CEN UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE
●● 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
CORRECT ANSWERS COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY GUIDE
●● 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
