CEN Exam

The CEN (Certification for Emergency Nursing) exam tests a candidate's preparedness for work in emergent care. In addition, passage of the exam is part of the certification process in many states and municipalities. The exam was created and is administered by the BCEN (Board of Certification of Emergency Nursing) in conjunction with a private testing service. The test was developed by professional emergency nurses to cover the breadth and depth of experiences nurses face in emergent care.

The exam is multiple-choice and presented in a computer format. Each 150-question test (some have extra questions being beta tested for appropriateness that do not count on the final exam score) selects from a group of thousands of questions, so the experience varies from candidate to candidate. Applicants must be certified as an RN (Registered Nurse) or hold an equivalent license from a foreign jurisdiction to take the CEN. The credential the CEN confers lasts for four years but can be maintained and renewed through further testing or through approved continuing education. The test is updated often to reflect changes in the industry and advances in medical knowledge.

The test is broken down into multiple categories or tasks. Many involve diagnosing and stabilizing patients. These tasks fall under the rubric of titles like cardiovascular issues, gastrointestinal problems, respiratory difficulties, and shock. These questions are highly technical and specific, often providing symptoms and complaints and asking for possible diagnoses as the correct answer. Questions may also cover the proper use of medical equipment used in emergent care. There is also a group of patient care and communication questions about dealing with unruly patients and providing psychological comfort. There is also a battery of questions concerning professional behavior, from patient confidentiality rules to communication with other caregivers. Experienced nurses will see the broad scope of all the problems and processes they deal with on a daily basis. Less experienced candidates might be well advised to research the content of the test and practice answering the types of questions that appear.

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