Respiratory Care Study Sheet

These flashcards cover key concepts and definitions related to respiratory care, legal and ethical considerations, infection control, and physiological terms.

Sanctions for breaking the law

Criminal penalties, civil penalties, licensure actions, and professional disciplinary actions.

AARC Code of Ethics principles

Competent care, protect confidentiality, advocate for patients, practice with honesty, avoid fraud, maintain competency.

Role Fidelity

Perform only duties within your professional scope and ethical boundaries.

Ethical decision steps

Identify problem, gather facts, evaluate ethical principles, consider options and outcomes, make ethical decision.

Negligence

Failure to act with reasonable care.

HIPAA

Protects patient information.

PHI

Identifiable patient information protected under HIPAA.

ABGs

Arterial Blood Gases, used to assess ventilation (CO2), oxygenation (PaO2), and acid-base balance (pH, HCO3-).

Room air oxygen concentration

Room air contains approximately 21% oxygen.

Main source of infection

Hands of healthcare workers.

HAI risk factors

Age, poor immunity, long stays, invasive devices, surgery, poor hand hygiene.

Transmission: Direct contact

Examples include MRSA and C. diff.

Transmission: Indirect contact

Involves contaminated equipment.

Transmission: Droplet

Includes diseases like flu and pertussis.

Transmission: Airborne

Includes TB, measles, and varicella.

PPE for TB/COVID/measles

N95 respirator, gown, gloves, eye protection.

Handwashing time

Recommended duration is 20 seconds.

Airborne diseases & symptoms

TB presents with chronic cough; measles with rash; varicella with vesicles.

Cleaning levels

Cleaning removes dirt; disinfection kills most pathogens; sterilization kills all including spores.

Infection transmission elements

Consists of Source, susceptible host, and route.

Infection prevention components

Includes hand hygiene, standard precautions, transmission precautions, equipment processing, and surveillance.

Common infection source

Patient’s own flora.

HEPA filters in ventilators

Prevent airborne pathogens from entering or leaving circuits.

Direct-contact diseases

Examples include MRSA, VRE, C. diff, and scabies.

Orthopnea

Difficulty lying flat.

Platypnea

Difficulty upright.

Eupnea

Normal breathing.

Apnea

No breathing.

Sputum terms: Fetid

Describes a foul smell.

Sputum terms: Mucoid

Describes clear/thick sputum.

Sputum terms: Purulent

Describes pus in sputum.

Sputum terms: Tenacious

Describes sticky sputum.

Hemoptysis

Presence of blood in sputum.

Tachypnea

Characterized by rapid breathing.

Stridor

An upper-airway sound indicative of obstruction.

Critical life functions

Include ventilation (PaCO2), oxygenation (PaO2), circulation (BP), and metabolism (pH).

Heart blood types: Right side

Contains deoxygenated blood.

Heart blood types: Left side

Contains oxygenated blood.

When to collect sputum

During productive cough, fever, pneumonia signs, change in color or amount.