Should I take CEN w/ minimal experience?

[SDS_RN, RN]

I would like to hear what you all think, would it be better for me to get more experience before considering taking the exam or just go for it? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

I would like to take CEN and I've been reading the CEN post and a lot of people have had many years of experience before taking it.

A little hx I worked surg floor for a little over 1yr, I've been in the ED for about 5mo., & have been a RN for not quite 2 yrs.

[mianders, RN]

I know lots of people that have taken the CEN with many years experience and not passed. I took the CEN after 9 years of experience and felt like it was a very hard exam. 5 months experience ( I am just counting ER) is not a lot for the information they expect you to know. There are many good books and practice test you can take. Take a couple of these and see how you do. If you feel like your knowledge base is good enough and you don't mind spending the 300 plus dollars to take it then go for it.

[northshore08]

I first took the CEN in 1988 after my first two years as an RN--I had gone directly into the ED at a 300-bed community hospital in NJ. I kept it current until 2000, and went AACN for a Cardiac-Vascular certification with a job change to cardiac rehab. I returned to the ED in 2004 and recently got the CEN again. The test has changed considerably, and I must say for the better. I do best with study books that give questions and answers with rationale. I liked the CEN Review Manual-- see link below

http://www.ena.org/store/item.asp?IT...PARTMENT_ID=26

and would definitely recommend it. Get the book, it is worth the money for your professional development, even if you do not take the test for a while. It will function as a guide to show you what you do not know.

Join the ENA; that is an absolute must. The monthly journals are full of great articles, and the cost savings on ENA books and testing make the fee worth it. If I was starting again, I would opt for the lifelong membership (if you intend to remain an ED nurse.)

If your employer will not reimburse you for ENA membership or testing, do it anyway. It is nice to be paid for your certification, but it is better to know your job and stay current. Your patients count on you, and your co-workers do notice your commitment and will use you as a resource. Very few of the hospitals I have worked at will pay you a differential for your certification; they say it is part of your yearly evaluation and increases the percentages for your raise. But most will reimburse you the ENA rate if you pass the CEN.

[kubivern]

I went right into the ER following nursing school, and passed the CEN a little bit over one year later. I found the knowledge I received on how to pass the NCLEX useful during the CEN exam, and the year's worth of experience seemed adequate for me.

I believe the ENA recommends two years experience, but as some of the previous replies mentioned, it really depends on your comfort level. For me, and this is only my opinion, I think that the CEN was probably about 65% to 75% book knowledge, and 25% to 35% practical experience. So really, both are required.

Good luck in your endeavors!