CEN - Certified Emergency Nurse

About CEN Certification

The CEN exam is administered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN). It is a specialized certification for registered nurses committed to providing expert care in emergency settings. Achieving this credential demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills in managing acute, critical, and life-threatening conditions. The CEN certification validates a nurse’s proficiency in rapid assessment, stabilization, and treatment of patients across diverse emergencies. It also highlights a dedication to excellence in emergency nursing practice and reinforces a commitment to delivering safe, high-quality, and timely care in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.

BoardCerts CEN Question Bank

BoardCerts provides a robust question bank designed to help you succeed on the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) exam. Featuring high-quality practice questions and multiple predictor exams, the content closely aligns with the CEN exam blueprint. Each question is meticulously crafted and reviewed by emergency nursing experts to ensure accuracy and relevance. Designed to match the exam’s rigor, the question bank includes detailed rationales and explanations to enhance understanding and build confidence. Prepare smarter with BoardCerts and achieve CEN certification success.

CEN Exam Content Outline

The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) certification exam evaluates a candidate’s expertise in emergency nursing across several primary content areas.

• Cardiovascular Emergencies (13%): Covers the assessment and management of cardiac conditions, including acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, arrhythmias, and shock. Topics include ECG interpretation, pharmacologic interventions, and emergency procedures such as defibrillation and cardioversion.

• Respiratory Emergencies (12%): Focuses on the recognition and treatment of respiratory distress and failure, airway management, oxygen therapy, and ventilatory support. Conditions include asthma, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, and anaphylaxis.

• Neurological Emergencies (12%): Assesses knowledge of stroke management, seizures, head and spinal cord injuries, altered mental status, and increased intracranial pressure.

• Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary & Obstetrical Emergencies (12%): Evaluates the ability to manage abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding, pancreatitis, bowel obstructions, renal colic, testicular torsion, and electrolyte imbalances.

• Mental Health Emergencies (7%): Covers crisis intervention, suicide risk assessment, acute psychosis, substance abuse disorders, and the management of violent or agitated patients.

• Medical Emergencies (9%): Encompasses endocrine, hematologic, immunologic, metabolic, and infectious conditions, including diabetic emergencies, adrenal insufficiency, sepsis, anaphylaxis, and shock syndromes.

• Musculoskeletal and Wound Emergencies (9%): Addresses fractures, dislocations, soft tissue injuries, crush injuries, compartment syndrome, burns, and wound management, including assessment, treatment, and complications.

• Maxillofacial and Ocular Emergencies (7%): Focuses on the assessment and management of facial fractures, dental trauma, eye injuries, orbital fractures, and vision-threatening conditions such as acute angle-closure glaucoma and retinal detachment.

• Environmental and Toxicology Emergencies, and Communicable Diseases (9%): Includes hypothermia, hyperthermia, envenomations, chemical exposures, overdoses, and infections that pose a public health concern, such as meningitis and tuberculosis.

• Professional Issues (9%): Covers ethical and legal considerations, triage principles, disaster preparedness, emergency response planning, and patient advocacy in the emergency setting.

For a more detailed overview of the CEN exam structure, please refer to the official CEN exam blueprint. You can access the full blueprint here: CEN Preparation and Resources.

CEN Exam Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the CEN certification exam, applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the U.S., its territories, Canada, or Australia. International nurses may be eligible through CEN’s credential evaluation process. Although not required, at least two years of experience in emergency nursing is recommended to enhance exam readiness.

CEN Application Process

CEN Exam Dates and Costs

The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) exam is offered year-round, allowing candidates to select a testing date that fits their schedule and preparation timeline.

For the latest information on CEN exam scheduling, fees, and eligibility, visit the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) website.

CEN Exam Format

Number of Questions: The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) certification exam consists of 175 multiple-choice questions. Of these, 150 are scored, and 25 are unscored pretest questions used for future test development.

Exam Response Options: Multiple-choice format.

Testing Options: The exam is available at designated PSI testing centers and can also be taken via Live Remote Proctoring (LRP), providing flexibility for candidates.

Time Allotted: Candidates have 3 hours to complete the exam.

Passing Score for CEN

Difficulty Level: The CEN certification exam is considered challenging, with pass rates averaging around 48.8% over recent years.

Passing Score: Candidates must correctly answer 106 of the 150 scored items to pass the CEN exam.

Exam Statistics: Detailed statistics, including annual pass rates and the number of candidates tested, are available on the BCEN Exam Statistics webpage.

Score Reporting: Candidates testing via Live Remote Proctoring receive their scores immediately on-screen upon completing the exam. Those testing at a PSI testing center receive a printed score report from the test administrator shortly after finishing. Additionally, all candidates receive their score reports via email, indicating whether they passed or failed.

CEN Exam Proctoring

The CEN exam is administered by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing in partnership with PSI Services. Candidates have the flexibility to choose between two proctoring options:

• Live Remote Proctoring: This option allows you to take the exam from a location of your choice, such as your home or office. During the exam, a professional proctor monitors you in real-time via your computer's webcam and microphone to ensure the integrity of the testing process.
• In-Person Testing Centers: Alternatively, you can opt to take the exam at one of PSI's designated testing centers, which are available across various locations. This traditional method involves attending a physical location to complete the exam under supervised conditions.

Both options are designed to maintain the exam's security and integrity while providing flexibility to accommodate your preferences and circumstances.

CEN Preparation and Resources

The BoardCerts CEN practice questions align with the official exam blueprint to ensure relevance and accuracy. Developed using resources used for the official exam questions, the question bank offers effective preparation that closely reflects the content of the actual exam.

Topics on Exam: Review the topics covered in the CEN exam blueprint, which can be found here: Preparation and Resources.

Review Course: Consider enrolling in a review course, such as those offered by the BCEN, to build a strong foundation in exam content.

Question Bank: Utilize a comprehensive resource like the BoardCerts BCEN Question Bank, which aligns with the exam blueprint and is reviewed by BCEN certified nurses. The question bank provides extensive practice essential for success and includes predictor exams to help gauge your exam readiness.

CEN Certification Renewal

The CEN certification is valid for four years. To renew certification, candidates can choose between two options:

• Recertification by CE Attestation: Candidates must complete 100 contact hours of nursing continuing education within their current 4-year certification period. Eligibility requires a current CEN certification, an active, unrestricted RN license, and completion of the required contact hours. A minimum of 75 hours must focus on clinical content, with the remaining 25 hours being non-clinical. Furthermore, at least 50 of the 100 contact hours must be obtained from accredited sources.

• Recertification by Exam: To recertify, candidates who do not meet the criteria above must schedule and take the CEN exam again at a testing center or through live remote proctoring. Candidates must have a current CEN certification and an active, unrestricted RN license. After receiving the exam eligibility email, candidates must schedule their exam within the 90-day testing window.

For the most up-to-date information on CEN renewal and recertification requirements, visit the official BCEN recertification webpage.

CEN Practice Questions

• Practicing sample questions is a crucial part of the CEN exam preparation, helping you become familiar with the exam format, question style, and key content areas. The BoardCerts CEN Question Bank offers high-quality, exam-focused sample questions that align with the CEN exam blueprint, ensuring you are well-prepared and confident on test day.

• Access Practice Questions: Find sample questions from the BoardCerts question bank here. These questions are crafted to reflect the level of application and difficulty found on the CEN exam.

CEN Related Certifications

The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) offers a variety of certifications for emergency nursing professionals across different specialties:

• Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN): For nurses providing care in flight or air medical transport settings.
• Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN): For nurses specializing in ground transport nursing.
• Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN): For nurses with expertise in trauma care.
• Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN): For nurses focusing on pediatric emergency care.