Page 1
Certified Flight Registered Nurse Exam Prep (CFRN) Study
Guide Questions & Answers.
Vibrations related to physiologic stressors of flight - ANS the WORST stressor.
- Motion fatigue and sickness.
-increased pain with fractures.
- may increase ETCO2
- increase padding to decrease vibrations.
Gravitational forces related to physiological stressors of flight - ANS Results in pooling
of blood.
Noise and physiological stressors of flight... - ANS Interferes most with physical
assessment and decreases communication.
Vision impairment and physiological stressors of flight - ANS Night vision affected as
early as 5,000 feet mean sea level (MSL).
- Avoid inside light use and use supplemental O2.
Temperature and physiological stressors of flight - ANS Temperature drops by 2
degrees Celsius (C) for every 1,000 feet increase in altitude along with decreased
humidity.
- Cold, high, and dry = negative impact.
What are the most common reasons for patient death during a flight? - ANS Cardiac
tamponed
Tension pneumothorax
Hypovolemia.
Fuel vapors can cause... - ANS Eye irritation
Altered mental status (AMS).
Nausea.
Flicker vertigo and physiologic stressors of flight... - ANS Seizures - cover patient's eyes
to prevent.
Flicker vertigo is sunlight through the wind-milling propeller.
Spatial disorientation from clouds, water, or deserts may cause... - ANS Increases of
motion sickness.
Bar otitis Media - ANS Obstruction of Eustachian tubes that causes pain, tinnitus, and
vertigo on descent.
, Page 2
Barodontalgia (aerodontalgia) - ANS Use warm compresses to relieve dental pain on
ascent.
Baron = Boyle's
What will happen to untreated pneumothorax on ascent? - ANS An untreated
pneumothorax will expand on ascent.
May require a needle decompression or chest tube placement.
Bar sinusitis - ANS Obstruction of sinus passages may cause pain or epistaxis on
ascent.
Valhalla maneuvers can be used to equate pressures.
Baron = Boyle's
Boyle's Law - ANS Trapped gas expands with altitude (air splints, chest tubes, ET cuff
pressure, hollow organs, increases IV fluids rate, IABP purge)
Insert gastric tube and vent for gastric distension, bowel obstruction, and ileus.
Insert chest tube for small pneumothorax in rotor-wing transport.
No air transport for pneumocephalus (air in cranial cavity).
Henry's "Heineken" Law - ANS Nitrogen (N2) bubbles cause decompression sickness
"The Bends".
Charles' "Centigrade" Law - ANS Gas expands as temperature increases. An increase
in altitude leads to a decrease in temperature.
Allows you to transport a heavier patient in cooler temperatures (due to more lift from
dense cooler air).
Dalton' "Gang" Law - ANS More O2 required at higher altitude (altitude hypoxia).
Gases are 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, 1% trace at all levels but further apart as ascend
(Dalton disperse).
Gay-Lussac's Law - ANS Pressure in the O2 tanks (change in PSI) decreases as
temperature drops and increases with heat.
Atmospheric pressure at sea level? 33 ft. lower? 66 feet lower? - ANS 1 ATM = 760 tort
at sea level.
33 feet below sea level = 2 ATM
66 feet below sea level = 3 ATM.
Diving Emergencies: Air Gas Embolism - ANS Air gas Embolism due to Boyle's Law in
inexperienced divers.
Breathe holding compressed air during ascent forces air through alveoli into the skin in
Certified Flight Registered Nurse Exam Prep (CFRN) Study
Guide Questions & Answers.
Vibrations related to physiologic stressors of flight - ANS the WORST stressor.
- Motion fatigue and sickness.
-increased pain with fractures.
- may increase ETCO2
- increase padding to decrease vibrations.
Gravitational forces related to physiological stressors of flight - ANS Results in pooling
of blood.
Noise and physiological stressors of flight... - ANS Interferes most with physical
assessment and decreases communication.
Vision impairment and physiological stressors of flight - ANS Night vision affected as
early as 5,000 feet mean sea level (MSL).
- Avoid inside light use and use supplemental O2.
Temperature and physiological stressors of flight - ANS Temperature drops by 2
degrees Celsius (C) for every 1,000 feet increase in altitude along with decreased
humidity.
- Cold, high, and dry = negative impact.
What are the most common reasons for patient death during a flight? - ANS Cardiac
tamponed
Tension pneumothorax
Hypovolemia.
Fuel vapors can cause... - ANS Eye irritation
Altered mental status (AMS).
Nausea.
Flicker vertigo and physiologic stressors of flight... - ANS Seizures - cover patient's eyes
to prevent.
Flicker vertigo is sunlight through the wind-milling propeller.
Spatial disorientation from clouds, water, or deserts may cause... - ANS Increases of
motion sickness.
Bar otitis Media - ANS Obstruction of Eustachian tubes that causes pain, tinnitus, and
vertigo on descent.
, Page 2
Barodontalgia (aerodontalgia) - ANS Use warm compresses to relieve dental pain on
ascent.
Baron = Boyle's
What will happen to untreated pneumothorax on ascent? - ANS An untreated
pneumothorax will expand on ascent.
May require a needle decompression or chest tube placement.
Bar sinusitis - ANS Obstruction of sinus passages may cause pain or epistaxis on
ascent.
Valhalla maneuvers can be used to equate pressures.
Baron = Boyle's
Boyle's Law - ANS Trapped gas expands with altitude (air splints, chest tubes, ET cuff
pressure, hollow organs, increases IV fluids rate, IABP purge)
Insert gastric tube and vent for gastric distension, bowel obstruction, and ileus.
Insert chest tube for small pneumothorax in rotor-wing transport.
No air transport for pneumocephalus (air in cranial cavity).
Henry's "Heineken" Law - ANS Nitrogen (N2) bubbles cause decompression sickness
"The Bends".
Charles' "Centigrade" Law - ANS Gas expands as temperature increases. An increase
in altitude leads to a decrease in temperature.
Allows you to transport a heavier patient in cooler temperatures (due to more lift from
dense cooler air).
Dalton' "Gang" Law - ANS More O2 required at higher altitude (altitude hypoxia).
Gases are 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, 1% trace at all levels but further apart as ascend
(Dalton disperse).
Gay-Lussac's Law - ANS Pressure in the O2 tanks (change in PSI) decreases as
temperature drops and increases with heat.
Atmospheric pressure at sea level? 33 ft. lower? 66 feet lower? - ANS 1 ATM = 760 tort
at sea level.
33 feet below sea level = 2 ATM
66 feet below sea level = 3 ATM.
Diving Emergencies: Air Gas Embolism - ANS Air gas Embolism due to Boyle's Law in
inexperienced divers.
Breathe holding compressed air during ascent forces air through alveoli into the skin in
