New CEN Exam

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2011

Check out the ENA website...

http://www.ena.org/bcen/certified/CEN/Pages/CENPractice.aspx

and if it was just released today no one would know whether or not they passed yet.....and I still prefer Laura Gasparis Vonfriolio....:0

TraumaJunkieRN · Jul 5, 2011

Thanks. I been to their website already and looked at the new content changes. Also, the test rolls out today and any test taker should get their results at the end of the test from what I understand.

mwboswell · Jul 6, 2011

Supposedly the new test has rolled out today (being 7/5/11).
1. Anybody take and passed the test?
2. How was the test different?
3. How did you study?
4. What resources did you use to study and date of publications?
5. Any recommendations?

1) I'm scheduled for July 11th. I was hoping for TODAY, but my schedule between work and teaching is so tight, the 11th was the best I could do. I wanted to be one of the first! I take it every year just to see what's on it and what questions are showing up often.

2)Of course I can't really answer this yet, except for what the BCEN has publicly said already. Basically they have weighted the sections a little differently. At the bottom of this reply, I will re-post what I had already posted in another CEN thread on this site.

3) Study? Hmm, well I guess everytime I give a lecture I'm kinda "studying"....!! That being said, I recomend all CEN candidates to take one of the official practice tests from the ENA to use as a self-assessment, to see what your'e strong in/weak in. And from that to build your study plan on the weak areas.

4) Resources. My recomendation is: Use the offical ENA BLUE CEN review manual to do an assessment. Then to find books which you can look up specific topics that are from your weak areas. There are MANY to pick from out there.

The "Bible" (In my opinion) is the ENA Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum...BUT, I've even found inconsistencies in there and NOT ALL topics possible on the CEN exam are in there.

Sheehey's Manual of Emergency Nurisng, while referenced many times by professionals, is lacking! There are at least a couple of topics not in her book, that are on the exam...You'd think TENSION PNEUMOTHORAX would be in there; it's not!

And Finally Dennison's book "Pass CEN" seems comprehensive, but it has a LOT of critical care information that is NOT on the CEN exam. Dennison originally wrote "PASS CCRN" and she integrated a lot of that info into the "PASS CEN" book. If someone didn't know what was on the CEN blueprint, they would walk away from considering the test if they thought everything in "PASS CEN" was on the test.

So, after telling you some "cons" about other people's works, let me tell you a good source: Lippincott's Emergency Nursing. Even though it is a bit dated (circa 2004), the core material is concise, condensed, and easy to read. It is a BIG seller by many retailers. Also good is the "Incredibly Easy Emergency Nursing" book. It's easy to read, refreshing and lots of memory cues.

5) Recommendations: (see all above points!)

Here's the CEN exam changes....

Here's a breakdown of how the exam will be changing July 5th...

The CONTENT is not changing, just a "re-balancing" of the questions is

all. There is only a 5% total change in the exam.

It's all the same questions (as I've verified this with the BCEN months ago) they have just "reorganized" the different sections a bit. Also they have made it so more of the medical "diagnosis" type questions come up.

THIS (below) is from the BCEN website...

Current Exam

Weighted percentage of each section:

CARDS: 14%

GI: 6%

GU/GYN/OB: 7%

Max/Facial/ENT: 4%

Neuro:10%

Ortho/Wounds: 9%

Psych/Soc: 4%

Respiratory: 12%

Pt care mgmt:6%

Substance Abuse/Tox: 7%

Shock/Multi System: 7%

Medical Emergencies:10%

Professional Issues: 4%

The NEW (July 5, 2011) exam weight will be as follows:

CARDS: 13% (-1%)

GI: 7% (+1%)

GU/GYN/OB: 7% (no change)

Max/Facial/ENT: 6% (+2%)

Neuro: 10% (no change)

Ortho/Wounds: 9% (no change)

Psych/Soc: 5% (+1% change)

Respiratory: 12% (no change)

Pt care mgmt: REMOVED

Substance Abuse/Tox: 7% (no change)

Shock/Multi System: 6% (-1%)

Medical Emergencies: 11% (+1%)

Professional Issues: 7% (+3%)

mwboswell · Jul 6, 2011

Check out the ENA website...
http://www.ena.org/bcen/certified/CEN/Pages/CENPractice.aspx
and if it was just released today no one would know whether or not they passed yet.....and I still prefer Laura Gasparis Vonfriolio....:0

LGV is good (as far as the presenter goes), but lacking in the content.

I believe she is better as a motivational/keynote speaker than marketing as a exam prep presenter.

I have timed with a stopwatch the amount of time during her sessions that is spent actually discussing CLINCIAL/EMERGENCY RELEVANT material versus "side stories", "rants" or "commentaries" on nursing in general. It is nearly 50-50 time spent. So you are actually only paying for half the time actually being clinically or exam relevant.

Also, she presents stuff that is not on the exam, stuff that is CCRN knowledge and (as she hasn't updated lately) things that are out of date.

I do give my respect to her as many people enjoy her presentations, and I believe that enjoyment has a lot to do with retention, BUT, if you are a person who wants the HIGHEST amount of clinically relevant material for your $$$$ I would not sugget LGV as the primary source to use to study by. If you have some extra money and you want a refreshing way to go over some review topics with a bit of humor, then LGV might fit the bill for you.

mwboswell · Jul 6, 2011

Supposedly the new test has rolled out today (being 7/5/11).
1. Anybody take and passed the test?
2. How was the test different?
3. How did you study?
4. What resources did you use to study and date of publications?
5. Any recommendations?

Just FYI - in my reply/post, all the resources I mentioned - I own and have read through.

I will not talk about another person's book/class/seminar etc unless I've actually purchased it or attended it myself.

I haven't even mentioned Med-Ed !

TraumaJunkieRN · Jul 6, 2011

THANKS MWBOSWELL! Your resources and knowledge in this subject is unparalleled.

I actually responded to a previous thread which you answered and was hoping you would share your experience of the new exam here. I started this new thread in hopes of easing others and my own anxiety about the new test. Hope this thread will consolidate plenty of resources regarding the revised exam.

mmutk, BSN, RN, EMT-I · Jul 10, 2011

The "Bible" (In my opinion) is the ENA Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum...BUT, I've even found inconsistencies in there and NOT ALL topics possible on the CEN exam are in there.

Amen, get the new Core Cirriculum and anything on the exam is in the book.

mwboswell · Jul 12, 2011

Took and passed it yesterday. 142/150 = 94.6%. Pretty happy w/that.

I must say I couldn't tell much of a difference at all.

I can say this, I was SHOCKED that I didn't get any of the following:

1) ACLS topics (IE: defib, cardioversion, ACLS drugs...?)

2) Burns (no parkland, no rule of 9 calcs)

3) NO EKGs!!!!!! (what the heck?)

However, I had like THREE needle chest decompression questions, 3 blood gasses (all straightforward), 2 organophosphate tox questions, LOTS of SHOCK questions.....

They (the BCEN) said they moved to more of a medical model than a nursing model - uh, okay; I can't say I could really tell that, but in retrospect it "seemed" like more "Which diagnosis is likely" type questions versus "What is your next nursing intervention" questions....

It also "seemed" like a LOT of shorter type questions, where the stem was only 1-2 sentences and straighforward answers, not many were more than 3-4 sentences in the stem of the question.

I had TWO questions that were phrased as "EXCEPT" or "NOT".....I do not think this is an example of a professionally written question. From what I learned in grad school about testing principles, those type questions were more a sign of a "weak" test writer/author than anything.

Saw Brevibloc for the first time on the test EVER.

Otherwise, it was as I expected, a wide range of questions, of varying levels of difficulty.

andresrn · Jul 17, 2011

Great job, I am going to take the test September 2 and I am a little worried because I only made a 55% on my first practice test. I have been a ER nurse for 2 years but taking that practice test made me realize there is a lot of information that I need to study and I am just not sure were to start, or what other study materials to use besides the ENA practice tests and core curriculum. Does any one know of any other good study materials, Thanks in advance

:cry:

TraumaJunkieRN · Jul 29, 2011

Just finished taking the revised exam and I passed! I am so relieved. It was not as hard as people make it out to be. I found it easy to eliminate wrong answers. The hardest part for me was sitting for 175 questions! I was so sick of answering questions that by the end, I didn't care whether I passed or failed. I just wanted to get out of that place and finished the test without checking my answers.

I have been a nurse for about 1 year (all of which in a basic ER, no trauma). The method I used was taking the 150 question CEN online practice test before studying. I barely passed by 4 points. Then I got 'Pass CEN' by Dennison and took all the online practice tests provided by that book. Didn't read a page out of the book (too much content). Then I took the practice tests from the CEN Review Manual (4th edition) I borrowed from a friend. Took the 150 question CEN online practice test again the night before the test as a final assessment. Don't waste your non-refundable $75 by taking that practice test again because it was the same exact test I took the first time!

I crammed all this in about 10 days over 2 weeks. Probably could've taken it sooner because all that studying didn't improve my score dramatically. However, I found the information I learned to be extremely helpful for my future. Good Luck!

mwboswell · Jul 29, 2011

Trauma junkie - Congratulations! Your explanation of your review method os a great one! Main thing is, you had a plan AND you did some form of valid self assessment. A lot of people I've mentored and taught haven't even considered doing a self assessment. Yes, it does cost more, but the road to passing CEN is an investment that will give you a return on your investment.

I'm not allowed to self-promote on this discussion board, but I'm pretty sure you can find my contact info via google or the ENA -if you'll contact me so I can get your address I want to send you a few free gifts for passing your CEN!

Again -CONGRATULATIONS!