CRITICAL CARE TRANSPORT MAIN EXAMINATION TEST
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔While reviewing the ventilator parameters, you notice that the patient is being
ventilated with 440 mL for each breath. What parameter are you looking at? - ✔✔Tidal
Volume
✔✔You are preparing to transport a critical patient who is being mechanically ventilated.
As part of your patient assessment, you note that the most recent arterial blood gas
(ABG) results were: pH 7.42; PaO2 88 mmHg; PaCO2 40 mmHg; and SaO2 98 mmHg.
Which of the following is an indicator of the effectiveness of ventilation? - ✔✔PaCO2
✔✔You are caring for a critical patient following a closed head injury. The patient is
responsive to painful stimuli, pupils are R 8 mm L 3 mm, and vital signs are HR 52, BP
186/114, RR unable to assess due to irregularity. What respiratory pattern is the patient
presenting with? - ✔✔Biot respirations
✔✔You've just transported a patient from an MVC with Gray Turner sign present. His
pulse oximetry is not able to get a signal. What type of hypoxia is he experiencing? -
✔✔Hypoxic hypoxia
✔✔Your physical assessment of the airway reveals that the base of the uvula is the only
structure identifiable. What classification Mallampati would you identify this patient as? -
✔✔III
✔✔Your patient is currently paralyzed, sedated, and being mechanically ventilated with
the ventilator set to control mode. What ventilator parameter is terminating the
inspiratory phase of the patient's ventilations? - ✔✔Tidal volume as set on ventilator
✔✔Potential hazards of positive-pressure mechanical ventilation are pneumothorax,
subcutaneous emphysema, and which of the following? - ✔✔Decreased cardiac output
✔✔A CCTP is having problems ventilating a patient with a face mask, establishing an
endotracheal tube, and/or placing a supraglottic airway. How would the CCTP
document this? - ✔✔Difficult airway
✔✔What cricothyroid method requires the CCTP to insert a catheter and guide-wire,
this allowing them to place a tracheostomy tube over the guidewire and into the airway?
- ✔✔Seldinger technique
✔✔What cricothyroid method requires the CCTP to incise the patient's skin and
cricothyroid membrane, this allowing them to place a tracheostomy tube? - ✔✔Open
cricothyrotomy
,✔✔What sound would a CCTP likely auscultate in a patient with acute left-side CHF
exacerbation? - ✔✔Crackles
✔✔You're transporting a semiresponsive hyperglycemic patient. You notice a fruity odor
in your unit as the patent rapidly breaths. What respiratory pattern is this patient in? -
✔✔Kussmaul respirations
✔✔The pressure above ambient pressure that is present in the airway at the end of the
respiratory cycle is known as: - ✔✔PEEP
✔✔If it were present, where would you find pitting edema of an 85-year-old male patient
who is bed confined? - ✔✔Sacrum
✔✔An elevated __________ can cause a falsely evaluated pulse oximetry level. -
✔✔Carboxyhemoglobin
✔✔Organs of equilibrium in the ear provide __________ sensory information. -
✔✔Vestibular
✔✔A patient with a dental abscess is having difficulty opening her mouth. Her airway
would be considered a difficult airway because of __________ from the LEMON
mnemonic. - ✔✔The 3-3-2 rule
✔✔What laryngoscope blade applies pressure on the hyoepiglottic ligament in order to
view the vocal cords? - ✔✔Macintosh
✔✔When is a surgical cricothyrotomy contraindicated? - ✔✔Inability to locate landmarks
✔✔During an abdominal assessment, you palpate deeply into the right upper quadrant.
The patient immediately responds with severe pain during the palpation. This is a
positive __________ sign. - ✔✔Murphy's
✔✔During transport of a mechanically ventilated patient, the high-pressure alarm has
continued to sound. You've ensured that there are no obstructions. What should you do
next? - ✔✔Auscultate for bilateral breath sounds
✔✔While on a night flight, the CCTP sees another aircraft showing a red light on the
left, white light in the middle, and green light on the right. This aircraft is: - ✔✔Moving
away from his aircraft
✔✔Who is responsible for the initial triage process of calls involving critical care
transport patients? - ✔✔Dispatch center
,✔✔The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is: - ✔✔Nitrogent
✔✔Late findings consistent with increasing intracranial pressure (ICP) are hypertension,
irregular respirations, and: - ✔✔Bradycardia
✔✔The physical finding of resonance is found during what physical assessment skill? -
✔✔Percussion
✔✔You were only able to view the epiglottis during laryngoscopy. What Comack-
Lehane grade do you document for this intubation? - ✔✔3
✔✔Routine respiratory assessment mandates that the lungs should be auscultated in
which areas? - ✔✔Anterior, posterior, and midaxillary
✔✔During the assessment of the pupils, notation is made as a their size and shape.
Which of the following are the terms used to describe pupillary shape? - ✔✔Round,
oval, keyhole
✔✔What is needed to develop a safety culture? - ✔✔Acknowledging that organizations
engage in high-risk behavior
✔✔While assessing the central and peripheral pulses, providers should check one side,
release, and then check the other side to evaluate for: - ✔✔Ipsilateral pulse deficits
✔✔Can a hospital-owned helipad be utilized by EMS as a pickup point for the transport
of a patient to another hospital without EMTALA being triggered? - ✔✔Yes
✔✔While evaluating the need to RSI a patient, what sign would suggest that the patient
has an increased work of breathing? - ✔✔Intercostal retractions
✔✔While landing at a scene for a PR event, a firefighter walked directly beneath the
helicopter across the LZ. What type of incident occurred? - ✔✔Near miss
✔✔At 15,000 feet (4.6 km), a healthy person's PaO2 will decrease to approximately
__________ mmHg. - ✔✔44
✔✔What part of the ventilator circuit helps manage the dry oxygen as it exits the
cylinder? - ✔✔Y connection
, ✔✔You have just orally intubated your patient. You're having difficulty auscultating on-
scene due to the noise. What should you do next? - ✔✔Check the patient's
capnography
✔✔Exposure to stressors in aircraft, such as vibration, temperature, noise, and humidity
can cause: - ✔✔Increased oxygen demand
✔✔While caring for and transporting a patient who is being mechanically ventilated,
which of the following is of the highest priority? - ✔✔Maintaining airway and adequate
ventilation
✔✔Which medication has the shortest onset of action? - ✔✔Succinylcholine (Anectine)
✔✔The HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to which of the following? - ✔✔Company incident
reports
✔✔A patient with copious amounts of vomit in their upper airway would be considered a
difficult airway because of __________ from the LEMON mnemonic. - ✔✔An apparent
obstruction
✔✔The CCTP will always be allowed time to __________ during every scene transport.
- ✔✔Handoff report
✔✔The majority of air medical crashes occur during: - ✔✔A "sterile cockpit" environmnt
✔✔Atmospheric humidity increases as altitude: - ✔✔Decreases
✔✔What objective source can be utilized on ever interfacility transport to help guide the
CCTP's bedside assessment with the most information? - ✔✔Physician notes
✔✔What 60-cm tool has a 30-degree bend at the distal tip and can be used during
intubation, allowing the CCTP to feel clicks as it passes tracheal rings? - ✔✔Gum
elastic bougie
✔✔At what point does the gum elastic bougie meet resistance during proper airway
management? - ✔✔Carina
✔✔During your assessment, you note that the angle between the nail and the nail bed
is greater than 160-degrees. What is this known as? - ✔✔Clubbed fingers
✔✔An elevated __________ can cause falsely elevated pulse oximeter level. -
✔✔Carboxyhemoglobin
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔While reviewing the ventilator parameters, you notice that the patient is being
ventilated with 440 mL for each breath. What parameter are you looking at? - ✔✔Tidal
Volume
✔✔You are preparing to transport a critical patient who is being mechanically ventilated.
As part of your patient assessment, you note that the most recent arterial blood gas
(ABG) results were: pH 7.42; PaO2 88 mmHg; PaCO2 40 mmHg; and SaO2 98 mmHg.
Which of the following is an indicator of the effectiveness of ventilation? - ✔✔PaCO2
✔✔You are caring for a critical patient following a closed head injury. The patient is
responsive to painful stimuli, pupils are R 8 mm L 3 mm, and vital signs are HR 52, BP
186/114, RR unable to assess due to irregularity. What respiratory pattern is the patient
presenting with? - ✔✔Biot respirations
✔✔You've just transported a patient from an MVC with Gray Turner sign present. His
pulse oximetry is not able to get a signal. What type of hypoxia is he experiencing? -
✔✔Hypoxic hypoxia
✔✔Your physical assessment of the airway reveals that the base of the uvula is the only
structure identifiable. What classification Mallampati would you identify this patient as? -
✔✔III
✔✔Your patient is currently paralyzed, sedated, and being mechanically ventilated with
the ventilator set to control mode. What ventilator parameter is terminating the
inspiratory phase of the patient's ventilations? - ✔✔Tidal volume as set on ventilator
✔✔Potential hazards of positive-pressure mechanical ventilation are pneumothorax,
subcutaneous emphysema, and which of the following? - ✔✔Decreased cardiac output
✔✔A CCTP is having problems ventilating a patient with a face mask, establishing an
endotracheal tube, and/or placing a supraglottic airway. How would the CCTP
document this? - ✔✔Difficult airway
✔✔What cricothyroid method requires the CCTP to insert a catheter and guide-wire,
this allowing them to place a tracheostomy tube over the guidewire and into the airway?
- ✔✔Seldinger technique
✔✔What cricothyroid method requires the CCTP to incise the patient's skin and
cricothyroid membrane, this allowing them to place a tracheostomy tube? - ✔✔Open
cricothyrotomy
,✔✔What sound would a CCTP likely auscultate in a patient with acute left-side CHF
exacerbation? - ✔✔Crackles
✔✔You're transporting a semiresponsive hyperglycemic patient. You notice a fruity odor
in your unit as the patent rapidly breaths. What respiratory pattern is this patient in? -
✔✔Kussmaul respirations
✔✔The pressure above ambient pressure that is present in the airway at the end of the
respiratory cycle is known as: - ✔✔PEEP
✔✔If it were present, where would you find pitting edema of an 85-year-old male patient
who is bed confined? - ✔✔Sacrum
✔✔An elevated __________ can cause a falsely evaluated pulse oximetry level. -
✔✔Carboxyhemoglobin
✔✔Organs of equilibrium in the ear provide __________ sensory information. -
✔✔Vestibular
✔✔A patient with a dental abscess is having difficulty opening her mouth. Her airway
would be considered a difficult airway because of __________ from the LEMON
mnemonic. - ✔✔The 3-3-2 rule
✔✔What laryngoscope blade applies pressure on the hyoepiglottic ligament in order to
view the vocal cords? - ✔✔Macintosh
✔✔When is a surgical cricothyrotomy contraindicated? - ✔✔Inability to locate landmarks
✔✔During an abdominal assessment, you palpate deeply into the right upper quadrant.
The patient immediately responds with severe pain during the palpation. This is a
positive __________ sign. - ✔✔Murphy's
✔✔During transport of a mechanically ventilated patient, the high-pressure alarm has
continued to sound. You've ensured that there are no obstructions. What should you do
next? - ✔✔Auscultate for bilateral breath sounds
✔✔While on a night flight, the CCTP sees another aircraft showing a red light on the
left, white light in the middle, and green light on the right. This aircraft is: - ✔✔Moving
away from his aircraft
✔✔Who is responsible for the initial triage process of calls involving critical care
transport patients? - ✔✔Dispatch center
,✔✔The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is: - ✔✔Nitrogent
✔✔Late findings consistent with increasing intracranial pressure (ICP) are hypertension,
irregular respirations, and: - ✔✔Bradycardia
✔✔The physical finding of resonance is found during what physical assessment skill? -
✔✔Percussion
✔✔You were only able to view the epiglottis during laryngoscopy. What Comack-
Lehane grade do you document for this intubation? - ✔✔3
✔✔Routine respiratory assessment mandates that the lungs should be auscultated in
which areas? - ✔✔Anterior, posterior, and midaxillary
✔✔During the assessment of the pupils, notation is made as a their size and shape.
Which of the following are the terms used to describe pupillary shape? - ✔✔Round,
oval, keyhole
✔✔What is needed to develop a safety culture? - ✔✔Acknowledging that organizations
engage in high-risk behavior
✔✔While assessing the central and peripheral pulses, providers should check one side,
release, and then check the other side to evaluate for: - ✔✔Ipsilateral pulse deficits
✔✔Can a hospital-owned helipad be utilized by EMS as a pickup point for the transport
of a patient to another hospital without EMTALA being triggered? - ✔✔Yes
✔✔While evaluating the need to RSI a patient, what sign would suggest that the patient
has an increased work of breathing? - ✔✔Intercostal retractions
✔✔While landing at a scene for a PR event, a firefighter walked directly beneath the
helicopter across the LZ. What type of incident occurred? - ✔✔Near miss
✔✔At 15,000 feet (4.6 km), a healthy person's PaO2 will decrease to approximately
__________ mmHg. - ✔✔44
✔✔What part of the ventilator circuit helps manage the dry oxygen as it exits the
cylinder? - ✔✔Y connection
, ✔✔You have just orally intubated your patient. You're having difficulty auscultating on-
scene due to the noise. What should you do next? - ✔✔Check the patient's
capnography
✔✔Exposure to stressors in aircraft, such as vibration, temperature, noise, and humidity
can cause: - ✔✔Increased oxygen demand
✔✔While caring for and transporting a patient who is being mechanically ventilated,
which of the following is of the highest priority? - ✔✔Maintaining airway and adequate
ventilation
✔✔Which medication has the shortest onset of action? - ✔✔Succinylcholine (Anectine)
✔✔The HIPAA Privacy Rule applies to which of the following? - ✔✔Company incident
reports
✔✔A patient with copious amounts of vomit in their upper airway would be considered a
difficult airway because of __________ from the LEMON mnemonic. - ✔✔An apparent
obstruction
✔✔The CCTP will always be allowed time to __________ during every scene transport.
- ✔✔Handoff report
✔✔The majority of air medical crashes occur during: - ✔✔A "sterile cockpit" environmnt
✔✔Atmospheric humidity increases as altitude: - ✔✔Decreases
✔✔What objective source can be utilized on ever interfacility transport to help guide the
CCTP's bedside assessment with the most information? - ✔✔Physician notes
✔✔What 60-cm tool has a 30-degree bend at the distal tip and can be used during
intubation, allowing the CCTP to feel clicks as it passes tracheal rings? - ✔✔Gum
elastic bougie
✔✔At what point does the gum elastic bougie meet resistance during proper airway
management? - ✔✔Carina
✔✔During your assessment, you note that the angle between the nail and the nail bed
is greater than 160-degrees. What is this known as? - ✔✔Clubbed fingers
✔✔An elevated __________ can cause falsely elevated pulse oximeter level. -
✔✔Carboxyhemoglobin
