TEST BANK
,Chapter 01: The Patient Interview
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The respiratory care practitioner is conducting a patient interview. The main purpose of this
interview is to:
a. review data with the patient.
b. gather subjective data from the patient.
c. gather objective data from the patient.
d. fill out the history form or checklist.
ANS: B
The interview is a meeting between the respiratory care practitioner and the patient. It allows the
collection of subjective data about the patient’s feelings regarding his/her
condition. The history should be done before the interview. Although data can be reviewed,
that is not the primary purpose of the interview.
2. For there to be a successful interview, the respiratory therapist must:
a. provide leading questions to guide the patient.
b. reassure the patient.
c. be an active listener.
d. use medical terminology to show knowledge of the subject matter.
ANS: C
The personal qualities that a respiratory therapist must have to conduct a successful interview include
being an active listener, having a genuine concern for the patient, and having empathy. Leading
questions must be avoided. Reassurance may provide a false sense of comfort to the patient. Medical
jargon can sound exclusionary and paternalistic to a patient.
3. Which of the following would be found on a history form?
1. Age
2. Chief complaint
3. Present health
4. Family history
5. Health insurance provider
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4, 5
d. 1, 2, 3, 4
ANS: D
Age, chief complaint, present health, and family history are typically found on a health history
form because each can impact the patient’s health. Health insurance provider information, while
needed for billing purposes, would not be found on the history form.
, 4. External factors the respiratory care practitioner should make efforts to provide during an
interview include which of the following?
1. Minimize or prevent interruptions.
2. Ensure privacy during discussions.
3. Interviewer is the same sex as the patient to prevent bias.
4. Be comfortable for the patient and interviewer.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
External factors, such as a good physical setting, enhance the interviewing process. Regardless of the
interview setting (the patient’s bedside, a crowded emergency room, an office in the hospital or clinic,
or the patient’s home), efforts should be made to (1) ensure privacy, (2) prevent interruptions, and (3)
secure a comfortable physical environment (e.g., comfortable room temperature, sufficient lighting,
absence of noise). An interviewer of either gender, who acts professionally, should be able to
interview a patient of either gender.
5. The respiratory therapist is conducting a patient interview. The therapist chooses to use
open-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow the therapist to do which of the
following?
1. Gather information when a patient introduces a new topic.
2. Introduce a new subject area.
3. Begin the interview process.
4. Gather specific information.
a. 4
b. 1, 3
c. 1, 2, 3
d. 2, 3, 4
ANS: C
An open-ended question should be used to start the interview, introduce a new section of questions,
and gather more information from a patient’s topic. Closed or direct questions are used to gather
specific information.
6. The direct question interview format is used to:
1. speed up the interview.
2. let the patient fully explain his/her situation.
3. help the respiratory therapist show empathy.
4. gather specific information.
a. 1, 4
b. 2, 3
c. 3, 4
d. 1, 2, 3
ANS: A
Direct or closed questions are best to gather specific information and speed up the interview. Open-
ended questions are best suited to let the patient fully explain his/her situation and possibly help the
respiratory therapist show empathy.
, 7. During othe ointerview othe opatient ostates, o“Every otime oI oclimb othe ostairs oI ohave oto ostop
oto ocatch omy obreath.” oHearing othis, othe orespiratory otherapist oreplies, o“So, oit osounds
olike oyou oget oshort oof obreath oclimbing ostairs.” oThis ointerviewing otechnique ois ocalled:
a. clarification.
b. modeling.
c. empathy.
d. reflection.
ANS: o D
With oreflection, opart oof othe opatient’s ostatement ois orepeated. oThis olets othe opatient oknow othat
owhat ohe/she osaid owas oheard. oIt oalso oencourages othe opatient oto oelaborate oon othe otopic.
Clarification, omodeling, oand oempathy oare oother ocommunication otechniques.
8. The orespiratory otherapist omay ochoose oto ouse othe opatient ointerview otechnique oof
osilence oin owhich oof othe ofollowing osituations?
a. To oprompt othe opatient oto oask oa oquestion
b. After oa odirect oquestion
c. After oan oopen-ended oquestion
d. To oallow othe opatient oto oreview ohis/her ohistory
ANS: o C
After oa opatient ohas oanswered oan oopen-ended oquestion, othe orespiratory otherapist oshould opause
o(use osilence) obefore oasking othe onext oquestion. oThis opause oallows othe opatient oto oadd osomething
oelse obefore omoving oon. oThe opatient omay oalso ochoose oto oask oa oquestion.
9. To ohave othe omost oproductive ointerviewing osession, owhich oof othe ofollowing otypes oof
N R I G B.
oresponses oto oassist oin othe ointerview oshouUld otShe orNespTiratory otOherapist oavoid?
a. Confrontation
b. Reflection
c. Facilitation
d. Distancing
ANS: o D
With oconfrontation, othe orespiratory otherapist ofocuses othe opatient’s oattention oon oan oaction, ofeeling,
oor ostatement omade oby othe opatient. oThis omay oprompt oa ofurther odiscussion. oReflection ohelps
othe opatient ofocus oon ospecific oareas oand ocontinues oin ohis/her oown oway. oFacilitation oencourages
opatients oto osay omore, oto ocontinue owith othe ostory. oThe orespiratory otherapist oshould oavoid
ogiving oadvice, ousing oavoidance olanguage, oand ousing odistancing olanguage.
10. When oclosing othe ointerview, othe orespiratory otherapist oshould odo owhich oof othe ofollowing?
1. Recheck othe opatient’s ovital osigns.
2. Thank othe opatient.
3. Ask oif othe opatient ohas oany oquestions.
4. Close othe odoor obehind ohimself/herself ofor opatient oprivacy.
a. 2
b. 2, o3
c. 1, o3, o4
d. 1, o2, o4 oANS: o B
