RCP 143 – Clinical Practice II Final Exam Flashcards

This flashcard set covers the vital vocabulary and concepts listed in the RCP 143 Clinical Practice II Final Exam Study Guide, focusing on ABG interpretation, ventilation, oxygen therapy, airway management, and secretion clearance.

Acid-base Status

The clinical interpretation of a patient's arterial blood gas to determine if the condition is respiratory or metabolic, and whether it is an acidosis or alkalosis.

Levels of Compensation

The classification of physiological response to an acid-base imbalance, categorized as uncompensated, partial, or full.

PaO2

The partial pressure of arterial oxygen used to evaluate a patient's oxygenation status.

Hypoventilation

A breathing state characterized by a decrease in ventilation, leading to an increased $PaCO_2$ and a decreased $pH$.

Hyperventilation

A breathing state characterized by an increase in ventilation, leading to a decreased $PaCO_2$ and an increased $pH$.

Minute Ventilation ($V_E$)

The total volume of gas exhaled from the lungs per minute, calculated as tidal volume multiplied by respiratory rate.

Alveolar Ventilation ($V_A$)

The volume of gas that reaches the alveoli and participates in gas exchange.

Dead Space ($V_D$)

The volume of inspired gas that does not participate in gas exchange.

RSBI (Rapid Shallow Breathing Index)

A weaning parameter used to predict the success of a patient's transition off mechanical ventilation.

NIF (Negative Inspiratory Force)

A weaning parameter that measures the maximum pressure generated during an inspiratory effort, indicating respiratory muscle strength.

Low-flow Oxygen Delivery Systems

Devices that provide oxygen at flow rates that do not meet the patient's entire inspiratory demand, resulting in a variable $FiO_2$.

High-flow Oxygen Delivery Systems

Devices that provide a total flow rate of gas that meets or exceeds the patient's inspiratory flow rate, ensuring a fixed $FiO_2$.

OPA (Oropharyngeal Airway)

An airway management device used to keep the tongue from obstructing the airway in unconscious patients.

NPA (Nasopharyngeal Airway)

A flexible tube inserted through the nasal passage to maintain a patent airway.

Vagal Response

A complication of airway management and intubation where stimulation of the vagus nerve causes a drop in heart rate.

Cuff Pressure

The pressure maintained in the inflatable balloon of an endotracheal or tracheostomy tube to provide a seal against the tracheal wall.

IPPB (Intermittent Positive Pressure Breathing)

A short-term respiratory therapy that uses positive pressure to assist breathing, inflate the lungs, and deliver aerosol medication.

Compliance

The ease with which the lungs or chest wall expand; changes in this measurement are critical to monitor during mechanical ventilation.

Humidity Therapy

The process of adding water vapor to inspired gas to maintain mucosal integrity and facilitate secretion clearance.

Aerosol Therapy

The delivery of liquid or solid particles into the respiratory tract for therapeutic purposes.

CPT (Chest Physical Therapy)

A set of secretion management techniques that includes postural drainage and percussion to improve airway clearance.

IS (Incentive Spirometry)

A therapeutic technique using a device to encourage patients to take deep, sustained breaths to prevent atelectasis.

PEP (Positive Expiratory Pressure)

An airway clearance technique that provides resistance during exhalation to help move secretions to the larger airways.

Bronchodilators

Pharmacological agents used to relax bronchial smooth muscle and increase airway diameter.

Mucolytics

Medications designed to thin and break down the structure of mucus to make it easier to expectorate.

Anticholinergics

A class of drugs used in respiratory care to block parasympathetic nerve impulses and prevent bronchoconstriction.

Oxygen Cylinder Duration

A calculation used to determine how long a portable oxygen supply will last based on the cylinder size and the flow rate.