The CTRN (Certified Transport Registered Nurse) is a nursing certification awarded by BCEN.
BCEN publishes the official exam outline, eligibility rules and fees — see BCEN's official page before you book.
In our 1050-card CTRN deck the heaviest topics are Pathology (33%), Management (24%), Procedures (14%) — that is how this deck is weighted, not the official blueprint, so use it to plan practice and check BCEN's exam outline for the real weighting. This guide shows where the material gets hardest, which topics to practise first, and a 5-step plan built on active recall.
Start with the free CTRN practice test
20 mixed questions with answers — find your weak topics before you plan around them →
Based on the 1050 flashcards in our CTRN deck. Use it to budget study time, then confirm the official blueprint with the certifying body below.
| Topic | Cards | Share of deck | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathology | 350 | 33% | Free questions → |
| Management | 250 | 24% | Free questions → |
| Procedures | 150 | 14% | Free questions → |
| Pharmacology | 90 | 9% | Free questions → |
| Basics | 60 | 6% | Free questions → |
| Diagnostics | 40 | 4% | Free questions → |
| Physiology | 40 | 4% | Free questions → |
| Assessment | 30 | 3% | Free questions → |
| Legal | 20 | 2% | in the full deck |
Our CTRN cards carry difficulty ratings. The spread tells you how much of the deck is quick recall versus genuinely demanding:
0
Easy cards
0% of deck
521
Medium cards
50% of deck
520
Hard cards
50% of deck
These are genuine cards from the heaviest-weighted topics above. Answer each one before you reveal it — that is what active recall means in practice.
A transport nurse is picking up a patient from a scene involving a gunshot wound (GSW) that is now a crime scene. What is the priority for evidence preservation while maintaining the Chain of Custody during transport?
Show answer →Clinical care always takes priority, but evidence must be preserved. Key actions: Do not cut through bullet holes in clothing; bag each hand in paper bags (not plastic, which traps moisture and destroys DNA) if the patient is a suspect or victim of a struggle; and secure any physical evidence (bullets that fall out) in labeled containers. The Chain of Custody requires a continuous, documented record of everyone who had possession of the evidence. BCEN Exam Tip: If you must move evidence to provide care, document the original location and the reason for movement.
A patient sustained a 5% BSA burn from Hydrofluoric (HF) acid. They complain of pain out of proportion to exam and the EKG shows a prolonged QTc. What electrolyte abnormality is expected, and what is the specific treatment?
Show answer →Hypocalcemia (HF acid binds calcium and magnesium, forming insoluble salts). Treatment: Calcium Gluconate (topical gel, IV, or intra-arterial). Strategy: HF is unique because it causes deep tissue destruction and systemic toxicity even with small surface area burns. Watch for cardiac arrhythmias (Torsades de Pointes) due to profound hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia.
When positioning a ground ambulance at a highway scene to protect the loading area, what is the fend-off position, and where should the wheels be directed?
Show answer →The ambulance should be parked at a 45-degree angle to the flow of traffic (fend-off) between the scene and oncoming traffic. The front wheels should be turned away from the scene (toward the shoulder). Rationale: If the ambulance is struck from behind by another vehicle, the fend-off angle and wheel direction ensure the ambulance is pushed away from the working providers and the patient, rather than into them. BCEN frequently tests blocking vs. loading positions; the primary blocker (usually a fire engine) provides the buffer zone.
Eligibility, fees, question counts and the current blueprint live on the official BCEN site (linked below). Print the outline — it is the map for everything that follows.
These 3 topics alone account for roughly 71% of our 1050-card CTRN deck. Time spent here pays off more than anywhere else.
Answer questions before flipping to the answer — that struggle is what builds retention. Start with the 30 free CTRN cards, then work through the full deck one category at a time.
After a full pass, re-drill only the cards you missed. Small categories are quick wins — closing a weak topic can be an afternoon's work.
Our deck rates 520 cards as hard. If those feel comfortable in your final two weeks, you are studying above test level.
Put the plan into practice
Every topic in the table above, with progress tracking across devices.
One-time payment · less than 1¢ per card · 30-day money-back guarantee
Try 30 free CTRN cards firstWeight your time toward the biggest topics: in our 1050-card CTRN deck, Pathology has 350 cards (33%), Management has 250 cards (24%), Procedures has 150 cards (14%). Always cross-check against the official BCEN exam outline.
Question counts, time limits and fees change — always confirm them in the official BCEN handbook (linked on this page). For practice, our CTRN deck has 1050 question-and-answer flashcards covering the listed topics.
Difficulty is personal, but our deck's ratings give a sense of the spread: 0 easy, 521 medium and 520 hard cards. If the hard cards feel manageable, you are in good shape.
Try the 30 free CTRN flashcards — no sign-up needed. If the format works for you, the full 1050-card deck is a one-time $7.
Eligibility rules, fees, question counts and passing standards are set by the certifying body and change over time. Always confirm them at the source before you apply or schedule your exam — our flashcards are practice material, not the official handbook.