Deck 20: Assessment of the Home Care Patient

Question 1

What is the primary role of an RT in home care?

A) Communicate with other team members.
B) Do the paperwork associated with home care.
C) Provide education and equipment setup.
D) Give treatments as needed.

Answer 1

Provide education and equipment setup.

Question 2

What is a common reason why patients with COPD may suffer acute dyspnea during meal preparation?

A) They have bronchospasm from the odors.
B) They remove their oxygen cannula during cooking.
C) They become nervous about gaining weight.
D) They are afraid of losing their balance.

Answer 2

They remove their oxygen cannula during cooking.

Question 3

Which of the following should the RT assess during environmental evaluation of the home care patient's living place?
1) The presence of smoke detectors
2) An emergency exit route
3) Sources for triggers of bronchospasm
4) Medications the patient is taking

A)1 and 4
B)2 and 3
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4

Answer 3

1, 2, and 3

Question 4

Which of the following should the RT identify during the initial home care interview of the patient and caregivers?
1) Patient smoking history
2) Current list of medications
3) Pulmonary risk factors
4) Health insurance type

A)1 and 2
B)3 and 4
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 5

What should the home care RT do if a patient cannot demonstrate the proper use of his metered-dose inhaler (MDI)?

A) Contact the physician.
B) Switch the patient to a small-volume nebulizer.
C) Discontinue the use of the MDI.
D) Call the patient's nurse.

Question 6

Which of the following may cause cognitive impairment of the home care patient and may impede education efforts by an RT?
1) Acute hypoxemia
2) Stroke
3) Certain medications
4) Asthma

A)1 and 4
B)2 and 3
C)2, 3, and 4
D)1, 2, and 3

Question 7

What is the name of the primary organization that accredits home care companies?

A) Health Care Committee
B) The Joint Commission
C) Medical Examiner's Office
D) Committee for Health Care

Question 8

A visit by a home care RT is required for a patient who is using which of the following types of equipment?
1) An oximeter
2) Bland aerosol therapy equipment
3) A pneumatic nebulizer
4) Oxygen therapy equipment

A)1 and 3
B)2 and 3
C)1, 2, and 4
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 9

In which of the following skills is it most important for a home care respiratory therapist to be proficient?

A) The billing process
B) Time management
C) Patient assessment
D) Communication and teaching skills

Question 10

How many patients are expected to need home care in the United States by the year 2016?

A) 5 million
B) 12 million
C) 25 million
D) 50 million

Question 11

Which of the following are true of respiratory home care?
1) It reduces the number of future hospitalizations.
2) It provides a higher quality of life for the patient.
3) It decreases overall expenditures for medical care.
4) It decreases a patient's ability to independently manage his or her care.

A)1 and 2
B)3 and 4
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 12

Which of the following are primary tools used to conduct a home care patient assessment?
1) A bronchoscope
2) A pulse oximeter.
3) A peak flowmeter
4) A stethoscope

A)1 and 2
B)3 and 4
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 13

What is the role of the RT in evaluating psychosocial issues with the home care patient?

A) The home care RT should not get involved in psychosocial issues.
B) The home care RT should observe and document any psychosocial issues.
C) Any such issues that are observed should be communicated to the physician.
D) Both b and c are correct.

Question 14

Your home care patient has a chronic neuromuscular disease, and ventilation is a concern. Which of the following tests would be most helpful in evaluating this?

A) Chest auscultation
B) Pulse oximetry
C) ETCO₂
D) Peak flow

Question 15

Which of the following conditions are likely to be seen and treated by an RT in the home care setting?
1) COPD
2) Pulmonary fibrosis
3) Sleep-disordered breathing
4) Burns

A)1 and 2
B)3 and 4
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 16

Which of the following is a true statement related to reimbursement for RT services in the home care setting?

A) Only oxygen therapy orders allow the RT to be paid.
B) The HME cannot bill for RT hours.
C) All RT time spent in the home can be billed.
D) Only time spent setting up equipment can be reimbursed.

Question 17

Which of the following staff member is least likely to be a member of the home health care team?

A) Occupational therapist
B) Physical therapist
C) Social worker
D) Radiation technologist

Question 18

Which of the following should be done only with a physician's order?

A) Chest auscultation
B) Change the mode of mechanical ventilation
C) Check of blood pressure
D) Check of body temperature

Question 19

Which of the following disease processes is the Hospital Re-admission Reduction Program targeting?
1) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
2) Bleeding disorders
3) Pneumonia
4) Obstructive sleep apnea

A)1 and 3
B)2 and 4
C)1, 3, and 4
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 20

What is the most common respiratory care modality applied in the home care setting?

A) Intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB)
B) Oxygen therapy
C) Nebulizer therapy
D) Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

Question 21

What may cause pedal edema in the home care patient?

A) Fluid overload
B) Liver failure
C) Pneumonia
D) Use of diuretics

Question 22

The RT who assesses the patient to qualify him or her for home oxygen therapy should do which of the following?
1) Be aware of the guidelines and criteria for qualifying the patient for oxygen therapy.
2) Communicate the process for qualifying for oxygen to the patient.
3) Be directly involved in assessing the patient to qualify the patient for oxygen therapy.
4) Be aware of the physical and function limitations the patient has and assess oxygen needs with activity.

A)1 and 3
B)2 and 3
C)1, 2, and 4
D)2, 3, and 4

Question 23

Which of the following tools should not be provided by the health care team for a patient to effectively manage his or her own care?

A) Equipment and training in how to use it
B) A knowledge base about disease and care needs
C) The ability to monitor oneself and knowledge about when to notify members of the team
D) Arterial blood gas syringes to assess oxygenation

Question 24

After teaching the patient to perform a specific skill for his or her home care, what should the RT do?

A) Document the demonstration.
B) Repeat the demonstration.
C) Ask for a return demonstration.
D) Ask the patient if he or she understands.

Question 25

The home care RT notices that the patient is producing more sputum than usual. What is the most likely cause?

A) Improved vital capacity
B) An allergic reaction
C) A respiratory infection
D) Heart failure

Question 26

If the home care patient is suffering from a poor appetite, what could be the cause?
1) Depression
2) Eupnea
3) Infection
4) Intermittent cough

A)1 and 3
B)2 and 4
C)1, 2, and 3
D)2, 3, and 4