Certified Transport Registered Nurse Certification Practice Exam

What is the required reserve time before desaturation for a moderately ill adult?

1. 2 minutes

2. 4 minutes

3. 6 minutes

4. 8 minutes

The correct answer is: 4 minutes

The required reserve time before desaturation for a moderately ill adult is typically set at approximately four minutes. This time frame indicates the duration that an individual can sustain adequate oxygenation levels before experiencing a drop in arterial oxygen saturation. In clinical practice, understanding this time frame is crucial for transport registered nurses, particularly in emergencies or specialized transport scenarios. This four-minute benchmark allows healthcare providers to assess the patient's respiratory function and intervene appropriately, ensuring that any medical transport or procedural interventions can secure or maintain airway patency and oxygenation. It also underscores the importance of having effective oxygen delivery systems in place during transportation and monitoring for signs of respiratory distress that may lead to desaturation. Other options reflect longer or shorter reserve times which may not align as closely with the established clinical guidelines for moderately ill patients. Thus, the four-minute reserve time strikes a balance between ensuring patient safety and operational efficiency during medical transport.