CEN Exam
Which of the following statements made by a patient would lead the nurse to conclude that the patient
understands risk factors for pulmonary embolism?
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
Resuming my birth control pills will lower my risk of cancer and my risk of another clot.
If I drink plenty of water while driving on a long trip, this shouldn't happen again.
Switching from my regular cigarettes to the electronic ones can reduce my risk. - Answer-While on a
long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
An emergency nurse is providing discharge instructions for a patient with pelvic inflammatory disease.
Which statement made by the patient indicates an understanding of these instructions?
Getting pregnant shouldn't be a problem once the infection goes away.
I'll take the medicine for nausea when I feel sick to my stomach.
I will be at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy.
I will follow up with my doctor tomorrow. - Answer-I will be at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy.
A 16-year-old presents with severe left upper quadrant abdominal pain after an over-the-handlebars
bicycle collision. Vital signs are BP 100/60 mm Hg, HR 100 beats/min, RR 30 breaths/min, T 37.0 C (98.6
F), SpO2 89% without supplemental oxygen. There is bruising over the left upper quadrant of the
abdomen. Auscultation reveals diminished breath sounds on the left accompanied by gurgling. Based on
this history and assessment, the nurse suspects which injury?
Small bowel rupture
Ruptured diaphragm
Flail chest
Hepatic injury - Answer-Ruptured diaphragm
,A patient presents with chest pain. The nurse performs a 12-lead electrocardiogram that reveals an
abnormal Q wave. What does the nurse suspect?
A current injury
An old infarction
An acute infarction
Ischemia - Answer-An old infarction
A patient is brought to the ED by emergency medical services with increased aggression and making
clear homicidal threats. What immediate action will the nurse expect to promote staff and patient
safety?
Administration of antipsychotics
One-to-one observation
Place in a seclusion room
Application of restraints - Answer-Place in a seclusion room
A 28-year-old female presents with shortness of breath, dizziness, and diaphoresis. Her vital signs are BP
118/74 mm Hg, HR 122 beats/min, RR 26 breaths/min, T 37.7 C (99.9 F), SpO2 92% without
supplemental oxygen. Her health history includes fractures of the left tibia and fibula following an MVC
3 weeks ago. Surgical fixation was required. Her only current medications are an oral contraceptive and
intermittent ibuprofen for pain. Assessment of the casted left leg reveals that the toes are swollen. With
this information, which diagnostic testing will the nurse expect as the highest priority?
Sputum cultures
Chest radiograph
Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography
Radiograph of the left leg - Answer-Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography
,A family of 10 presents to the ED with complaints of fever, muscle pain, and unexplained bruising
ongoing for 7 days. After completing the screening, the nurse notes that the family recently traveled to
Sierra Leone. What is the highest priority intervention the triage nurse needs to perform?
Notify infection prevention
Leave the family in the waiting room
Evacuate the waiting room
Inform those waiting that Ebola has been detected - Answer-Notify infection prevention
A patient presents to the ED with complaints of fatigue and insomnia. Assessment findings reveal the
patient is awake, alert, and oriented, has a round moon face, buffalo hump back, hirsutism and
prominent striae on the trunk. Vital signs are normal. Which of the following scenarios is most
consistent with this patient's presentation?
A high school wrestler who admits to taking his grandfather's furosemide before a meet
A patient with insulin-dependent diabetes who took insulin, without eating breakfast.
A patient with severe chronic asthma who has been on prednisone for several years
A patient who underwent a thyroidectomy several years ago who recently ran out of medication -
Answer-A patient with severe chronic asthma who has been on prednisone for several years
A patient who was brought to the ED by ambulance following a motor vehicle collision, in which the
driver hit a tree, has BP 92/48 mm Hg, HR 128 beats/min, RR 34 breaths/min, SpO2 91% with
supplemental oxygen via a nonrebreather. He has labored breathing, cyanosis, absent breath sounds on
the right, and jugular vein distension. Which of the following conditions would be suspected?
Aspiration
Flail chest
Cardiac tamponade
Tension pneumothorax - Answer-Tension pneumothorax
What is the most common cause of cardiogenic shock?
Sustained cardiac dysrhythmias
, Acute valvular dysfunction
Myocardial infarction
End-stage cardiomyopathy - Answer-Myocardial infarction
The disease most commonly associated with the catarrhal, paroxysmal and convalescent stages is best
treated with classification of medications?
Immune globulin
Steroids
Antiretroviral therapy
Macrolide antibiotics - Answer-Macrolide antibiotics
A 28-year-old female presents to the ED with complaints of dizziness, fear of dying, and hot flashes that
began 10 minutes prior to arrival. The patient is trembling and tachypneic. Which anxiety disorder is the
patient exhibiting?
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Panic attack
Acute stress disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder - Answer-Panic attack
A 30-year-old male presents to the emergency department with excruciating pain on the right side of his
head. It has been coming and going all day. His right eye is reddened and skin is flushed. What type of
headache is this patient experiencing?
Tension
Traumatic
Cluster
Migraine - Answer-Cluster
Which of the following statements made by a patient would lead the nurse to conclude that the patient
understands risk factors for pulmonary embolism?
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
Resuming my birth control pills will lower my risk of cancer and my risk of another clot.
If I drink plenty of water while driving on a long trip, this shouldn't happen again.
Switching from my regular cigarettes to the electronic ones can reduce my risk. - Answer-While on a
long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
An emergency nurse is providing discharge instructions for a patient with pelvic inflammatory disease.
Which statement made by the patient indicates an understanding of these instructions?
Getting pregnant shouldn't be a problem once the infection goes away.
I'll take the medicine for nausea when I feel sick to my stomach.
I will be at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy.
I will follow up with my doctor tomorrow. - Answer-I will be at increased risk for ectopic pregnancy.
A 16-year-old presents with severe left upper quadrant abdominal pain after an over-the-handlebars
bicycle collision. Vital signs are BP 100/60 mm Hg, HR 100 beats/min, RR 30 breaths/min, T 37.0 C (98.6
F), SpO2 89% without supplemental oxygen. There is bruising over the left upper quadrant of the
abdomen. Auscultation reveals diminished breath sounds on the left accompanied by gurgling. Based on
this history and assessment, the nurse suspects which injury?
Small bowel rupture
Ruptured diaphragm
Flail chest
Hepatic injury - Answer-Ruptured diaphragm
,A patient presents with chest pain. The nurse performs a 12-lead electrocardiogram that reveals an
abnormal Q wave. What does the nurse suspect?
A current injury
An old infarction
An acute infarction
Ischemia - Answer-An old infarction
A patient is brought to the ED by emergency medical services with increased aggression and making
clear homicidal threats. What immediate action will the nurse expect to promote staff and patient
safety?
Administration of antipsychotics
One-to-one observation
Place in a seclusion room
Application of restraints - Answer-Place in a seclusion room
A 28-year-old female presents with shortness of breath, dizziness, and diaphoresis. Her vital signs are BP
118/74 mm Hg, HR 122 beats/min, RR 26 breaths/min, T 37.7 C (99.9 F), SpO2 92% without
supplemental oxygen. Her health history includes fractures of the left tibia and fibula following an MVC
3 weeks ago. Surgical fixation was required. Her only current medications are an oral contraceptive and
intermittent ibuprofen for pain. Assessment of the casted left leg reveals that the toes are swollen. With
this information, which diagnostic testing will the nurse expect as the highest priority?
Sputum cultures
Chest radiograph
Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography
Radiograph of the left leg - Answer-Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography
,A family of 10 presents to the ED with complaints of fever, muscle pain, and unexplained bruising
ongoing for 7 days. After completing the screening, the nurse notes that the family recently traveled to
Sierra Leone. What is the highest priority intervention the triage nurse needs to perform?
Notify infection prevention
Leave the family in the waiting room
Evacuate the waiting room
Inform those waiting that Ebola has been detected - Answer-Notify infection prevention
A patient presents to the ED with complaints of fatigue and insomnia. Assessment findings reveal the
patient is awake, alert, and oriented, has a round moon face, buffalo hump back, hirsutism and
prominent striae on the trunk. Vital signs are normal. Which of the following scenarios is most
consistent with this patient's presentation?
A high school wrestler who admits to taking his grandfather's furosemide before a meet
A patient with insulin-dependent diabetes who took insulin, without eating breakfast.
A patient with severe chronic asthma who has been on prednisone for several years
A patient who underwent a thyroidectomy several years ago who recently ran out of medication -
Answer-A patient with severe chronic asthma who has been on prednisone for several years
A patient who was brought to the ED by ambulance following a motor vehicle collision, in which the
driver hit a tree, has BP 92/48 mm Hg, HR 128 beats/min, RR 34 breaths/min, SpO2 91% with
supplemental oxygen via a nonrebreather. He has labored breathing, cyanosis, absent breath sounds on
the right, and jugular vein distension. Which of the following conditions would be suspected?
Aspiration
Flail chest
Cardiac tamponade
Tension pneumothorax - Answer-Tension pneumothorax
What is the most common cause of cardiogenic shock?
Sustained cardiac dysrhythmias
, Acute valvular dysfunction
Myocardial infarction
End-stage cardiomyopathy - Answer-Myocardial infarction
The disease most commonly associated with the catarrhal, paroxysmal and convalescent stages is best
treated with classification of medications?
Immune globulin
Steroids
Antiretroviral therapy
Macrolide antibiotics - Answer-Macrolide antibiotics
A 28-year-old female presents to the ED with complaints of dizziness, fear of dying, and hot flashes that
began 10 minutes prior to arrival. The patient is trembling and tachypneic. Which anxiety disorder is the
patient exhibiting?
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Panic attack
Acute stress disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder - Answer-Panic attack
A 30-year-old male presents to the emergency department with excruciating pain on the right side of his
head. It has been coming and going all day. His right eye is reddened and skin is flushed. What type of
headache is this patient experiencing?
Tension
Traumatic
Cluster
Migraine - Answer-Cluster
