CTRN (TRANSPORT NURSING) –QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD
PDF.
Core Domains
- Patient Assessment and Preparation for Transport-
- Air and Ground Transport Safety and Operations-
- Advanced Airway Management and Ventilation-
- Trauma and Burn Management in Transport-
- Cardiovascular and Hemodynamic Monitoring-
- Neurological Emergencies and Management-
- Pharmacology and Continuous Infusions-
- Regulatory, Ethical, and Legal Professional Standards-
Introduction
The CTRN practice assessment is designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation
of the specialized knowledge required for the Certified Transport Registered Nurse.
This exam serves to validate the proficiency of nurses operating in the high-stakes
environments of ground and air medical transport. Candidates will be assessed on
,their ability to integrate clinical theory with rapid decision-making in resource-limited
settings. The assessment utilizes a blend of foundational multiple-choice questions
and complex clinical scenarios. Emphasis is placed on patient safety, stabilization,
and the mastery of transport-specific physiology, ensuring that the practitioner is
prepared for the rigorous demands of real-world critical care transport.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. Which of the following physiological changes is most expected when
transporting a patient at higher altitudes according to Boyle’s Law?
A. Decreased partial pressure of oxygen
B. Increased volume of gas in enclosed body cavities
C. Increased solubility of gas in the blood
D. Decreased metabolic rate
🟢 B. Increased volume of gas in enclosed body cavities
🔴 RATIONALE: Boyle’s Law states that the volume of a gas is inversely proportional
to the pressure. As altitude increases and atmospheric pressure decreases, the
volume of gas in spaces like the middle ear, sinuses, or a pneumothorax will expand.
, 2. A patient with a suspected tension pneumothorax is being prepared for
aeromedical transport. What is the priority intervention prior to takeoff?
A. Administration of high-flow oxygen
B. Needle decompression or chest tube insertion
C. Initiation of a secondary large-bore IV
D. Administering a prophylactic sedative
🟢 B. Needle decompression or chest tube insertion
🔴 RATIONALE: Due to Boyle’s Law, a simple pneumothorax can rapidly convert to a
life-threatening tension pneumothorax as barometric pressure drops during ascent.
Definitive decompression must be performed before flight.
3. During transport, a patient on a ventilator experiences a sudden drop in SpO2
and increased peak airway pressures. What is the first action the transport
nurse should take?
A. Increase the FiO2 to 100%
B. Suction the endotracheal tube
C. Disconnect the patient and manually ventilate with a bag-valve mask
D. Order a portable chest X-ray
, 🟢 C. Disconnect the patient and manually ventilate with a bag-valve mask
🔴 RATIONALE: The DOPE mnemonic (Displacement, Obstruction, Pneumothorax,
Equipment) guides troubleshooting. Manually ventilating the patient allows the nurse
to feel for lung compliance and immediately rule out ventilator malfunction.
4. Which gas law explains why a patient may require increased supplemental
oxygen at higher altitudes to maintain the same arterial oxygen saturation?
A. Henry’s Law
B. Charles’s Law
C. Dalton’s Law
D. Graham’s Law
🟢 C. Dalton’s Law
🔴 RATIONALE: Dalton’s Law states that the total pressure of a gas mixture is the
sum of the partial pressures of each gas. At altitude, while the percentage of oxygen
remains 21%, the total atmospheric pressure decreases, leading to a lower partial
pressure of inspired oxygen (PiO2).
5. What is the primary concern when using a glass IV bottle during an air medical
transport?
(VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT DOWNLOAD
PDF.
Core Domains
- Patient Assessment and Preparation for Transport-
- Air and Ground Transport Safety and Operations-
- Advanced Airway Management and Ventilation-
- Trauma and Burn Management in Transport-
- Cardiovascular and Hemodynamic Monitoring-
- Neurological Emergencies and Management-
- Pharmacology and Continuous Infusions-
- Regulatory, Ethical, and Legal Professional Standards-
Introduction
The CTRN practice assessment is designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation
of the specialized knowledge required for the Certified Transport Registered Nurse.
This exam serves to validate the proficiency of nurses operating in the high-stakes
environments of ground and air medical transport. Candidates will be assessed on
,their ability to integrate clinical theory with rapid decision-making in resource-limited
settings. The assessment utilizes a blend of foundational multiple-choice questions
and complex clinical scenarios. Emphasis is placed on patient safety, stabilization,
and the mastery of transport-specific physiology, ensuring that the practitioner is
prepared for the rigorous demands of real-world critical care transport.
SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
1. Which of the following physiological changes is most expected when
transporting a patient at higher altitudes according to Boyle’s Law?
A. Decreased partial pressure of oxygen
B. Increased volume of gas in enclosed body cavities
C. Increased solubility of gas in the blood
D. Decreased metabolic rate
🟢 B. Increased volume of gas in enclosed body cavities
🔴 RATIONALE: Boyle’s Law states that the volume of a gas is inversely proportional
to the pressure. As altitude increases and atmospheric pressure decreases, the
volume of gas in spaces like the middle ear, sinuses, or a pneumothorax will expand.
, 2. A patient with a suspected tension pneumothorax is being prepared for
aeromedical transport. What is the priority intervention prior to takeoff?
A. Administration of high-flow oxygen
B. Needle decompression or chest tube insertion
C. Initiation of a secondary large-bore IV
D. Administering a prophylactic sedative
🟢 B. Needle decompression or chest tube insertion
🔴 RATIONALE: Due to Boyle’s Law, a simple pneumothorax can rapidly convert to a
life-threatening tension pneumothorax as barometric pressure drops during ascent.
Definitive decompression must be performed before flight.
3. During transport, a patient on a ventilator experiences a sudden drop in SpO2
and increased peak airway pressures. What is the first action the transport
nurse should take?
A. Increase the FiO2 to 100%
B. Suction the endotracheal tube
C. Disconnect the patient and manually ventilate with a bag-valve mask
D. Order a portable chest X-ray
, 🟢 C. Disconnect the patient and manually ventilate with a bag-valve mask
🔴 RATIONALE: The DOPE mnemonic (Displacement, Obstruction, Pneumothorax,
Equipment) guides troubleshooting. Manually ventilating the patient allows the nurse
to feel for lung compliance and immediately rule out ventilator malfunction.
4. Which gas law explains why a patient may require increased supplemental
oxygen at higher altitudes to maintain the same arterial oxygen saturation?
A. Henry’s Law
B. Charles’s Law
C. Dalton’s Law
D. Graham’s Law
🟢 C. Dalton’s Law
🔴 RATIONALE: Dalton’s Law states that the total pressure of a gas mixture is the
sum of the partial pressures of each gas. At altitude, while the percentage of oxygen
remains 21%, the total atmospheric pressure decreases, leading to a lower partial
pressure of inspired oxygen (PiO2).
5. What is the primary concern when using a glass IV bottle during an air medical
transport?
