Top Nurse Anesthesia NCE Board Review Resource: High-Yield
Content, Exam Format, Practice Questions, and Pass-Rate
Boosting Tips
A complete Nurse Anesthesia NCE board review designed to help CRNA candidates master high-
yield content, understand the exam format, and build confidence through strategic study plans
and evidence-based practice questions. Learn the best NCE test-taking strategies, topics to focus
on, and proven methods to boost your pass rate on the CRNA certification exam.
Nurse Anesthesia NCE board review
NCE exam review
CRNA board exam prep
Nurse anesthesia exam study guide
NCE practice questions
what intrinsic muscles of the airway elongate (tenses) the vocal ligament? - ANSWER-
cricothyroid muscle
what intrinsic muscles of the airway shorten (relaxes) the vocal ligament? - ANSWER-the vocalis
and the thyroarytenoids
,VocaLis = Vocal cords reLax
ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
what intrinsic muscles of the airway abduct the vocal folds and cause the glottis to become
wider? - ANSWER-Posterior CricoArytenoid = Please Come Apart
what intrinsic muscles of the airway adduct the vocal folds and cause the glottis to become
more narrow? - ANSWER-ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
Lateral CricoArytenoid = Lets Close Airway
cricothyroid muscle - ANSWER-elongates, tenses the vocal ligaments
CricoThyroid =Cords Tense
innervated by external SLN
what nerve innervates the cricothyroid muscle? - ANSWER-external SLN
vocalis muscle - ANSWER-relaxes, shortens the vocal ligaments
VocaLis = Vocal cords reLax
innervated by RLN
,what nerve innervates the majority of the intrinsic muscles of the airway - ANSWER-RLN
thyroarytenoid muscle - ANSWER-Shortens and relaxes the vocal cord
adducts the vocal cords and narrows the glottis
ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
innervated by RLN
lateral cricoarytenoid muscle - ANSWER-adducts the vocal folds and narrows the glottis
Lateral CricoArytenoid = Lets Close Airway
innervated by RLN
posterior cricoarytenoid - ANSWER-abducts vocal folds and widens the glottis
Posterior CricoArytenoid = Please Come Apart
innervated by RLN
aryepiglottic muscle - ANSWER-constricts laryngeal opening
innervated by RLN
, AryepiglottiC = Arytenoids Close
which side of the RLN loops around the subclavian artery and which side loops around the
aortic arch? - ANSWER-The right RLN loops under the subclavian artery, the left loops under the
aortic arch
Think left is the side of your heart, think heart and aorta together
The left RLN is more susceptible to injury (you can break your heart)
which branch of the SLN is only sensory and which is only motor? - ANSWER-The INTERNAL
branch of the SLN is ONLY SENSORY
The EXTERNAL branch of the SLN is ONLY MOTOR
what does the internal branch of the SLN innervate? - ANSWER-posterior side of the epiglottis
to the top side of the vocal folds (sensory)
what does the external brach of the SLN innervate? - ANSWER-the cricothyroid muscle (motor)
What does the RLN innervate? - ANSWER-sensory to below the level of the vocal cords to the
trachea
motor for all of the intrinsic muscles of the airway EXCEPT the cricothyroid muscle
What does the trigeminal nerve innervate? - ANSWER-sensory to most of the head by the 3
branches and motor to the muscles of mastication
Content, Exam Format, Practice Questions, and Pass-Rate
Boosting Tips
A complete Nurse Anesthesia NCE board review designed to help CRNA candidates master high-
yield content, understand the exam format, and build confidence through strategic study plans
and evidence-based practice questions. Learn the best NCE test-taking strategies, topics to focus
on, and proven methods to boost your pass rate on the CRNA certification exam.
Nurse Anesthesia NCE board review
NCE exam review
CRNA board exam prep
Nurse anesthesia exam study guide
NCE practice questions
what intrinsic muscles of the airway elongate (tenses) the vocal ligament? - ANSWER-
cricothyroid muscle
what intrinsic muscles of the airway shorten (relaxes) the vocal ligament? - ANSWER-the vocalis
and the thyroarytenoids
,VocaLis = Vocal cords reLax
ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
what intrinsic muscles of the airway abduct the vocal folds and cause the glottis to become
wider? - ANSWER-Posterior CricoArytenoid = Please Come Apart
what intrinsic muscles of the airway adduct the vocal folds and cause the glottis to become
more narrow? - ANSWER-ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
Lateral CricoArytenoid = Lets Close Airway
cricothyroid muscle - ANSWER-elongates, tenses the vocal ligaments
CricoThyroid =Cords Tense
innervated by external SLN
what nerve innervates the cricothyroid muscle? - ANSWER-external SLN
vocalis muscle - ANSWER-relaxes, shortens the vocal ligaments
VocaLis = Vocal cords reLax
innervated by RLN
,what nerve innervates the majority of the intrinsic muscles of the airway - ANSWER-RLN
thyroarytenoid muscle - ANSWER-Shortens and relaxes the vocal cord
adducts the vocal cords and narrows the glottis
ThyroARytenoid = they adduct and relax
innervated by RLN
lateral cricoarytenoid muscle - ANSWER-adducts the vocal folds and narrows the glottis
Lateral CricoArytenoid = Lets Close Airway
innervated by RLN
posterior cricoarytenoid - ANSWER-abducts vocal folds and widens the glottis
Posterior CricoArytenoid = Please Come Apart
innervated by RLN
aryepiglottic muscle - ANSWER-constricts laryngeal opening
innervated by RLN
, AryepiglottiC = Arytenoids Close
which side of the RLN loops around the subclavian artery and which side loops around the
aortic arch? - ANSWER-The right RLN loops under the subclavian artery, the left loops under the
aortic arch
Think left is the side of your heart, think heart and aorta together
The left RLN is more susceptible to injury (you can break your heart)
which branch of the SLN is only sensory and which is only motor? - ANSWER-The INTERNAL
branch of the SLN is ONLY SENSORY
The EXTERNAL branch of the SLN is ONLY MOTOR
what does the internal branch of the SLN innervate? - ANSWER-posterior side of the epiglottis
to the top side of the vocal folds (sensory)
what does the external brach of the SLN innervate? - ANSWER-the cricothyroid muscle (motor)
What does the RLN innervate? - ANSWER-sensory to below the level of the vocal cords to the
trachea
motor for all of the intrinsic muscles of the airway EXCEPT the cricothyroid muscle
What does the trigeminal nerve innervate? - ANSWER-sensory to most of the head by the 3
branches and motor to the muscles of mastication
