TCRN Exam Format | Course Contents | Outline | Syllabus | Objectives

TCRN Exam Syllabus & Study Guide

Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the official TCRN exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.

The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by BCEN.

Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.

1. Clinical Practice: Head and Neck A. Neurologic trauma 1. Traumatic brain injuries 2. Spinal cord injuries B. Maxillofacial and neck trauma 1. Facial fractures 2. Ocular trauma 3. Neck trauma 2. Clinical Practice: Trunk A. Thoracic trauma 1. Chest wall injuries 2. Pulmonary injuries 3. Cardiac injuries 4. Great vessel injuries B. Abdominal trauma 1. Hollow organ injuries 2. Solid organ injuries 3. Diaphragmatic injuries 4. Retroperitoneal injuries C. Genitourinary trauma D. Obstetrical trauma 1. Imminent or emergent delivery 2. Complications of trauma in pregnancy 3. Clinical Practice: Extremity and Wound A. Musculoskeletal trauma 1. Vertebral injuries 2. Pelvic injuries 3. Compartment syndrome 4. Amputations 5. Extremity fractures 6. Soft-tissue injuries B. Surface and burn trauma 1. Chemical burns (any body part, including the eye) 2. Electrical burns 3. Thermal burns 4. Inhalation injuries 4. Clinical Practice: Special Considerations A. Psychosocial issues related to trauma (e.g., post-traumatic stress, acute stress disorder, coping) B. Shock 1. Hypovolemic 2. Obstructive (e.g., tamponade, tension pneumothorax) 3. Distributive (e.g., neurogenic, septic) 4. Cardiogenic C. Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) 1. Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) 2. Sepsis 3. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) a. Prevention and recognition b. Ventilation strategies D. Victims of domestic abuse/child abuse/elder abuse and neglect E. Bariatric F. Substance use G. Victims of violence 1. Evidence collection and preservation 2. Chain of custody H. Patients with self-inflicted injuries I. Comorbidities J. Hemostatic resuscitation 1. Blood administration/massive transfusion 2. Coagulant therapy 3. Damage control 4. Trauma triad K. Complications (e.g., DVT/VTE, VAP, CAUTI, TRALI) L. Special needs (e.g., developmentally and intellectually disabled) M. Pediatrics N. Geriatrics 5. Continuum of Care for Trauma A. Injury prevention B. Pre-hospital care C. Resuscitation D. Patient transfer 1. Intrafacility (within a facility, across departments) 2. Interfacility (from one facility to another) E. Acute Care 1. Reassessment 2. Consequences of resuscitation 3. Tertiary exam 4. Nutritional support F. Rehabilitation (OT, PT, Speech) G. Discharge planning 1. Patient/Family education 2. Complications or barriers 3. Home readiness (e.g., safety concerns, transition of care) H. End-of-life issues 1. Organ/tissue donation 2. Advanced directives 3. Family presence 4. Palliative care 5. Brain death 6. Professional Issues A. Trauma quality improvement 1. Performance improvement a. Over and under triage b. Missed injuries/delay in diagnosis c. Mortality/morbidity reviews 2. Trauma registry (e.g., data collection) 3. Outcomes follow-up and feedback (e.g., referring facilities, EMS) 4. Evidence-based practice (e.g., best practice guidelines) B. Research C. Documentation (e.g., clinical documentation) D. Patient safety 1. Patient handoff (e.g., SBAR) 2. Event reporting E. Disaster management 1. Triage (MCI, Disaster Planning/Emergency Preparedness) 2. Decontamination F. Trauma team well-being 1. Peer support 2. Psychological first-aid 3. Work-life balance 4. Staff safety (e.g., workplace violence) G. Regulations and standards 1. HIPAA/privacy 2. EMTALA 3. Designation/verification (e.g., trauma center/trauma systems) H. Education and outreach for interprofessional trauma teams, and the public 1. Stop the bleed 2. Car seat safety I. Ethical issues J. Advocacy K. Team dynamics 1. Communication (e.g., handoff, closed loop) 2. Defined roles