CEN Exam Study Guide –
Practice Questions with
Verified Answers. GRADED A+.
Latest 2026/2027 Update.
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
d. Basilar skull fracture - Answer✔✔-C -- subdural hematomas or slower bleeds
since Venus. Seen commonly in alcoholics, elderly and from shaken impact
syndrome
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
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.
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
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
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
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)
,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
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.
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.
, 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
b. Reddish hue two vision after getting punched in the face
c. Crusty eyelids and yellow discharge from eye
d. photopsia and floaters in the visual field - Answer✔✔-D. Photopsia and
Floaters -- flashes of light (Photopsia) and floaters (spots in vision) are
characteristic of retinal detachment
Hazardous vulnerability assessment is completed in which phase of disaster
management? - Answer✔✔-Hazardous vulnerability assessment "HVA" is part
of mitigation.
Preparedness is stockpiling supplies, training, and mutual aid agreements
Pertussis is a highly communicable infection characterized by gagging,
vomiting, and what Hallmark sign? - Answer✔✔-The Hallmark sign of pertussis
is a proximal cough.
Inspiratory stridor is heard in upper airway obstruction like croup. Expiratory
wheezes her early and lower airway obstruction like asthma. Drooling with
respiratory distress is a hallmark sign of epiglottitis.
Your patient has a history of Addison's disease. Which vital sign change would
indicate adrenal crisis? - Answer✔✔-Hypotension is seen in adrenal crisis due
to hypovolemic shock
Practice Questions with
Verified Answers. GRADED A+.
Latest 2026/2027 Update.
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
d. Basilar skull fracture - Answer✔✔-C -- subdural hematomas or slower bleeds
since Venus. Seen commonly in alcoholics, elderly and from shaken impact
syndrome
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
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.
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
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
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
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)
,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
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.
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.
, 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
b. Reddish hue two vision after getting punched in the face
c. Crusty eyelids and yellow discharge from eye
d. photopsia and floaters in the visual field - Answer✔✔-D. Photopsia and
Floaters -- flashes of light (Photopsia) and floaters (spots in vision) are
characteristic of retinal detachment
Hazardous vulnerability assessment is completed in which phase of disaster
management? - Answer✔✔-Hazardous vulnerability assessment "HVA" is part
of mitigation.
Preparedness is stockpiling supplies, training, and mutual aid agreements
Pertussis is a highly communicable infection characterized by gagging,
vomiting, and what Hallmark sign? - Answer✔✔-The Hallmark sign of pertussis
is a proximal cough.
Inspiratory stridor is heard in upper airway obstruction like croup. Expiratory
wheezes her early and lower airway obstruction like asthma. Drooling with
respiratory distress is a hallmark sign of epiglottitis.
Your patient has a history of Addison's disease. Which vital sign change would
indicate adrenal crisis? - Answer✔✔-Hypotension is seen in adrenal crisis due
to hypovolemic shock
