Page 1 of 162
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Exam 2026-2027
COMPLETE 400 QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Exam
QUESTION: 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
,Page 2 of 162
QUESTION: 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
QUESTION: 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
,Page 3 of 162
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
QUESTION: 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
QUESTION: What is the most common cause of cardiogenic shock?
Sustained cardiac dysrhythmias
Acute valvular dysfunction
Myocardial infarction
, Page 4 of 162
End-stage cardiomyopathy - ANSWER-Myocardial infarction
QUESTION: The disease most commonly associated with the catarrhal, paroxysmal and
convalescent stages is best treated with classification of medications?
Immune globulin
Steroids
Antiretroviral therapy
Macrolide antibiotics - ANSWER-Macrolide antibiotics
Q;Which of the following statements made by a patient would lead the nurse to conclude that
the patient understands risk factors for pulmonary embolism?
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
Resuming my birth control pills will lower my risk of cancer and my risk of another clot.
If I drink plenty of water while driving on a long trip, this shouldn't happen again.
Switching from my regular cigarettes to the electronic ones can reduce my risk. - ANSWER-
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Exam 2026-2027
COMPLETE 400 QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED
SOLUTIONS LATEST UPDATE THIS YEAR
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Exam
QUESTION: 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
,Page 2 of 162
QUESTION: 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
QUESTION: 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
,Page 3 of 162
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
QUESTION: 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
QUESTION: What is the most common cause of cardiogenic shock?
Sustained cardiac dysrhythmias
Acute valvular dysfunction
Myocardial infarction
, Page 4 of 162
End-stage cardiomyopathy - ANSWER-Myocardial infarction
QUESTION: The disease most commonly associated with the catarrhal, paroxysmal and
convalescent stages is best treated with classification of medications?
Immune globulin
Steroids
Antiretroviral therapy
Macrolide antibiotics - ANSWER-Macrolide antibiotics
Q;Which of the following statements made by a patient would lead the nurse to conclude that
the patient understands risk factors for pulmonary embolism?
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
Resuming my birth control pills will lower my risk of cancer and my risk of another clot.
If I drink plenty of water while driving on a long trip, this shouldn't happen again.
Switching from my regular cigarettes to the electronic ones can reduce my risk. - ANSWER-
While on a long flight, I should get up and walk to stretch my legs every hour.
