CEN Review Course

Course overview

This course is designed to provide the learner with the knowledge needed to pass the CEN exam. To achieve this goal, students will be able to: Identify symptoms and appropriate interventions for cardiovascular emergencies, including acute coronary syndrome, aneurysm, dissection, cardiopulmonary arrest, dysrhythmia, endocarditis, heart failure, hypertension, pericardial tamponade, pericarditis, peripheral vascular disease, thromboembolic disease, cardiovascular trauma, and shock. Identify presenting symptoms and appropriate treatment for burns, chemical exposures, envenomation injuries, heat and cold exposure, and animal bites. Identify symptoms and treatment for complications of bites and stings. Discuss signs, symptoms, transmission, and treatment of various communicable diseases. Describe causes, symptoms, and interventions for various maxillofacial emergencies, including abscess, epistaxis, facial nerve disorders, maxillofacial infections, acute vestibular dysfunction, and maxillofacial trauma. Describe causes, symptoms, and interventions for various ocular emergencies, including abrasions, burns, foreign bodies, infections, retinal artery occlusion, retinal detachment, ocular trauma, ulceration, and keratitis. Identify symptoms and interventions for anaphylaxis. Describe pathophysiology, assessment, and treatment of hematologic disorders, including hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, and sickle cell disease. Identify symptoms, pathophysiology, and interventions for endocrine emergencies, including diabetes, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome, hypoglycemia, diabetes insipidus, SIAHD, adrenal insufficiency, Cushings syndrome, thyroid storm, and myxedema coma. Differentiate SIRS, sepsis, and septic shock. Describe assessment and treatment of various pulmonary emergencies, including asthma, COPD, pneumonia, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, acute lung injury, pulmonary embolism, croup, and pulmonary hypertension. Identify appropriate interventions and treatment for inhalation injuries and chest trauma. Describe symptoms and interventions for various abdominal emergencies, including appendicitis, peritonitis, cholecystitis, cirrhosis, diverticulitis, esophageal bleeding, foreign bodies, hepatitis, intussusception, bowel obstructions, pancreatitis, and GI traumas. Discuss symptoms and interventions for genitourinary presentations to the emergency department, including priapism, renal calculi, testicular torsion, and GU trauma. Discuss presentations and treatment of various obstetrical emergencies, including abruptio placenta, ectopic pregnancy, threatened or missed abortion, placenta previa, preeclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome. Identify legal and ethical considerations affecting emergency nursing decision-making. Identify symptoms and treatment of various musculoskeletal injuries, including sprains, strains, fractures, compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, and dislocations. Identify assessment and treatment indicators for various wounds, including abrasions, avulsions, lacerations, puncture wounds, missile objects, and burns. Describe appropriate interventions for patients presenting to the emergency department in behavioral health crisis. Discuss symptoms, assessment, and treatment of various neurological disorders, including headaches, temporal arteritis, meningitis, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, diffuse axonal injury, autonomic dysreflexia, concussion, and subarachnoid, epidural, and subdural hemorrhage. Describe indications, contraindications, and risk factors for administration of thrombolytic agents for ischemic stroke. Identify goals for managing the patient with increased intercranial pressure. Identify mechanisms of injury, assessment, and treatment of spinal cord injuries, including concussion, transection, anterior cord syndrome, central cord syndrome, and Brown-Sequard syndrome.