NBRC CRT study plan
NBRC CRT · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Initiation and Modification of Therapeutic Interventions
Select the initial oxygen or aerosol device and its FiO2/flow for a given scenario, and justify the choice against indication, contraindication, and hazard.
Calculate predicted body weight and a lung-protective tidal volume (4-8 mL/kg PBW), then set initial mode, rate, PEEP, and FiO2 for restrictive and obstructive presentations.
Distinguish the indications for noninvasive ventilation, invasive ventilation, and hyperinflation therapy, and state the failure criteria for each.
Your checkpoint
50-question Domain 3 practice block (oxygen, aerosol, and noninvasive ventilation) scored at or above 80%, with a one-line written correction for every missed item.
Initiation and Modification of Therapeutic Interventions & Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control
Modify ventilator settings in response to changes in compliance, airway resistance, auto-PEEP, and oxygenation or ventilation targets.
Interpret pressure-time, flow-time, and volume-time waveforms and name the correction for each common asynchrony pattern.
Map each high-priority ventilator alarm to an ordered assessment sequence and a first corrective action.
Your checkpoint
One-page alarm-to-action table covering 12 high-priority ventilator alarms, plus a 30-question mixed Domain 2/3 quiz scored at or above 75%.
Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control
Perform pre-use verification of ventilator, oxygen analyzer, blender, and resuscitation equipment, stating the acceptance criteria for each check.
Describe the quality control procedures and corrective steps for blood gas analyzers and other point-of-care devices.
Apply standard and transmission-based precautions, hand hygiene indications, and disinfection versus sterilization selection to given scenarios.
Troubleshoot leaks, obstruction, and sensor or flow-sensing faults in a ventilator circuit.
Your checkpoint
Written 10-item equipment QC checklist with acceptance criteria for each item and the action taken when a check fails.
Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control & Patient Data
Sequence the response to a suspected equipment failure so that patient ventilation is maintained during the exchange.
Verify and correct a set of recorded patient data (vital signs, SpO2, capnography, hemodynamics) for internal consistency.
Identify which data must be gathered and which recommendations must be communicated when a patient's status changes.
Your checkpoint
Timed 60-question cumulative exam across Domains 1-3 scored at or above 75%, with a written remediation list of the three weakest subtopics.
Patient Data
Interpret arterial and capillary blood gas values, including compensation, and classify acidosis or alkalosis with its primary cause.
Obtain and interpret hemodynamic, oximetry, capnometry, and pulmonary function data, and state the clinical significance of each abnormality.
Gather and reconcile patient history, physical assessment, and laboratory data to recommend additional diagnostic procedures.
Your checkpoint
20-item blood gas interpretation set completed at or above 90% accuracy using a stepwise interpretation worksheet.
Patient Data & Initiation and Modification of Therapeutic Interventions
Recommend and modify therapeutic interventions based on reassessed patient data, documenting the rationale for each change.
Evaluate the effectiveness of bronchial hygiene, lung expansion, and aerosolized medication therapies using post-therapy assessment data.
Decide when to recommend discontinuation or escalation of a therapy using objective criteria.
Your checkpoint
Five written patient scenarios (data to interpretation to recommendation to reassessment) scored at or above 80% each against a rubric.
Initiation and Modification of Therapeutic Interventions & Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control
Re-drill the subtopics missed on prior practice blocks until each is answered correctly twice in a row.
Practice rapid decision-making on timed item sets at 1.5 minutes per question or faster.
Rehearse infection control and equipment scenarios inside mixed sets so that domain cues are not predictable.
Your checkpoint
Two 50-question mixed timed sets scored at or above 80% each, with the weak-area log reduced to no more than five remaining subtopics.
Patient Data & Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control & Initiation and Modification of Therapeutic Interventions
Complete full-length timed simulations under exam conditions and review every missed and flagged item.
Consolidate high-yield formulas, normal values, and alarm algorithms into a single review sheet.
Verify exam-day logistics and content-outline coverage so that no domain is left unreviewed.
Your checkpoint
Two full-length practice exams scored at or above 80%, plus a completed one-page high-yield review sheet.
Milestones
Week 4: Score at or above 75% on the 60-question cumulative exam and finish all Domain 2 QC and troubleshooting deliverables.
Week 6: Reach at least 85% accuracy on Domain 1 practice items and complete all five written scenario write-ups at 80% or better.
Week 8: Score at or above 80% on both full-length practice exams and hold a complete one-page high-yield review sheet.