Respiratory Therapist exam questions
3 exam-length papers built to the published Respiratory Therapist blueprint.
DHA RES5882Pass 60%3 papers · 508 Qs
What is riding on this exam
~AED 880
Exam fee, per attempt
Published by DHA. Paid again on every re-sit.
3
Attempts - in total
The cap is three across all UAE authorities, not three each.
60%
Pass mark
Pass or fail only. Your score is never released.
One failed attempt costs you the fee again, plus months of delay on your licence, your visa and your start date. This bank costs about a 4th of one exam fee.
Try two questions from this bank
Real questions from the bank - pick an answer to see the rationale and reference.
Q1Respiratory Pharmacology & Medication Administration
A patient with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema receives intravenous furosemide. Which set of findings would best indicate a favourable respiratory response together with an expected adverse effect to monitor?
Choose an answer to see the rationale.
Q2Airway Clearance, Lung Expansion & Pulmonary Rehabilitation
After three days of postural drainage and percussion for right lower lobe atelectasis, which combination of findings best indicates that the therapy has been effective?
Choose an answer to see the rationale.
Not sure where you stand? Sit 25 of these questions free, timed at real exam pace, and see which domains you are weakest in.
Take the free mock exam →Liked those? The full bank has 508 questions at this standard - every one with a rationale and a reference.
Get the full bank - AED 249What's inside
- ✓3 full-length papers (~150 Q each)
- ✓508 questions, no overlap between papers
- ✓Four options, one unambiguous best answer
- ✓A full rationale on every question
- ✓A real guideline or textbook reference
- ✓Every sub-topic in the published blueprint
Exam route by authority
| Authority | Delivered by | Specialist title |
|---|---|---|
| DHA - Dubai | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| DOH - Abu Dhabi | Pearson VUE | Computer-based MCQ |
| MOHAP - Northern Emirates | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| SCFHS - Saudi Arabia | Prometric / Pearson | Computer-based MCQ |
| QCHP - Qatar | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| NHRA - Bahrain | Prometric | Computer-based MCQ |
| OMSB - Oman | Prometric | MCQ then oral viva |
Assessment mode depends on your licence title as well as your profession. Confirm your own route on your Sheryan / TAMM eligibility notice.
What the Respiratory Therapist exam covers
The published blueprint for this exam breaks into 13 domains and 254 testable sub-topics. Our bank covers every one of them - here is the full map, so you can see exactly what you are expected to know.
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy, Physiology & Pathophysiology~7% (est.)19 topics
- Upper and lower airway anatomy: nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchial tree generations, alveolar-capillary membrane
- Lung lobes, segments, fissures, pleura and surface landmarks used for auscultation and postural drainage
- Thoracic cage, diaphragm, accessory muscles of inspiration and expiration, and their innervation (phrenic C3-C5)
- Mechanics of ventilation: transpulmonary pressure, elastic recoil, surface tension, surfactant, compliance and airway resistance
- Lung volumes and capacities: TV, IRV, ERV, RV, VC, FRC, TLC, IC and their changes in obstructive vs restrictive disease
- Time constants, dynamic vs static compliance, work of breathing and the pressure-volume curve
- +13 more in the bank
Patient Assessment & Clinical Data Evaluation~10% (est.)20 topics
- Review of the patient record: history of present illness, physician orders, progress notes, medication reconciliation
- DNR status, advance directives and goals-of-care documentation and their effect on the respiratory care plan
- Interviewing to assess dyspnea, sputum production, exercise tolerance, orthopnea, level of pain and smoking pack-years
- Assessing level of consciousness, orientation, emotional state, ability to cooperate and Glasgow Coma Scale
- Occupational and environmental exposure history, activities of daily living and home support
- Assessing learning needs: literacy, preferred learning style, language, and social/cultural factors
- +14 more in the bank
Arterial Blood Gases, Acid-Base Balance & Oxygenation Assessment~8% (est.)19 topics
- Arterial puncture technique, site selection, modified Allen test, contraindications and complications
- Arterial line insertion assistance, sampling, transducer leveling/zeroing, waveform damping and troubleshooting
- Capillary and umbilical/venous blood gas sampling: indications, limitations and interpretation caveats
- Pre-analytic errors: air bubbles, heparin dilution, delayed analysis, venous admixture and their effect on results
- Systematic ABG interpretation: pH, PaCO2, HCO3-, base excess, PaO2, SaO2
- Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis: causes, acute vs chronic, expected compensation rules
- +13 more in the bank
Pulmonary Function Testing, Diagnostic Procedures & Chest Imaging~7% (est.)20 topics
- Spirometry technique, ATS/ERS acceptability and repeatability criteria, and coaching for maximal effort
- FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%, PEF: interpretation of obstructive vs restrictive vs mixed patterns
- Severity grading of obstruction and use of predicted values, lower limit of normal and z-scores
- Bronchodilator responsiveness testing: protocol, withhold times and criteria for a significant response
- Bronchoprovocation testing: methacholine, exercise and mannitol challenge; PC20/PD20 interpretation and safety
- Flow-volume loop pattern recognition: fixed and variable intra/extrathoracic upper airway obstruction
- +14 more in the bank
Oxygen Therapy, Medical Gas Delivery, Humidity & Aerosol Therapy~7% (est.)19 topics
- Indications, hazards and goals of oxygen therapy; target saturation ranges in acute illness and in COPD
- Low-flow devices: nasal cannula, simple mask, partial rebreathing and non-rebreathing masks - FIO2 ranges and limitations
- High-flow and fixed-performance devices: air-entrainment (Venturi) mask, air-entrainment nebulizer, total flow calculations
- Heated high-flow nasal cannula: mechanism, flow/FIO2 settings, PEEP effect, humidification and weaning
- Oxygen toxicity, absorption atelectasis, retinopathy of prematurity and CO2 retention with uncontrolled oxygen
- Cylinder physics: contents, factors, duration-of-flow calculations, safety systems (PISS, DISS, ASSS), color coding
- +13 more in the bank
Airway Management & Artificial Airways~7% (est.)19 topics
- Head positioning, jaw thrust, chin lift and sniffing position for airway patency
- Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways: sizing, insertion technique, indications and contraindications
- Supraglottic airways: laryngeal mask airway, esophageal-tracheal tubes - sizing, placement and limitations
- Endotracheal intubation: equipment preparation, tube sizing, blade selection, rapid-sequence intubation medications, therapist role
- Difficult airway recognition and the difficult airway algorithm, bougie, video laryngoscopy, tube exchangers
- Confirmation of tube placement: waveform capnography, auscultation, chest rise, radiograph, tube depth markings
- +13 more in the bank
Mechanical Ventilation: Initiation, Management & Liberation~13% (est.)20 topics
- Indications for mechanical ventilation and criteria for acute ventilatory failure and impending failure
- Physiologic effects of positive pressure ventilation on cardiac output, ICP, renal and hepatic perfusion
- Ventilator classification: control variable, trigger, limit, cycle; volume vs pressure targeting; breath types
- Modes: assist/control (VC and PC), SIMV, pressure support, CPAP, PRVC/adaptive modes, APRV, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation
- Initial settings: tidal volume by predicted body weight, rate, FIO2, PEEP, I:E ratio, flow pattern, trigger sensitivity
- PEEP: physiologic effects, optimal PEEP determination, auto-PEEP/intrinsic PEEP detection and management
- +14 more in the bank
Airway Clearance, Lung Expansion & Pulmonary Rehabilitation~6% (est.)19 topics
- Indications, contraindications and hazards of bronchial hygiene therapy; selecting the appropriate technique
- Postural drainage positions by lung segment, percussion and vibration technique and modifications
- Directed cough, huff cough, autogenic drainage and the active cycle of breathing technique
- Manually assisted cough and abdominal thrust in neuromuscular disease
- Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and oscillatory PEP devices (flutter, Acapella) - setup and coaching
- High-frequency chest wall oscillation vests and intrapulmonary percussive ventilation
- +13 more in the bank
Respiratory Pharmacology & Medication Administration~7% (est.)20 topics
- Principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics applied to inhaled versus systemic routes
- Short-acting beta-2 agonists (salbutamol/albuterol, levalbuterol): dosing, onset, duration, adverse effects, tachyphylaxis
- Long-acting beta agonists (salmeterol, formoterol, indacaterol) and the boxed warning on LABA monotherapy in asthma
- Anticholinergics: ipratropium (SAMA) and tiotropium/glycopyrronium/umeclidinium (LAMA), adverse effects and glaucoma precautions
- Combination bronchodilators and triple therapy (ICS/LABA/LAMA); role in GOLD and GINA step-up therapy
- Inhaled corticosteroids: agents, dosing, local adverse effects (candidiasis, dysphonia), spacer and rinsing counseling
- +14 more in the bank
Neonatal & Pediatric Respiratory Care~6% (est.)19 topics
- Fetal lung development stages, surfactant production, L/S ratio and fetal-to-neonatal circulatory transition
- Perinatal and maternal history assessment: gestational age, APGAR score, Ballard/Dubowitz, maternal risk factors
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program algorithm: initial steps, positive pressure ventilation, compressions, medications, targeted SpO2
- Delivery-room management: thermoregulation, delayed cord clamping, meconium-stained amniotic fluid
- Respiratory distress syndrome: pathophysiology, Silverman score, radiographic findings, surfactant replacement
- Transient tachypnea of the newborn, meconium aspiration syndrome and neonatal pneumonia
- +13 more in the bank
Critical Care, Emergency Response, Resuscitation & Transport~6% (est.)20 topics
- Basic life support: high-quality chest compressions, compression-ventilation ratio, AED use, chain of survival
- Advanced cardiovascular life support algorithms: cardiac arrest, bradycardia, tachycardia, post-cardiac-arrest care
- Airway and ventilation during CPR: bag-mask technique, advanced airway placement, capnography for ROSC and CPR quality
- Basic ECG interpretation: sinus rhythms, atrial fibrillation/flutter, SVT, VT, VF, asystole, PEA, heart blocks
- 12-lead ECG acquisition, lead placement, artifact recognition and identification of ischemia/infarct patterns
- Hemodynamic monitoring: arterial line, CVP, pulmonary artery catheter, cardiac output, SVR/PVR and waveform interpretation
- +14 more in the bank
Equipment Assembly, Troubleshooting & Quality Control~6% (est.)20 topics
- Systematic troubleshooting approach: verify the patient first, then the device; separating patient from equipment problems
- Assembly and function checks of oxygen delivery interfaces: cannulas, masks, heated high-flow systems
- Gas delivery and metering devices: concentrators, liquid systems, flowmeters, regulators, cylinders, blenders, air compressors
- Gas analyzers (oxygen analyzers: polarographic, galvanic, paramagnetic) - calibration, two-point calibration and drift
- Humidifier and HME assembly, water trap management, circuit condensate and rainout troubleshooting
- Nebulizer, MDI, spacer and DPI assembly, output verification and common failure modes
- +14 more in the bank
Patient Safety, Infection Prevention, Professionalism, Ethics & Scope of Practice~10% (est.)20 topics
- Standard precautions: hand hygiene (WHO five moments), gloves, gowns, eye protection and safe injection practices
- Transmission-based precautions: contact, droplet and airborne isolation - room requirements and patient placement
- Personal protective equipment selection, correct donning and doffing sequence, N95/FFP respirator fit testing and seal checks
- Aerosol-generating procedures: risk mitigation, negative-pressure rooms, filtered exhalation and staff protection
- Prevention of healthcare-associated infections: VAP/VAE, CLABSI, CAUTI bundles and the therapist's specific role
- Tuberculosis control, occupational health screening, immunization requirements and post-exposure prophylaxis
- +14 more in the bank
Before you book your exam
Respiratory Therapist licensing in the GCC
Requirements, timelines and salary by country
Do I need to sit a Prometric exam?
Check the format and pass mark for your authority
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Free eligibility check against the PQR criteria
Licensing in the UAE
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Guides and articles
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Frequently asked questions
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