CCRN-Adult Exam Format | CCRN-Adult Course Contents | CCRN-Adult Course Outline | CCRN-Adult Exam Syllabus | CCRN-Adult Exam Objectives

Exam Code: CCRN-Adult
Exam Name: Critical Care Register Nurse - Adult
Total Questions: 150 multiple-choice questions.
Scored Questions: 125 questions are scored- 25 questions are unscored.
Time Allotted: 3 hours.
Passing Score: A minimum of 83 correct answers out of the 125 scored questions is required to pass.

- Cardiovascular
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Aortic aneurysm- dissection- rupture (i.e.thoracic- abdominal)
- Cardiac infection and inflammatory diseases
- Cardiac surgery
- Cardiac tamponade
- Cardiac trauma
- Cardiac/vascular catheterization
- Cardiogenic shock
- Cardiomyopathy
- Dysrhythmias
- Heart failure
- Hypertensive crisis
- Myocardial conduction system defects (e.g.-prolonged QT interval- Wolff-Parkinson-White)
- Structural heart defects (acquired andcongenital- including valvular disease)
- Vascular disorders (e.g.- arterial/venousstenosis)
- Vascular interventions (e.g.- stents- fem-pop bypass- carotid endarterectomy)
- Respiratory
- Acute pulmonary edema
- Acute pulmonary embolus
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Acute respiratory failure
- Acute respiratory infection (e.g.- pneumonia)
- Chronic conditions (e.g.- COPD- asthma-bronchitis- emphysema)
- Mechanical ventilation complications
- Pleural space abnormalities(e.g.- pneumothorax- hemothorax- empyema-pleural effusions)
- Pulmonary hemorrhage
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Status asthmaticus
- Thoracic and airway trauma (e.g.- fractured rib-lung contusion- tracheal perforation)
- Thoracic surgery
Endocrine- Hematology/Immunology- GI- Renal/GU- Integumentary (21%)
- Endocrine
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Diabetes insipidus (DI)
- Diabetes mellitus- types 1 and 2
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
- Hyperglycemia
- Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS)
- Syndrome of inappropriate of antidiuretichormone secretion (SIADH)
- Thyroid disorders
- Hematology and Immunology
- Anemia
- Autoimmune disorders (e.g.- lupus-myasthenia gravis- Guillain-Barrésyndrome)
- Coagulopathies (e.g.- ITP- DIC- HIT)
- Myelosuppression (e.g.- thrombocytopenia-neutropenia)
- Oncologic complications (e.g.- tumor lysissyndrome- neutropenia)
- Transfusion reactions (e.g.- TRALI- TACO)
- Gastrointestinal
- Abdominal compartment syndrome
- Acute abdominal trauma
- Acute GI hemorrhage
- Bowel infarction- obstruction- perforation(e.g.- mesenteric ischemia- adhesions)
- GI surgeries (e.g.- Whipple- esophagectomy-resections)
- Hepatic failure/coma (e.g.- portalhypertension- cirrhosis- esophageal varices-fulminant hepatitis- biliary atresia)
- Liver disease
- Malnutrition and malabsorption
- Pancreatitis
- Peritonitis
- Renal and Genitourinary
- Acute kidney injury (AKI)- acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
- Infections (e.g.- kidney- urosepsis)
- Endocrine- Hematology/Immunology- GI- Renal
- Integumentary
- Cellulitis
- IV infiltration
- Necrotizing fasciitis
- Pressure injury
- Skin failure (e.g.- perfusion injuries)
- Wounds
Musculoskeletal- Neurological- Behavioral/Psychosocial
- Musculoskeletal
- Compartment syndrome
- Fractures
- Muscular deconditioning
- Musculoskeletal trauma
- Neurological
- Acute spinal cord injury
- Brain death
- Encephalopathy
- Stroke (e.g.- hemorrhagic- ischemic)
- Hydrocephalus
- Neurogenic shock
- Neurologic infectious disease (e.g.- viral-bacterial- fungal)
- Neurological storming
- Neuromuscular disorders (e.g.- ALS-neuromyopathies)
- Neurosurgery
- Neurovascular abnormalities
- Seizure disorders
- Space-occupying lesions (e.g.- braintumors- cysts)
- Spinal surgeries
- Traumatic brain injury (e.g.- epidural-subdural- concussion- non-accidentaltrauma)
- Behavioral and Psychosocial
- Agitation
- Anti-social behaviors- aggression- violence
- Delirium
- Medical non-adherence
- Mood disorders- depression- anxiety
- Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Self-harm
- Substance use disorder
- Suicidal ideation and/or behaviors
Multisystem
- Acid-base imbalance
- Anoxic injury
- Burns
- Comorbidity in patients with transplant history
- Palliative care
- End-of-life
- Failure to thrive
- Fluid and electrolyte imbalances
- Healthcare-associated infections
- Infectious diseases
- Life-threatening maternal/fetal complications(e.g.- eclampsia- HELLP syndrome- maternal/fetal transfusion- placental abruption- placenta previa)
- Multi-organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS)
- Obesity related complications
- Pain
- Rhabdomyolysis
- Sepsis
- Shock states (e.g.- distributive- obstructive)
- Sleep disruption (including sensory overload)
- Submersion injuries (near-drowning)
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome(SIRS)
- Thermoregulation
- Toxic ingestion/inhalations/exposure
General
- Conduct pain assessments
- Evaluate patient’s response to interventions
- Assess- evaluate & prioritize data collections basedon patient characteristics related to the immediatecondition and anticipated needs
- Manage device alarms based on change in patientcondition
- Manage patient fluid and electrolyte balance
- Provide patient and family-centered care
- Recognize signs and symptoms of emergencies-initiate interventions- and seek assistance as needed
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- capnography (ETCO2)
- complementary alternative medicine and/ornon-pharmacologic interventions
- intrahospital transport
- medications (e.g.- safe administration-monitoring- polypharmacy)
- pre- and post-operative care
- procedural care
- sedation
- vascular access
- Cardiovascular
- Identify- interpret and respond to cardiac rhythms
- Monitor hemodynamic status and recognize signs andsymptoms of hemodynamic instability
- Recognize early signs of decreased cardiac output
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- cardiac catheterization
- endovascular procedures
- mechanical circulatory support devices
- non-invasive and invasive hemodynamicmonitoring
- pericardiocentesis
- temporary pacing
- Respiratory
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- airway management
- bronchoscopy
- chest tubes
- mechanical ventilation
- noninvasive positive pressure ventilation(e.g.- BiPAP- CPAP- high-flow nasal cannula)
- oxygen therapy delivery devices
- prevention of complications related tomechanical ventilation and NIPPV
- prone positioning
- rapid sequence intubation (RSI)
- respiratory monitoring devices (e.g.- SPO2-SVO2- ETCO2)
- therapeutic gases (e.g.- oxygen- nitric oxide-heliox- CO2)
- thoracentesis
- tracheostomy
- Hematology and Immunology
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- bleeding and clotting disorders
- blood dyscrasias (e.g.- anemia)
- transfusion of blood products- exchangetransfusions- massive transfusions
- Neurological
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- continuous EEG monitoring
- neuroendovascular interventions (e.g.- coiling-thrombectomy)
- neurologic surgical monitoring devices anddrains (e.g.- ICP- ventricular drain)
- neurosurgical procedures (e.g.- craniotomy-craniectomy- clipping)
- seizure precautions
- spinal precautions
- swallow evaluation
- Integumentary
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- pressure injury prevention
- therapeutic devices (e.g.- wound VACs- pressurereduction surfaces- ostomy device- fecalmanagement devices- IV infiltrate treatment)
- Gastrointestinal
- Address barriers to nutritional/fluid adequacy (e.g.-chewing/swallowing difficulties- alterations inhunger and thirst- inability to self-feed)
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- EGD
- enteral and parenteral nutrition
- enteral tubes
- feeding and supplementation
- gastrointestinal drains
- Renal and Genitourinary
- Identify nephrotoxic agents
- Recognize indications for and manage patientsrequiring renal therapeutic intervention(e.g.- hemodialysis- CRRT- peritoneal dialysis)
- Musculoskeletal
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- compartment syndrome
- early mobility
- Multisystem
- Early sepsis identification
- Monitor and implement strategies to preventhospital acquired infections
- Recognize and manage signs and symptoms of toxin/drug exposure
- Risk factor recognition and management ofmalignant hyperthermia
- Recognize indications for and manage patients with/requiring:
- end-of-life and palliative care
- extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
- intra-abdominal pressure monitoring
- organ donation
- targeted temperature management
- temperature monitoring and regulation devices
- Behavioral and Psychosocial
- conduct behavioral therapeutic interventions
- respond to behavioral emergencies (e.g.- nonviolent crisis intervention- de-escalation techniques)
- utilize behavioral assessment tools (e.g.- delirium-alcohol withdrawal- mini-mental status)