MOST health insurance for the working age population is obtained through employment

A 46-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a chief complaint of shortness of breath

Physical assessment reveals: pulse 102 beats/min, blood pressure 138/80 mm Hg, respiratory rate 25 breaths/min with accessory muscle use, and breath sounds are decreased with bilateral inspir-atory and expiratory wheezing with a prolonged expiratory phase. The peak expiratory flow rate is 100 L/min. The immediate action by the respiratory therapist should include which of the fol-lowing? a. Intubate and mechanically ventilate. b. Administer oxygen via nonrebreather mask. c. Administer continuous bronchodilator therapy. d. Initiate noninvasive positive pressure ven-tilation.

How long after PEEP is increased should all ventilatory and available hemodynamic parameters be measured and calculated?

a. 5 minutes b. 15 minutes c. 25 minutes d. 40 minutes