CEN Practice Test: Emergency Nursing Certification Questions with Answers & Rationales (Full
Exam Prep Guide)
b. The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart
Preload is the volume of blood that enters the right side of the heart. This volume stretches the
fibers in the heart prior to contraction. Preload is commonly measured as atrial pressure. - ANS
✔✔Preload refers to:
a. The volume of blood entering the left side of the heart
b. The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart
c. The pressure in the venous system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
d. The pressure in the arterial system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
b. Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival.
Fibrinolytic therapy is generally NOT recommended for patients whose symptoms began more
than 12 hours before arrival. Fibrinolytics should not be given if the onset of symptoms was
more than 24 hours before arrival UNLESS a posterior MI is diagnosed. In this case, the MI was
anterior. - ANS ✔✔The patient is brought to the ED with an anterior ST-elevation myocardial
infarction (STEMI). You are assessing him for possible administration of fibrinolytics. An absolute
contraindication for this treatment is:
a. The patient's pain is not relieved by medications.
b. Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival.
c. The patient has received aspirin in the last 2 hours.
d. The patient had a previous MI 6 years ago.
c. Ventricular fibrillation
,Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are the two rhythms that are
considered to be "shockable" cardiac arrest rhythms. Although asystole and PEA are cardiac
arrest rhythms, they will not respond to electrical shock. - ANS ✔✔The team is performing CPR
on a patient. The rhythm that will respond to an electrical shock is:
a. Asystole
b. PEA
c. Ventricular fibrillation
d. SVT
b. Less than 10 seconds
According to the 2010 BLS and ACLS guidelines, suctioning for longer than 10 seconds may
result in pulling too much oxygen out of the airways resulting in hypoxemia. - ANS ✔✔When
suctioning during a cardiac arrest, suctioning should be limited to which of the following?
a. Less than 5 seconds
b. Less than 10 seconds
c. Less than 20 seconds
d. Less than 30 seconds
a. Hypervolemia
Common causes of cardiac arrest are known as the H's and T's and include: hypovolemia (NOT
hypervolemia), hypoxia, hydrogen ion excess (acidosis), hypo or hyperkalemia, hypothermia,
tension pneumothorax, tamponade, toxins, and thrombosis (pulmonary or coronary).
Correction of these causes can often reverse a cardiac arrest. - ANS ✔✔Possible causes of
cardiac arrest include all of the following EXCEPT:
, a. Hypervolemia
b. Hypoxia
c. Hypokalemia
d. Tension Pneumothorax
b. Airway obstruction
The most likely cause of the failure of the chest to rise during ventilations is an airway
obstruction. Although a faulty bag-mask device is a possibility, it is unlikely that it would fail in
the middle of providing ventilations. - ANS ✔✔You are providing ventilations using a Bag-mask
device. Suddenly, you do not see the patient's chest rise with the ventilation. You reposition the
patient to ensure an open airway. When you attempt to ventilate, you do not see his chest rise.
The most likely cause of this is:
a. The bag-mask device is faulty
b. Airway obstruction
c. The patient has suffered an MI
d. Cardiac tamponade
b. Is no longer recommended.
According to the most current AHA guidelines, cricoid pressure may delay or prevent placement
of an advanced airway so is no longer recommended. - ANS ✔✔According to American Heart
Association ACLS guidelines, cricoid pressure during intubation:
a. Should be done in all cases.
b. Is no longer recommended.
Exam Prep Guide)
b. The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart
Preload is the volume of blood that enters the right side of the heart. This volume stretches the
fibers in the heart prior to contraction. Preload is commonly measured as atrial pressure. - ANS
✔✔Preload refers to:
a. The volume of blood entering the left side of the heart
b. The volume of blood entering the right side of the heart
c. The pressure in the venous system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
d. The pressure in the arterial system that the heart must overcome to pump the blood
b. Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival.
Fibrinolytic therapy is generally NOT recommended for patients whose symptoms began more
than 12 hours before arrival. Fibrinolytics should not be given if the onset of symptoms was
more than 24 hours before arrival UNLESS a posterior MI is diagnosed. In this case, the MI was
anterior. - ANS ✔✔The patient is brought to the ED with an anterior ST-elevation myocardial
infarction (STEMI). You are assessing him for possible administration of fibrinolytics. An absolute
contraindication for this treatment is:
a. The patient's pain is not relieved by medications.
b. Symptoms began 36 hours before arrival.
c. The patient has received aspirin in the last 2 hours.
d. The patient had a previous MI 6 years ago.
c. Ventricular fibrillation
,Ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia are the two rhythms that are
considered to be "shockable" cardiac arrest rhythms. Although asystole and PEA are cardiac
arrest rhythms, they will not respond to electrical shock. - ANS ✔✔The team is performing CPR
on a patient. The rhythm that will respond to an electrical shock is:
a. Asystole
b. PEA
c. Ventricular fibrillation
d. SVT
b. Less than 10 seconds
According to the 2010 BLS and ACLS guidelines, suctioning for longer than 10 seconds may
result in pulling too much oxygen out of the airways resulting in hypoxemia. - ANS ✔✔When
suctioning during a cardiac arrest, suctioning should be limited to which of the following?
a. Less than 5 seconds
b. Less than 10 seconds
c. Less than 20 seconds
d. Less than 30 seconds
a. Hypervolemia
Common causes of cardiac arrest are known as the H's and T's and include: hypovolemia (NOT
hypervolemia), hypoxia, hydrogen ion excess (acidosis), hypo or hyperkalemia, hypothermia,
tension pneumothorax, tamponade, toxins, and thrombosis (pulmonary or coronary).
Correction of these causes can often reverse a cardiac arrest. - ANS ✔✔Possible causes of
cardiac arrest include all of the following EXCEPT:
, a. Hypervolemia
b. Hypoxia
c. Hypokalemia
d. Tension Pneumothorax
b. Airway obstruction
The most likely cause of the failure of the chest to rise during ventilations is an airway
obstruction. Although a faulty bag-mask device is a possibility, it is unlikely that it would fail in
the middle of providing ventilations. - ANS ✔✔You are providing ventilations using a Bag-mask
device. Suddenly, you do not see the patient's chest rise with the ventilation. You reposition the
patient to ensure an open airway. When you attempt to ventilate, you do not see his chest rise.
The most likely cause of this is:
a. The bag-mask device is faulty
b. Airway obstruction
c. The patient has suffered an MI
d. Cardiac tamponade
b. Is no longer recommended.
According to the most current AHA guidelines, cricoid pressure may delay or prevent placement
of an advanced airway so is no longer recommended. - ANS ✔✔According to American Heart
Association ACLS guidelines, cricoid pressure during intubation:
a. Should be done in all cases.
b. Is no longer recommended.
