Page 1 of 214
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam (2 VERSIONS)
ALL 550 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
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, Page 2 of 214
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
QUESTION: Possible causes of cardiac arrest include all of the following EXCEPT:
a. Hypervolemia
b. Hypoxia
c. Hypokalemia
d. Tension Pneumothorax - ANSWER-a. Hypervolemia
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, Page 3 of 214
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.
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
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, Page 4 of 214
QUESTION: According to American Heart Association ACLS guidelines, cricoid pressure during
intubation:
a. Should be done in all cases.
b. Is no longer recommended.
c. Should only be done on children.
d. None of the above. - ANSWER-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.
QUESTION: You are providing positive pressure ventilation through an ET tube to a patient in
respiratory distress. Indications that you are ventilating too fast include all of the following
EXCEPT:
a. Increasing waveform capnography readings
b. Stomach insufflation
c. Tension pneumothorax
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CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam (2 VERSIONS)
ALL 550 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Exam
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
1
, Page 2 of 214
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
QUESTION: Possible causes of cardiac arrest include all of the following EXCEPT:
a. Hypervolemia
b. Hypoxia
c. Hypokalemia
d. Tension Pneumothorax - ANSWER-a. Hypervolemia
2
, Page 3 of 214
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.
QUESTION: 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 - ANSWER-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.
3
, Page 4 of 214
QUESTION: According to American Heart Association ACLS guidelines, cricoid pressure during
intubation:
a. Should be done in all cases.
b. Is no longer recommended.
c. Should only be done on children.
d. None of the above. - ANSWER-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.
QUESTION: You are providing positive pressure ventilation through an ET tube to a patient in
respiratory distress. Indications that you are ventilating too fast include all of the following
EXCEPT:
a. Increasing waveform capnography readings
b. Stomach insufflation
c. Tension pneumothorax
4
