NBRC-ELE
NBRC-TMC (National Board for Respiratory Care Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination) is an examination for the certification credential of respiratory therapists in the United States.
The NBRC-TMC is developed and owned by the National Board for Respiratory Care and administered by AMP, a PSI business. The Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination is designed to objectively measure essential knowledge, skills, and abilities required of entry-level respiratory therapists, as well as determine eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination. There are two established cut scores for the Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination. If a candidate achieves the lower cut score, they will earn the CRT credential. If a candidate achieves the higher cut score, they will earn the CRT credential AND become eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination (provided that those eligibility requirements are met and the candidate is eligible to earn the RRT credential). The CRT and/or RRT credentials are used as the basis for the licensure in all of the 49 states that regulate the practice of respiratory care.
Eligibility
The NBRC requires the candidate be 18 years old at the time of application for the examination. Applicants must satisfy ONE of the following educational requirements: a minimum of an associate degree from a respiratory therapist education program supported or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) or accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and graduated on or before November 11, 2009 OR hold the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (CSRT) RRT credential.
Exam content
The Therapist Multiple-Choice Examination consists of 160 multiple-choice questions (140 scored items and 20 pretest items) distributed among three major content areas: Patient Data Evaluation and Recommendations, Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Equipment and Infection Control, and Initiation and Modification of Interventions. Candidates are given three hours to complete the TMC Examination.
Economy
The NBRC-TMC examination costs $190 USD and is administered by AMP, a PSI business.