CEN

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in Emergency RN.

Hello! I was hoping some experienced ED Nurses could give me some input! I've been working in the ED for 8 months now and I'm interested in taking the CEN test within the year.

How much experience do you think is sufficient before taking this test?

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It probably depends. If you work in the ER in a town of 2,500 you're going to have a different exposure to someone in a town of 250,000.

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

Two years of experience is recommended. Personally, I took it 10 months after I became an ED RN, but I'd also been a paramedic for nearly 6 years by that point, and had been working in an ED for 4+ years already. Everyone is different. Good luck!! :)

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Specializes in Emergency.

I waited until I had 2 years experience. Over a dozen years of pre-hospital EMS helped too.

I took it yesterday and make no mistake, the test is hard. You need to know the minutae within the big picture.

Good luck.

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An APN was telling me the other day that having a national certification, which I assume CEN is, helps one reach the top of the nurse's career ladder at many hospitals in this area. I'm guessing that refers to salary schedule. Correct or not?

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An APN was telling me the other day that having a national certification, which I assume CEN is, helps one reach the top of the nurse's career ladder at many hospitals in this area. I'm guessing that refers to salary schedule. Correct or not?

doubt it. many hospitals don't even offer an increase in your hourly rate with the certification (which is why a lot of people don't bother with it)

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Flight.

There is no raise or "bonus" at my hospital. Also keep in mind that you need CEs to keep in current after a few years or retake the test. My hospital will not pay for either, so you have to add that to the total cost of having your CEN. Most of our RNs only get it when they are leaving and want to be more competitive in the market place. If just working its actually a money loser. We have had a 100% pass rate our of everyone that took it with a average of 8 months on the job.

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

Tons of threads on CEN advice...take a look.

The amount of experience needed to pass depends on the nurse...some learn quick and are exposed to a lot others work mostly fast-track and need more time to learn...

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