Preparing for the CTRN (Certified Transport Registered Nurse) exam? Pathology is one of the areas our deck drills hardest: 350 of its 1050 flashcards focus on pathology. Try the sample questions below — every card is a real question-and-answer pair from the full deck.
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A patient was transfused 7 days ago. They now present with a dropping Hgb\
Show answer →new-onset jaundice\
A patient with a T3 SCI presents with a BP of 82/40 and HR of 48. What is the primary pathophysiological mechanism causing this specific hemodynamic triad?
Show answer →The primary mechanism is Neurogenic Shock, caused by the loss of sympathetic vascular tone and unopposed vagal (parasympathetic) tone. This results from disruption of the descending sympathetic pathways in the spinal cord (typically T6 and above). The triad is hypotension (from massive vasodilation/decreased SVR), bradycardia (from loss of T1-T4 cardiac accelerator fiber input), and poikilothermia. BCEN Tip: Differentiate this from hypovolemic shock, where the patient is tachycardic. In neurogenic shock, the heart cannot mount a compensatory tachycardic response.
A trauma patient has dark, tea-colored urine. The dipstick is large for blood, but microscopy shows 0-2 RBCs/hpf. What is the most likely diagnosis and the physiological cause of this discrepancy?
Show answer →Diagnosis: Rhabdomyolysis. The urine dipstick detects the heme pigment present in both hemoglobin and myoglobin. In rhabdomyolysis, skeletal muscle breakdown releases myoglobin into the plasma. Because myoglobin is a protein pigment and not a whole red blood cell, microscopy will show few to no RBCs despite a positive blood result. Key Exam Tip: BCEN emphasizes recognizing this mismatch (positive dipstick/negative microscopy) as a hallmark of myoglobinuria versus true hematuria.
What is the primary pathophysiological difference between the early-phase and late-phase asthmatic response in an acute exacerbation?
Show answer →Early-phase (minutes) is primarily IgE-mediated mast cell degranulation releasing histamine and leukotrienes, causing smooth muscle contraction. Late-phase (4-8 hours) involves eosinophil and neutrophil infiltration, leading to mucosal edema, mucus plugging, and epithelial damage. CTRN Tip: BCEN emphasizes that late-phase requires corticosteroids to resolve inflammation, whereas bronchodilators only address the early-phase constriction. Distinguish between bronchospasm (early) and airway remodeling/edema (late).
A transport patient with chronic prednisone use presents with BP 72/40 refractory to 2L NS and norepinephrine. Labs: K+ 6.2, Na+ 128, Glucose 54. What is the most likely diagnosis and the immediate pharmacological priority during transport?
Show answer →The diagnosis is Acute Adrenal Crisis (Addisonian Crisis). The priority is immediate administration of IV corticosteroids. Hydrocortisone (100mg IV) is the gold standard due to its combined glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid activity. BCEN Tip: If the diagnosis is not yet confirmed and a stimulating test is planned at the destination, Dexamethasone (4mg IV) is preferred as it does not interfere with serum cortisol assays. Refractory hypotension in the presence of hyperkalemia/hyponatremia is a hallmark for the CTRN exam.
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The full CTRN deck contains 1050 flashcards, and 350 of them focus on pathology. This page shows 5 free samples.
Our CTRN deck dedicates 350 of 1050 cards (33%) to pathology — always cross-check the official BCEN exam outline for the current blueprint weighting.
Yes — the samples on this page are free, and the CTRN preview page has 30 more free cards. Full access to all 1050 cards is a one-time $7.