TMC Equipment Troubleshooting and Infection Control Practice Questions

Section II is 20 of the 140 scored questions. Most of them ask you to find and fix a device problem; the rest cover infection prevention and the quality control of analyzers, PFT equipment, ventilators and monitors.

Take the full TMC practice exam

160 questions in 3 hours with 23 from Equipment and Infection Control, scored against the NBRC cut scores, with an explanation for every answer.

Or try the free Equipment and Infection Control drill
  • 20 of 140 scored questions on the real exam (14%)
  • 8 / 9 / 3 recall / application / analysis questions
  • 76 practice questions in this section, 23 in every mock
Free sample · Question 1 of 5Equipment and Infection Control

A 62-year-old woman is seated in a body plethysmograph, and the door has just been closed. The box pressure signal is drifting steadily. Which action should the therapist take?

What section II covers

The NBRC’s TMC Detailed Content Outline (effective January 2020 through December 31, 2026) splits Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Devices, and Infection Control into 3 sub-areas and fixes how many of the 140 scored questions each contributes.

II-A. Assemble and troubleshoot devices (15)
Oxygen interfaces and sources, CPAP and NPPV, humidifiers, nebulizers and inhalers, resuscitators, ventilators, intubation and suction equipment, blood and gas analyzers, circuits, hyperinflation and secretion clearance devices, heliox, spirometers, pleural drainage, monitors, bronchoscopes and hemodynamic lines.
II-B. Ensure infection prevention (2)
Standard and transmission-based precautions, donning and doffing, disinfection policies and biohazard handling.
II-C. Perform quality control procedures (3)
Blood gas and gas analyzers, PFT equipment, mechanical ventilators and noninvasive monitors.
Line drawing of an oxygen flowmeter, a blender, a disassembled nebulizer, gloves and a bottle of disinfectant
Start the free Equipment and Infection Control drillFull 160-question mock

Topic drills that feed this section

Every topic drill mixes questions from all three sections, so the ones below practice this section’s skills alongside the rest of the exam.

ABG interpretationAcid-base disorders and compensation, hypoxemia, P/F ratio, A-a gradient, shunt, dead space and CO-oximetry.10 questions · UntimedVentilator managementInitial settings, adjusting to blood gases, graphics, alarms, auto-PEEP, dyssynchrony, NIV and weaning.10 questions · UntimedOxygen therapyDevice selection, FiO2 estimates, entrainment ratios, cylinder duration, home oxygen, humidity and aerosol.10 questions · UntimedPulmonary function testsSpirometry acceptability, obstruction and restriction, GOLD grades, DLCO patterns, lung volumes and bedside mechanics.10 questions · UntimedAirway managementIntubation assistance, tube position and cuffs, suctioning, tracheostomy care, speaking valves and extubation.10 questions · UntimedNeonatal and pediatricAPGAR and NRP decisions, RDS and surfactant, oxygen targets, croup, epiglottitis, bronchiolitis and pediatric asthma.10 questions · UntimedPharmacologyBronchodilators, steroids, mucolytics, antimicrobials, vasodilators, heliox, dose arithmetic and delivery devices.10 questions · UntimedPatient assessmentPhysical examination, chest radiographs, ECG rhythms, hemodynamics, capnography and oximetry.10 questions · UntimedEmergencies and proceduresTension pneumothorax, status asthmaticus, overdose, CO poisoning, transport and assisting with procedures.10 questions · UntimedAirway clearance and lung expansionIncentive spirometry, IPPB, PEP devices, postural drainage, assisted cough and oscillation therapy.10 questions · Untimed

Sit all 160 questions under the 3-hour clock

Take the full TMC practice exam

160 questions in 3 hours with 23 from Equipment and Infection Control, scored against the NBRC cut scores, with an explanation for every answer.

Or try the free Equipment and Infection Control drill

Common questions

How much of the TMC is equipment troubleshooting?

20 of the 140 scored questions (about 14%): 15 on assembling and troubleshooting devices, 2 on infection prevention and 3 on quality control procedures.

Which devices does the outline list?

Oxygen interfaces and delivery systems, CPAP and NPPV devices, humidifiers, nebulizers, metered-dose and dry-powder inhalers, resuscitators and AEDs, mechanical ventilators, intubation equipment, artificial airways, suction equipment, blood and gas analyzers, breathing circuits, hyperinflation and secretion clearance devices, heliox delivery, portable spirometers and PFT lab equipment, pleural drainage, noninvasive monitors, bronchoscopes and hemodynamic monitoring hardware.

What does quality control cover?

Calibration and control runs for blood gas and gas analyzers, PFT equipment (spirometry, lung volumes and DLCO), mechanical ventilators and noninvasive monitors, including what to do when a control result is out of range.

Take the full TMC practice exam

160 questions in 3 hours with 23 from Equipment and Infection Control, scored against the NBRC cut scores, with an explanation for every answer.

Or try the free Equipment and Infection Control drill

More TMC practice

Sources

Original independent practice written to the NBRC’s published TMC Detailed Content Outline and standard respiratory care references. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) or PSI.