Free TMC Practice Sampler
10 questions per round · a rationale for every option, right and wrong.
Question 1 of 10
During volume-control ventilation the peak inspiratory pressure rises sharply while the plateau pressure stays unchanged. The most likely cause is:
Written by Apex Respiratory Editorial Team
About this sampler
Ten free NBRC TMC-style questions spanning all three matrix categories — patient data, equipment troubleshooting, and initiation & modification — across mechanical ventilation, ABG & acid-base, oxygen therapy, pharmacology, and airway management. Every option shows a rationale, so the wrong answers teach as much as the right one. A free taste of the full board-prep question banks.
Educational use only. Practice questions are written for exam preparation and may simplify real clinical nuance. This material supports respiratory therapy education and exam review. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or physician orders. Always follow facility policies and current provider orders, and verify calculations independently before clinical use.
Sources
- Kacmarek RM, Stoller JK, Heuer AJ. Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2021.
- Hess DR, Kacmarek RM. Essentials of Mechanical Ventilation. 4th ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2019.
- Gardenhire DS. Rau's Respiratory Care Pharmacology. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2024.
- Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network; Brower RG, Matthay MA, Morris A, et al. N Engl J Med. 2000;342(18):1301-1308.