates. Which assessment finding is MOST consistent with this alarm?
Answer: Increased end-tidal CO2 and decreased tidal volume delivery
Low minute volume (reduced tidal volume or rate) means less CO2 elimination, causing ETCO2 to rise, consistent with hypoventilation.