Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In the context of brain death determination, if apnea testing yields inconclusive results or is aborted, the appropriate next step is to perform an ancillary test. Ancillary tests are supplemental assessments that help provide evidence of brain death when the clinical criteria are not clearly met or when some aspect of the clinical examination is uncertain. These tests may include EEG, cerebral perfusion studies, or CT angiography, among others. They serve to confirm the absence of cerebral blood flow or electrical activity, which are critical indicators of irreversible brain function loss.

Other options do not accurately represent the standard protocol following inconclusive apnea testing. Brain death cannot be automatically declared without sufficient evidence, thus ensuring the integrity of the process is vital. Restarting the testing process or conducting further neurological exams may not be feasible or clinically appropriate depending on the situation, especially when definitive confirmation through ancillary testing is available. This structured approach underscores the importance of thoroughness and verification in the brain death determination process.