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See where you stand before you buy. These sample questions match the BCEN CEN
style — scenario-based, single best answer, with a rationale that explains the reasoning. Work
each one before reading the answer.
Unlock 2,100+ CEN practice questions across 14 full-length simulators — $19.99 lifetime →
How close are these to the real CEN?
The CEN is 175 questions (150 scored) over 3 hours, spanning every emergency presentation —
cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, trauma, medical, and more. The samples below reflect that.
Sample CEN questions
- A trauma patient has absent breath sounds on the right, tracheal deviation to the left,
and hypotension. The priority intervention is:- A. Chest X-ray, then treat
- B. Needle decompression of the right chest
- C. Intubation
- D. A fluid bolus only
Answer: B. That’s a tension pneumothorax — a clinical diagnosis requiring
immediate needle decompression (second intercostal space, midclavicular line), not waiting for imaging. - A patient presents with stroke symptoms. The single most important piece of information
for treatment decisions is:- A. The patient’s age
- B. The time the patient was last known well
- C. The blood pressure
- D. The medication list
Answer: B. “Last known well” drives eligibility for thrombolytics (generally within
4.5 hours) and thrombectomy windows. Establishing it early is the priority in suspected stroke. - A patient with a suspected STEMI is in the emergency department. The key time-based goal is:
- A. Door-to-balloon within 90 minutes
- B. Door-to-balloon within 4 hours
- C. No time goal
- D. Admit and monitor for 24 hours first
Answer: A. The goal for primary PCI in STEMI is a door-to-balloon time of 90
minutes or less. Rapid recognition and activation of the cath lab are central emergency-nursing skills. - The antidote for a significant acetaminophen overdose is:
- A. Naloxone
- B. N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
- C. Flumazenil
- D. Activated charcoal only
Answer: B. N-acetylcysteine is the antidote for acetaminophen toxicity, most
effective when started early and guided by the Rumack-Matthew nomogram. - Using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), a patient who requires immediate life-saving
intervention is triaged as:- A. ESI level 1
- B. ESI level 3
- C. ESI level 5
- D. ESI level 4
Answer: A. ESI level 1 is the highest acuity — a patient needing immediate
life-saving intervention. Accurate triage is foundational emergency-nursing practice.
How did you do?
The CEN is known for a tough pass rate, so realistic practice matters. Our bank has 2,100+ CEN
questions across 14 timed simulators with rationales like these, plus a free sample test.
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Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).