Study Guide for CEN Exam Review

Course Overview & Goals

This study guide is designed to help candidates prepare for the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) exam. It covers critical topics, including:

• Exam Overview & Review
• Shock Management
• Cardiovascular Emergencies
• Medical Emergencies & Communicable Diseases
• Gastrointestinal Emergencies
• Genitourinary, Gynecologic & Obstetrical Emergencies
• Neurological Emergencies
• Respiratory Emergencies
• Environmental & Toxicological Emergencies
• Professional Issues in Emergency Nursing
• Maxillofacial & Ocular Emergencies
• Orthopedic & Wound Emergencies
• Psychosocial Emergencies

Shock

Topic Overview

Shock occurs when there is inadequate tissue perfusion, leading to cellular dysfunction and organ failure. Emergency nurses preparing for the CEN exam should be familiar with the four primary types of shock:

1. Hypovolemic Shock – Caused by significant fluid or blood loss.
2. Distributive Shock – Includes anaphylactic, septic, and neurogenic shock, resulting from abnormal vascular tone and distribution.
3. Cardiogenic Shock – Occurs due to heart failure, leading to inadequate circulation.
4. Obstructive Shock – Results from mechanical barriers to blood flow, such as pulmonary embolism, tension pneumothorax, or cardiac tamponade.

This session will focus on the pathophysiology, assessment, intervention strategies, and evaluation of care for patients experiencing shock.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this section, learners will be able to:

• Define shock and its pathophysiology.
• Distinguish between compensatory and decompensatory shock.
• Identify the three forms of distributive shock.

CEN Exam Review – Shock

Presented by: Jeff Solheim, RN-BC, MSN, CEN, CFRN, FAEN

The CEN exam includes nine questions related to shock, covering the following key topics:

• Cardiogenic Shock – Pump failure leading to decreased cellular perfusion.
• Distributive Shock – Abnormal blood distribution (e.g., anaphylactic, septic, and neurogenic shock).
• Hypovolemic Shock – Caused by loss of circulating volume.
• Obstructive Shock – Impaired cardiac output due to physical obstruction (e.g., pulmonary embolism, tension pneumothorax, pericardial tamponade).