CEN Practice Exams

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Specializes in ED, Trauma/Surgical/Neuro ICU.

Hello all, I have a question about the CEN exam! I have just been given the two most recent CEN practice examination books from the ENA. I have found in the first book that I passed two of the tests and failed the other three. I'm getting ready to study the second one. I was wondering, for those who have taken the CEN, did you pass all of the practice exams, or maybe failed a couple? Just curious, thanks!

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

Do they give you your weak areas? Does it have explanations/rationales on the questions you missed? Usually it's nice to know what to study (for me was OB emergencies). I used an ENA review book that had practice questions but not practice tests.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept, ICU.

Use the most up to date. The CEN was changed recently.

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Specializes in med-surg, step-down, ICU/CCU, ED.

I used the second, most recently published practice exam book. I failed a couple of the tests, and had a total overall average of 72% (you need 73% to pass). I studied and studied like a maniac but just couldn't get higher than 77% out of the 7 practice exams I took. Yes I was SHAKING IN MY BOOTS when I went to take that exam but the exam itself turned out to be a whole lot easier than the practice tests, thank God!!!

I was pretty surprised that I was scoring so low though. Previous to this I had studied and passed the CCRN exam, which was a much harder test but I did well in all the practice exams. I figured studying for the CEN would be a piece of cake, but boy was I wrong!!

Good luck. The practice exams really prepare you for the exam itself.

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Specializes in Trauma, Tele, Neuro, Med-Surg.
Hello all, I have a question about the CEN exam! I have just been given the two most recent CEN practice examination books from the ENA. I have found in the first book that I passed two of the tests and failed the other three. I'm getting ready to study the second one. I was wondering, for those who have taken the CEN, did you pass all of the practice exams, or maybe failed a couple? Just curious, thanks!

I did the 5 online tests and I think I passed all but one, but my scores on 2 of them were very different than on the other three. I kind of reminded me of trying to imrpove my SAT scores or my NCLEX practice scores...reviewing one area brought that area up, but inevitably brought my better areas down on subsequent practices/tests. That being said, in all cases, my actual test scores were much improved and I attribute that to the practice. If I remember right, I was scoring 68 - 76 on the practice exams from ENA, then scored in the mid 80's on the actual exam. I was still weaker in the same areas, but they were all scoring better on the real thing.

There is soooo much you can see on an actual exam, the more practice you get, the more things you are exposed to and can review. You will never see *everything* that can be on a big test like the CEN, but if you see enough things, you can figure out alot of other stuff on your own, making connections to what you *know*, if you see it in the test.

Good luck!

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, ICU/CCU/NICU, EMS, Transport.

I recommend to my students to NOT use the exam total score, rather look at the score subsections. If you can score 75% or higher consistently, then you are GOOD to go on that section. Those that you score 70-75% on you need "moderate" review on. And those sections

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