CEN Study Recommendations

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Hey All!

I am a new RN with 10 months of ER experience in a Level 1 Trauma Center. I am extremely goal oriented and love learning, so I am hoping to obtain my CEN by the end of 2016. I have purchased the ENA review book with practice questions and have the Sheehy's Manual of Emergency Care. Also, I have browsed through a few of the Mark Boswell Youtube videos. However, right now, I feel like I am aimlessly reading material without any real plan.

I would love to hear insight on your study schedule and what methods of studying gave you success! As I said before I love to learn, but I am big on organization and desire having a fairly concrete study schedule.

Background: I recently obtained my TNCC certification, previously have BLS, ACLS and PALS and will be testing for ENPC in November.

Look forward to hearing from the allnurses community and my fellow ER family! :)

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.

I'm following to see what kind of answers you get :)

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I listened to a Jeff Solheim/Med-Ed review course, then scheduled my CEN. I passed it in 2009 when I had been an RN for 10 months. I had a lot of experience as a paramedic and ER Tech, so not much was new or unfamiliar. Personally I need an end point — like an actual test date — to help me get motivated!

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
I listened to a Jeff Solheim/Med-Ed review course, then scheduled my CEN. I passed it in 2009 when I had been an RN for 10 months. I had a lot of experience as a paramedic and ER Tech, so not much was new or unfamiliar. Personally I need an end point — like an actual test date — to help me get motivated!

I'm kind of debating when to take it. Is there such a thing as taking it too soon? What made you decide when to take it? :)

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Specializes in Critical Care Transport.

Once you feel comfortable talking through the study guide content located on the BCEN website. That would be an ideal time to test. I took the exam with just over 12 months ED experience. I felt very comfortable taking it and likely could have done it sooner, but I also had 10 years prehospital experience prior to nursing. Personally, I don't find the value in having a certification if you lack the experience to go with it. It's similar to new grads taking ACLS/PALS prior to obtaining a job. The dedication is there which is great, but there is clearly a lack of significant experience.

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.
Once you feel comfortable talking through the study guide content located on the BCEN website. That would be an ideal time to test. I took the exam with just over 12 months ED experience. I felt very comfortable taking it and likely could have done it sooner, but I also had 10 years prehospital experience prior to nursing. Personally, I don't find the value in having a certification if you lack the experience to go with it. It's similar to new grads taking ACLS/PALS prior to obtaining a job. The dedication is there which is great, but there is clearly a lack of significant experience.

I'm in the same kind of boat you were and that's why I'm kind of debating when I should test. I just started in the ED like 6 weeks ago after passing my boards back in January. I was a medic for 6 years prior (and was an EMT for 2 years prior to finishing medic school). I don't want to wait a long time to take it, but I also don't want to take it before it will be seen as being meaningful; just not sure when that is. I'm thinking maybe I will take it sometime around December.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Like pixie says, scheduling the test became my motivator to study. While many many not agree with me, i thought the format of the cen was mostly "what's the doc gonna do?" and the most common thought i had during the test was "hey, i've had that guy!".

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I just started in the ED like 6 weeks ago after passing my boards back in January.

Holy crow, has it been 6 weeks already?! Geez! Lol.

I vote for December! :D

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Specializes in Family practice, emergency.

I did the whole exam book and listened to the lectures by Mark Boswell on youtube. I did feel a little strange just doing the exams, but thoroughly understand the rationale, and if you don't, look it up. It's a great guide and a fairly accurate representation of what the test was like. When I hit submit, I was convinced I had failed, but passed with a good score. Good luck!

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU, E.R..

Interested too in taking the CEN.

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Specializes in ER.
I listened to a Jeff Solheim/Med-Ed review course, then scheduled my CEN. I passed it in 2009 when I had been an RN for 10 months. I had a lot of experience as a paramedic and ER Tech, so not much was new or unfamiliar. Personally I need an end point — like an actual test date — to help me get motivated!

None of the stuff I used was helpful except for Boswell's videos. The "Pass CEN!" prep book was probably good once upon a time. But, is now dated. There is an app called "CEN" by a company called PocketPrep. Don't waste your money.

Pixie, I too suffer from the curse of not being able to study until I have a test date. On top of it I'm a bit of procrastinator. It all worked out in the end. I will swear by my decision to take my PALS renewal 3 days before my test though. I'm pretty sure I got every question related to that material correct.

the most common thought i had during the test was "hey, i've had that guy!".

I kept having that thought myself. I know I had to tell myself at least three times to not overthink things.

Ex: It only explicitly says in the question that the patient has DM. It does not mention CKD, HTN etc...

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