Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

The Joint Commission accredits most home care companies.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Contacting the patient's physician is a good idea if the patient cannot use the MDI correctly.

Question 3

The primary tools used to conduct a home care patient assessment include all of the following except a:

Accepted Answer

The bronchoscope is not used in the home care setting.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Patients who cook are often afraid that their oxygen may explode around heat, so they often remove the oxygen cannula.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

Patient assessment is the key to success for an RT who is providing home care.

Question 6

Which of the following is not true of respiratory home care?

Accepted Answer

Respiratory home care has been shown to reduce the number of future hospitalizations, reduce the costs of medical care, help a patient become more independent, and enhance a patient's quality of life.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The home care RT should observe and document any psychosocial issues that are present, such as anxiety or depression. These observations must be communicated to the patient's attending physician.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

About 12 million patients are expected to need home care in the United States by the year 2016.

Question 9

Which of the following conditions is least likely to be seen and treated by an RT in the home care setting?

Accepted Answer

Burn victims are not likely to be treated at home.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Radiation technology is not needed in the home care setting.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

Pulse oximetry should be done only after a physician order has been written.

Question 12

Which of the following should be identified by an RT during the initial home care interview of the patient and caregivers?

Accepted Answer

The home care RT will need to interview the patient to identify numerous issues. The patient's smoking history, current list of medications, and pulmonary risk factors such as animals in the home are just a few of the issues that must be identified.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Oxygen therapy is the most common respiratory care modality used in the home.

Question 14

Which of the following may cause cognitive impairment of the home care patient and may impede education efforts by an RT?

Accepted Answer

Acute hypoxemia, stroke, and the use of certain medications such as sleeping pills have been known to impair cognitive function in patients.

Question 15

A visit by a home care RT is required for a patient who is using any of the following types of equipment except:

Accepted Answer

Patients who are using a pneumatic nebulizer do not have to be visited by the RT.

Question 16

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?

Accepted Answer

End-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO₂) levels reflect the degree of effective ventilation.

Question 17

Which of the following should the RT assess during environmental evaluation of the home care patient's living place?

Accepted Answer

The home care RT does an environmental assessment of the patient's living place to evaluate the safety and capabilities of the home.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

The primary role of the home care RT is to teach the patient and set up needed equipment.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

Current reimbursement laws do not allow HMEs to bill for the time an RT spends in the home teaching and treating the patient.

Question 20

For which of the following conditions (which is the third most common cause of death in the United States) are both mortality rates and prevalence rates increasing?

Accepted Answer

COPD is a common cause of death in the United States.

Quiz 20: Home Care Patient Assessment