Page 1 of 215
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam TESTBAK ALL
600 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
QUESTION: A patient with a stab wound to the left flank area is unable to move his left side and
unable to fill the right side of his body. The symptoms are associated with which of the
following in complete spinal cord injuries?
a. anterior cord syndrome
b. posterior cord syndrome
c. central cord syndrome
d. brown-sequard syndrome - ANSWER-d. Brown-Sequard syndrome -- is the incomplete cord
syndrome with ipsilateral motor loss and contralateral loss of sensation
Q; A patient is transported to the ED via EMS for headache vomiting and progressive confusion
after a fall three days ago. Which of the following head injuries is the most likely cause of the
symptoms?
a. concussion
b. Epidural hematoma
c. Subdural hematoma
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d. Basilar skull fracture - ANSWER-C -- subdural hematomas or slower bleeds since Venus. Seen
commonly in alcoholics, elderly and from shaken impact syndrome
QUESTION: Sutures placed in the eyebrows should be removed within... - ANSWER-Eyebrow
suture should be removed in 4 tp 5 days, lips 3 to 5 days, scalp 7 to 10 days, extremities 10 to
14 days, over 14 days for joints.
QUESTION: A 40-year-old female who is 36 weeks pregnant presents to the ED with painless
bright red vaginal bleeding. The nurse knows a pelvic exam is contraindicated since the most
likely cause of the bleeding is - ANSWER-Placenta previa; characterized by painless bright red
vaginal bleeding
QUESTION: A 14-year-old complains of lightheadedness and palpitations. Which cardiac
disorder is characterized by a short PR interval and a delta wave? - ANSWER-Wolf Parkinson
white syndrome (WPW) is characterized by a short PR interval (<0.12 sec) and a delta wave
(slurred and broad upstroke of the QRS complex), representing early ventricular activation via
the abnormal accessory pathway
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QUESTION: A 22-year-old female complains of thick white cottage cheese like vaginal discharge,
pruritis, vulvar burning, and dyspareunia. The nurse suspects a diagnosis of - ANSWER-
Candidiasis is characterized by thick white cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge
QUESTION: Fever, bloating, and pain at the right costal margin upon palpation is associated
with which disorder? - ANSWER-Cholelititlitis or gallbladder disease is characterized by pain at
the right costal margin, referred to as "murphy's sign" (costal margin is near the lower rib)
QUESTION: Which of the following signs and symptoms is not characteristic of Wernicke's
encephalopathy?
a. confabulation
b. chronic memory loss
c. ataxia
d. nystagmus - ANSWER-b. chronic memory loss. -- Wernicke encephalopathy is characterized
by confusion and confabulation, gait ataxia, and nystagmus.
Chronic/permanent memory loss is a symptom of Korsakoff's syndrome
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QUESTION: A patient complains of excruciating unilateral headache with nasal congestion and
excessive lacrimation on the affected side. The nurse suspects: - ANSWER-Cluster HA --
excessive tearing/lacrimation, along with unilateral nasal congestion are signs of a cluster
headache.
Temporal (giant cell) arteritis has a palpable cord-like termporal artery.
QUESTION: A patient complains of sudden onset of painless unilateral vision loss and denies
any trauma. Which ocular emergency does the nurse suspect? - ANSWER-Central retinal artery
occlusion. Painless unilateral vision loss, curtain coming down, and amaurosis fugax are seen in
central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).
Acute angle glaucoma has "tunnel vision", and halos around lights. Hyphema is blood in the
anterior chamber of the eye.
QUESTION: Which of the following signs/symptoms should raise an index of suspicion that a
patient is experiencing retinal detachment?
a. Tunnel vision and seeing halos around lights
4
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam TESTBAK ALL
600 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
QUESTION: A patient with a stab wound to the left flank area is unable to move his left side and
unable to fill the right side of his body. The symptoms are associated with which of the
following in complete spinal cord injuries?
a. anterior cord syndrome
b. posterior cord syndrome
c. central cord syndrome
d. brown-sequard syndrome - ANSWER-d. Brown-Sequard syndrome -- is the incomplete cord
syndrome with ipsilateral motor loss and contralateral loss of sensation
Q; A patient is transported to the ED via EMS for headache vomiting and progressive confusion
after a fall three days ago. Which of the following head injuries is the most likely cause of the
symptoms?
a. concussion
b. Epidural hematoma
c. Subdural hematoma
1
, Page 2 of 215
d. Basilar skull fracture - ANSWER-C -- subdural hematomas or slower bleeds since Venus. Seen
commonly in alcoholics, elderly and from shaken impact syndrome
QUESTION: Sutures placed in the eyebrows should be removed within... - ANSWER-Eyebrow
suture should be removed in 4 tp 5 days, lips 3 to 5 days, scalp 7 to 10 days, extremities 10 to
14 days, over 14 days for joints.
QUESTION: A 40-year-old female who is 36 weeks pregnant presents to the ED with painless
bright red vaginal bleeding. The nurse knows a pelvic exam is contraindicated since the most
likely cause of the bleeding is - ANSWER-Placenta previa; characterized by painless bright red
vaginal bleeding
QUESTION: A 14-year-old complains of lightheadedness and palpitations. Which cardiac
disorder is characterized by a short PR interval and a delta wave? - ANSWER-Wolf Parkinson
white syndrome (WPW) is characterized by a short PR interval (<0.12 sec) and a delta wave
(slurred and broad upstroke of the QRS complex), representing early ventricular activation via
the abnormal accessory pathway
2
, Page 3 of 215
QUESTION: A 22-year-old female complains of thick white cottage cheese like vaginal discharge,
pruritis, vulvar burning, and dyspareunia. The nurse suspects a diagnosis of - ANSWER-
Candidiasis is characterized by thick white cottage cheese-like vaginal discharge
QUESTION: Fever, bloating, and pain at the right costal margin upon palpation is associated
with which disorder? - ANSWER-Cholelititlitis or gallbladder disease is characterized by pain at
the right costal margin, referred to as "murphy's sign" (costal margin is near the lower rib)
QUESTION: Which of the following signs and symptoms is not characteristic of Wernicke's
encephalopathy?
a. confabulation
b. chronic memory loss
c. ataxia
d. nystagmus - ANSWER-b. chronic memory loss. -- Wernicke encephalopathy is characterized
by confusion and confabulation, gait ataxia, and nystagmus.
Chronic/permanent memory loss is a symptom of Korsakoff's syndrome
3
, Page 4 of 215
QUESTION: A patient complains of excruciating unilateral headache with nasal congestion and
excessive lacrimation on the affected side. The nurse suspects: - ANSWER-Cluster HA --
excessive tearing/lacrimation, along with unilateral nasal congestion are signs of a cluster
headache.
Temporal (giant cell) arteritis has a palpable cord-like termporal artery.
QUESTION: A patient complains of sudden onset of painless unilateral vision loss and denies
any trauma. Which ocular emergency does the nurse suspect? - ANSWER-Central retinal artery
occlusion. Painless unilateral vision loss, curtain coming down, and amaurosis fugax are seen in
central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO).
Acute angle glaucoma has "tunnel vision", and halos around lights. Hyphema is blood in the
anterior chamber of the eye.
QUESTION: Which of the following signs/symptoms should raise an index of suspicion that a
patient is experiencing retinal detachment?
a. Tunnel vision and seeing halos around lights
4
