Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Pediatric Exam Questions and Answers – Focused Pediatric Emergency Nursing Review

CEN PEDIATRIC EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Emergencyymedicalyservicesyrushyaygirl,yagey4,ytoytheyemergencyydepartment.yTheychildywasyatyherydayycarey
centerywhenysheydevelopedysudden-
onsetywheezingyafteryeatingycookiesytoycelebrateyanotherychild'sybirthday.yDuringytheyambulanceyrideytoythey
hospital,ytheychildydemonstratedyflushedyskin,yandyherybloodypressureywasylowerythanyexpected.yWhichydisor
deryshouldyyouysuspect?

A. Foreigny bodyyaspiration

B. Anaphylacticyreaction

C. Asthmayexacerbation

D. Acuteyviralyillnessy-
yanswerAnyanaphylacticyreactionyproducesywheezing,yflushedyskin,yandyhypotensionybecauseyofyvasodilati
on.yAlthoughyforeignybodyyaspirationyandyasthmayexacerbationymayycauseywheezing,ytheyydoynotytypically
ycauseyskinyflushingyandyhypotension.yAnyacuteyviralyillnessyisynotyassociatedywithysuchyanyabruptyonset.y
Expectytoycounselytheychild'sycaregiversytoyhaveytheychildyundergoyallergyytestingybecauseytheycookiesyma
yyhaveycontainedyanyingredientythatyledytoyheryanaphylaxis.

Alyssa,yagey4,yisybroughtytoytheyemergencyydepartmentybyyheryparents,ywhoyinformyyouythatyAlyssayhasyhady
aybadycoughyforytheypasty5ydays.yTheyyalsoyinformyyouythatyAlyssayhasyasthma.yYouyobserveythatyAlyssayisyq
uietyandypale.yWhatyisyyouryfirstypriorityyinytriageyforyAlyssa?

A. Assessytheyworkyofybreathing.

B. Obtainyaytemperature.

C. Measureyoxygenysaturation.

D. Measureytheybloodypressure.y-
yanswerAtythisytime,ybasedyonyAlyssa'syhistoryyandysignsyandysymptoms,ytheypriorityyisyassessingytheyworky
ofybreathingytoydetermineyherylevelyofyrespiratoryydistress.yAssessingytheyworky ofybreathingyisyoneyofytheyth
reeycomponentsyofytheyPediatricyAssessmentyTriangle.yExpectytoyperformyallyofytheyotheryassessments,ybutyt
heyyareynotytheyinitialypriority.

Whichyparameteryisypartyofytheysecondaryysurvey?

A. Workyofybreathing

B. Generalyappearance

C. Circulationytoytheyskin

D. Vitalysignsy-
yanswerVitalysignsyareyanyimportantypartyofytheysecondaryysurvey.yTheyPediatricyAssessmentyTriangle,ywhi
chyisycompletedyonytheychild'sypresentationytoytheyemergencyydepartment,yusesythreeyphysiologicyparamet
ersytoyevaluateytheyseverityyofyillnessyandyinjury:ygeneralyappearance,yworkyofybreathing,yandycirculationyto
ytheyskin.


fy52y toy92ymmyHg,y andyweightyofy3y kg.

Whatyisytheymostycommonycauseyofystatusyepilepticusyinypediatricypatients?

A. Trauma

B. Anoxia

,C. Febrileyillness

, D. Infectiony-
yanswerFebrileyillnessyisybyyfarytheymostycommonycauseyofystatusyepilepticusyinypediatricypatients.yHowev
er,ystatusyepilepticusymayyalsoybeyaymanifestationyofyanoxia,yinfection,ytrauma,yingestion,yorymetabolicydis
order.

Whichyviralyillnessyisypotentiallyylifeythreateningyinyveryyyoungyinfants?

A. Croup

B. Pertussis

C. Epiglottitis

D. Bronchiolitisy-

yanswerBronchiolitisyisyayviralyillnessythatycausesyexpiratoryyobs


truction,

airytrapping,yand

thick,ycopiousymucous,

resultingyinyvaryingydegreesyofyrespiratoryydistress.

Itycanybeylifeythreateningyinyveryyyoungyinfantsyandyinyhigh-
riskypatients,ysuchyasythoseywhoyhaveyaycongenitalyheartydefect,yaychronicylungydisease,yhumanyimmunode
ficiencyyvirusy(HIV)yinfection,yorychromosomalyabnormalities.

whatyisyCroupy-

yansweraycommonyviralyillnessyofyyoungypediatricypatients,ybutyityisyrarelyylifeythreatening.yPertussisyandyep


iglottitisyarey-yanswerbacterialyinfectionsythatyareypreventableywithyimmunization.

Whichyabnormalityyshouldy youyexpectytoyfindyinyaycold-stressedyneonate?y -yanswerHypoglycemia

Coldystressymayyprecipitateyhypoglycemiaybutydoesynotycauseyhypercalcemia,yhypocalcemia,yoryhypokalemia.yW

hichystatementyaccuratelyycharacterizesycardiovascularyemergenciesyinypediatricypatients?

A. Primaryyrhythmydisturbancesyareycommonyinypediatricypatients.

B. Congenitalyheartydiseaseyisytheyleadingycauseyofyheartyfailureyinytheseypatients.

C. Hemorrhageydueytoytraumayisytheychiefycauseyofysignificantyvolumeyloss.

D. Anaphylaxisytypicallyycausesypetechialyorypurpuricyskinylesions.y-
yanswerCongenitalyheartydiseaseyaccountsyforymostyofytheypediatricypatientsyseenyinytheyemergenc
yydepartmentywithyheartyfailure.

Inypediatricypatients,yprimaryyrhythmydisturbancesyareyuncommonybecauseyrhythmydisturbancesyusuallyyre
sultyfromyanyunderlyingydisorder,ysuchyasyhypoxiayoryaymetabolicydisturbance.

Theychiefycauseyofyvolumeylossyisydehydrationycausedybyygastrointestinalydisorders.yP

atientsywithysepticyshock,ynotyanaphylaxis,ydevelopypetechiaeyandypurpura.

Magicalythinkingyisycharacteristicyofypediatricypatientsyinywhichydevelopmentalystage?

A. Toddler

B. Preschool