CEN Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the CEN exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 CEN Exam Format at a Glance
📚 CEN Topics to Study (32)
✍️ Sample CEN Questions & Answers
1. Which trauma patient is most likely to benefit from permissive hypotension strategy (target MAP 50 mmHg) during resuscitation?
Permissive hypotension is used in penetrating trauma without TBI to prevent coagulopathy worsening while limiting crystalloid dilution.
2. Which sign is associated with cardiac tamponade in addition to hypotension and muffled heart sounds?
Beck's triad for cardiac tamponade includes hypotension, muffled heart sounds, and jugular venous distension (JVD) due to impaired venous return.
3. A patient sustains a gunshot wound to the abdomen with evisceration of bowel through the wound. What is the correct initial management of the eviscerated bowel?
Eviscerated bowel should be covered with a moist, sterile dressing to prevent desiccation and contamination while the patient is prepared for surgical repair.
4. Damage control surgery (DCS) in trauma is characterized by which primary principle?
DCS involves a rapid initial surgery to control bleeding and contamination, temporary abdominal closure, ICU resuscitation to correct the lethal triad, and then planned reoperation for definitive repair.
5. A 36-week pregnant patient presents with severe headache, visual disturbances, BP of 160/110 mmHg, and 3+ proteinuria. What is the diagnosis?
BP ≥160/110 mmHg with headache, visual changes, and proteinuria after 20 weeks meets criteria for severe preeclampsia with severe features.
6. A drowning victim is brought in apneic and pulseless. After resuscitation, they regain a pulse but remain comatose with SpO2 88% on room air. What condition should be anticipated?
Near-drowning victims are at high risk for developing ARDS due to aspiration of fluid causing diffuse alveolar damage and refractory hypoxemia.