Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) – Full Practice Exam
with Answers and Rationales | CEN Exam Prep Guide
200+ Q&A 2025-2026 Latest Version|||Graded A+
After a patient has an episode of violent behavior in the waiting room,
an important intervention is to
A. tell the patient to get himself under control.
B. instruct the patient to be quiet and speak only when spoken to.
C. allow the patient to go home as soon as possible.
D. encourage the patient to verbalize his feelings about the situation.
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. encourage the patient to verbalize his
feelings about the situation.
The nurse is caring for a patient with complaints of progressive,
ascending paralysis starting from the feet and progressing over the
last week. It would be a PRIORITY for the nurse to monitor the
patient's
A. pupillary response.
B. peripheral pulses.
C. respiratory status.
D. Blood glucose
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. respiratory status.
A patient with acute cocaine intoxication should be expected to have
A. rising core body temperature.
B. drowsiness.
C.flaccid extremities.
D. first-degree AV block.
- CORRECT ANSWER -A. rising core body temperature.
pg. 1
,Which of the following ocular conditions requires the HIGHEST
treatment priority?
A. periorbital hematoma with edema
B. hyphema following a blow to the eye
C. a retained metal foreign body
D. sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye
A patient presents with complaints of fatigue and exhaustion, and
reveals a recent move across country for a new high stress job. The
patient admits to recent increase in alcohol consumption. The nurse
suspects the patient is experiencing:
A. schizophrenia.
B. situational crisis.
C. psychotic depression.
D. acute mania.
- CORRECT ANSWER -B. situational crisis.
The nurse is caring for a patient who suddenly stops breathing and is
in ventricular fibrillation. The nurse should FIRST
A. perform synchronized cardioversion at 200 joules.
B. provide oxygen and ventilation via a bag-mask device.
C. start chest compressions.
D. administer 1 mg of intravenous epinephrine.
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. start chest compressions.
A patient presents with his family members, who state that he has
struck his brother and has been violent and paranoid. The nurse
should FIRST
A. place the patient into a treatment room with the door open.
pg. 2
,B. assess the brother for possible injuries.
C. escort the patient to the quiet room to await the social worker.
D. notify police of the assault.
- CORRECT ANSWER -A. place the patient into a treatment room
with the door open.
Human tetanus immune globulin provides passive immunity for
A. 1 year.
B. 30 days.
C. 6 months.
D. 72 hours.
- CORRECT ANSWER -B. 30 days.
A patient who is trembling, sweating, and hyperventilating is having
an anxiety attack. Arterial blood gas analysis is likely to show which
of the following?
A. oxygen saturation < 96%
B. pH < 7.35
C. HCO3-level > 26 mEq/L
D. PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg
A pediatric patient is treated for otitis media complicated by a
ruptured tympanic membrane. Discharge education is proven effective
when the patient's father states,
A. I will position my son upright in bed when he goes to sleep.
B. I will keep my son from getting his ear wet.
C. I will feed him soft foods until the ear drum heals itself.
D. I will use antibiotic ear drops four times a day for one week.
pg. 3
, - CORRECT ANSWER -B. I will keep my son from getting his ear
wet.
Assessment of a patient who has acute cholecystitis is MOST likely to
reveal
A. pain that radiates to the left shoulder and positive results on a stool
guaiac test.
B. pain in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen and positive results
on a guaiac test of vomitus.
C. pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and slight scleral
icterus.
D. epigastric pain that radiates to the back and watery stools.
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. pain in the right upper quadrant of the
abdomen and slight scleral icterus.
Manual uterine massage is recommended for early postpartum
hemorrhage because massage will
A. enhance uterine atony.
B. improve bladder tone.
C. expel retained products of conception.
D. stimulate uterine contractions.
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. stimulate uterine contractions.
A child with an extremity fracture is being prepared for admission
prior to surgery. The child has a low-grade fever and may have been
exposed to chickenpox. The nurse should
A. isolate the patient in a negative-pressure room.
B. anticipate administering diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
C. advise the receiving nurse to initiate isolation if vesicles develop.
pg. 4
with Answers and Rationales | CEN Exam Prep Guide
200+ Q&A 2025-2026 Latest Version|||Graded A+
After a patient has an episode of violent behavior in the waiting room,
an important intervention is to
A. tell the patient to get himself under control.
B. instruct the patient to be quiet and speak only when spoken to.
C. allow the patient to go home as soon as possible.
D. encourage the patient to verbalize his feelings about the situation.
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. encourage the patient to verbalize his
feelings about the situation.
The nurse is caring for a patient with complaints of progressive,
ascending paralysis starting from the feet and progressing over the
last week. It would be a PRIORITY for the nurse to monitor the
patient's
A. pupillary response.
B. peripheral pulses.
C. respiratory status.
D. Blood glucose
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. respiratory status.
A patient with acute cocaine intoxication should be expected to have
A. rising core body temperature.
B. drowsiness.
C.flaccid extremities.
D. first-degree AV block.
- CORRECT ANSWER -A. rising core body temperature.
pg. 1
,Which of the following ocular conditions requires the HIGHEST
treatment priority?
A. periorbital hematoma with edema
B. hyphema following a blow to the eye
C. a retained metal foreign body
D. sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. sudden, painless loss of vision in one eye
A patient presents with complaints of fatigue and exhaustion, and
reveals a recent move across country for a new high stress job. The
patient admits to recent increase in alcohol consumption. The nurse
suspects the patient is experiencing:
A. schizophrenia.
B. situational crisis.
C. psychotic depression.
D. acute mania.
- CORRECT ANSWER -B. situational crisis.
The nurse is caring for a patient who suddenly stops breathing and is
in ventricular fibrillation. The nurse should FIRST
A. perform synchronized cardioversion at 200 joules.
B. provide oxygen and ventilation via a bag-mask device.
C. start chest compressions.
D. administer 1 mg of intravenous epinephrine.
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. start chest compressions.
A patient presents with his family members, who state that he has
struck his brother and has been violent and paranoid. The nurse
should FIRST
A. place the patient into a treatment room with the door open.
pg. 2
,B. assess the brother for possible injuries.
C. escort the patient to the quiet room to await the social worker.
D. notify police of the assault.
- CORRECT ANSWER -A. place the patient into a treatment room
with the door open.
Human tetanus immune globulin provides passive immunity for
A. 1 year.
B. 30 days.
C. 6 months.
D. 72 hours.
- CORRECT ANSWER -B. 30 days.
A patient who is trembling, sweating, and hyperventilating is having
an anxiety attack. Arterial blood gas analysis is likely to show which
of the following?
A. oxygen saturation < 96%
B. pH < 7.35
C. HCO3-level > 26 mEq/L
D. PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. PaCO2 < 35 mm Hg
A pediatric patient is treated for otitis media complicated by a
ruptured tympanic membrane. Discharge education is proven effective
when the patient's father states,
A. I will position my son upright in bed when he goes to sleep.
B. I will keep my son from getting his ear wet.
C. I will feed him soft foods until the ear drum heals itself.
D. I will use antibiotic ear drops four times a day for one week.
pg. 3
, - CORRECT ANSWER -B. I will keep my son from getting his ear
wet.
Assessment of a patient who has acute cholecystitis is MOST likely to
reveal
A. pain that radiates to the left shoulder and positive results on a stool
guaiac test.
B. pain in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen and positive results
on a guaiac test of vomitus.
C. pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and slight scleral
icterus.
D. epigastric pain that radiates to the back and watery stools.
- CORRECT ANSWER -C. pain in the right upper quadrant of the
abdomen and slight scleral icterus.
Manual uterine massage is recommended for early postpartum
hemorrhage because massage will
A. enhance uterine atony.
B. improve bladder tone.
C. expel retained products of conception.
D. stimulate uterine contractions.
- CORRECT ANSWER -D. stimulate uterine contractions.
A child with an extremity fracture is being prepared for admission
prior to surgery. The child has a low-grade fever and may have been
exposed to chickenpox. The nurse should
A. isolate the patient in a negative-pressure room.
B. anticipate administering diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
C. advise the receiving nurse to initiate isolation if vesicles develop.
pg. 4
