Certified Emergency Nurse Flashcards
7 cards from real CEN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Certified Emergency Nurse flashcards as text
A patient with suspected C5 spinal cord injury is hypotensive with bradycardia and warm, flushed skin. This hemodynamic picture is most consistent with:
Answer: Neurogenic shock
Loss of sympathetic tone in neurogenic shock causes vasodilation (warm skin) and bradycardia, distinguishing it from other shock types.
A patient with a suspected overdose has a QRS duration of 140 ms on ECG, hypotension, and altered mental status. Which drug class is most likely responsible?
Answer: Tricyclic antidepressants
Tricyclic antidepressants cause sodium channel blockade, widening the QRS complex and producing the classic toxidrome of hypotension, dysrhythmia, and CNS depression.
A patient presents with painless monocular vision loss described as a 'curtain coming down.' This symptom is most suggestive of:
Answer: Retinal detachment
A 'curtain coming down' or 'veil' over vision is the classic description of retinal detachment due to progressive separation of the retina.
During a mass casualty incident, a patient is found apneic. After repositioning the airway, the patient remains apneic. Under START triage, this patient is classified as:
Answer: Expectant (Black)
Under START triage, a patient who is apneic after airway repositioning is classified as Expectant (Black), indicating survival is unlikely with available resources.
A patient presents with fever, hypotension, altered mental status, and a petechial rash spreading rapidly over the trunk. The nurse suspects:
Answer: Meningococcal septicemia
Rapidly spreading petechiae with fever, hypotension, and altered mental status is the hallmark presentation of meningococcal septicemia, a life-threatening emergency.
Which intervention is the HIGHEST priority for a patient presenting with status epilepticus lasting more than 5 minutes?
Answer: Administer IV benzodiazepine immediately
Benzodiazepines (lorazepam or diazepam) are the first-line treatment for status epilepticus, given as soon as possible to terminate the seizure.
A patient with a history of warfarin use presents with a traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage. Which reversal agent is most appropriate?
Answer: 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC)
4-factor PCC provides the fastest and most complete reversal of warfarin anticoagulation in life-threatening hemorrhage compared to FFP or vitamin K alone.