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NBRC RRTFree Registered Respiratory Therapist practice test
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10 real NBRC RRT practice questions with instant answers and explanations — no account, no credit card, no email. Score yourself, then unlock the full bank of 600 questions whenever you’re ready. The NBRC RRT passing score is TMC high cut score of 92/140 + pass the CSE (criterion-referenced).
A patient with ARDS on volume control ventilation has a PaO2 of 55 mmHg on FiO2 0.6 and PEEP 5 cmH2O. Which adjustment is the most appropriate next step to improve oxygenation while limiting oxygen toxicity risk?
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All 10 NBRC RRT questions & answers
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Q1. A patient with ARDS on volume control ventilation has a PaO2 of 55 mmHg on FiO2 0.6 and PEEP 5 cmH2O. Which adjustment is the most appropriate next step to improve oxygenation while limiting oxygen toxicity risk?
Correct answer: A. Increase PEEP
Titrating PEEP upward to recruit alveoli and improve oxygenation is preferred over simply raising FiO2 to very high levels, which increases the risk of absorption atelectasis and oxygen toxicity.
Q2. A 70 kg (ideal body weight) patient with ARDS is placed on volume control ventilation using the ARDSnet low tidal volume protocol. What tidal volume range should be targeted?
Correct answer: C. 4-8 mL/kg IBW
The ARDSnet lung-protective strategy targets 4-8 mL/kg IBW, typically starting near 6 mL/kg, to limit ventilator-induced lung injury.
Q3. Which method is used to identify the 'best PEEP' that maximizes lung compliance without causing overdistension in a patient with ARDS?
Correct answer: B. Performing a decremental PEEP trial while monitoring static compliance
A decremental PEEP trial that tracks static compliance at each level identifies the PEEP associated with the best compliance, balancing recruitment against overdistension.
Q4. A patient with severe COPD on volume control ventilation develops rising peak and plateau pressures with hemodynamic instability, and the RT suspects auto-PEEP from breath stacking. Which ventilator adjustment is most appropriate?
Correct answer: C. Decrease respiratory rate to allow more expiratory time
Auto-PEEP from air trapping is managed by lengthening expiratory time, typically by lowering the respiratory rate or shortening inspiratory time, to allow more complete exhalation.
Q5. To prevent the reservoir bag from fully collapsing during inspiration, a nonrebreather mask should be run at a minimum flow of:
Correct answer: C. 10-15 L/min
A nonrebreather mask requires a flow of at least 10-15 L/min to keep the reservoir bag from collapsing on inspiration and to deliver a high FiO2.
Q6. To minimize the risk of tracheal mucosal ischemia while maintaining an adequate seal, endotracheal tube cuff pressure should be maintained between:
Correct answer: B. 20-30 cmH2O
Cuff pressures of 20-30 cmH2O provide an adequate seal against aspiration while staying below capillary perfusion pressure to reduce tracheal mucosal injury.
Q7. Chest physiotherapy (postural drainage and percussion) is most appropriate for a patient with which condition?
Correct answer: B. Cystic fibrosis with copious secretions
Chest physiotherapy helps mobilize excessive secretions in conditions like cystic fibrosis; it is contraindicated or used cautiously in untreated pneumothorax, active hemoptysis, and unstable pulmonary embolism.
Q8. A standard adult dose of albuterol delivered by small volume nebulizer for acute bronchospasm is:
Correct answer: B. 2.5 mg in 3 mL normal saline
The standard unit-dose albuterol nebule commonly used for acute bronchospasm delivers 2.5 mg in 3 mL of normal saline.
Q9. A patient being evaluated for ventilator liberation has a spontaneous respiratory rate of 28/min and tidal volume of 0.25 L during a spontaneous breathing trial. What is the rapid shallow breathing index and what does it suggest?
Correct answer: C. RSBI = 112; predicts likely weaning failure
RSBI equals respiratory rate divided by tidal volume in liters (28/0.25 = 112). Values above roughly 105 are associated with a higher likelihood of weaning failure.
Q10. Which ventilation mode guarantees a set tidal volume delivery but allows peak inspiratory pressure to vary from breath to breath?
Correct answer: B. Volume control ventilation
In volume control ventilation the clinician sets a fixed tidal volume; the resulting airway pressure varies depending on compliance and resistance.
Exam facts and objectives sourced from the official NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) certification page. Last reviewed June 2026.
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