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

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Before performing brain death testing, what must be negative in the patient's tox screen?

CNS depressants

Before performing brain death testing, it is crucial that the tox screen is negative for central nervous system (CNS) depressants. The reason for this is that CNS depressants, such as benzodiazepines, narcotics, and barbiturates, can interfere with the neurological evaluation necessary to confirm brain death. These substances can mimic or mask signs of brain activity, leading to potentially false assessments in the determination of brain death.

By ensuring that the tox screen is negative for CNS depressants, clinicians can more accurately evaluate the patient's neurological status and ensure that any observed lack of response is due to genuine loss of brain function rather than effects from medication or substance intoxication. This is critical for a reliable and ethical determination of brain death, which has significant implications for patient care and potential organ donation processes.

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Stimulants

Sympathomimetics

Hallucinogens

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