Everything You Need to Prepare
How to Study
When you’re a busy nurse working toward specialty certification, how do you find time to prep for the exam? Choosing the right study materials can make a big difference when it comes to exam readiness.
Study
Content Outlines
Become familiar with the topics on the exam so you are prepared for what to expect.
- An updated CEN Content Outline will go into effect on July 6, 2026. If you are taking the CEN exam on or after this date, please reference the updated Exam Content Outline.
- An updated CFRN Content Outline will go into effect on August 31, 2026. If you are taking the CFRN exam on or after this date, please reference the updated Exam Content Outline.
Sample Questions
These sample items are presented to demonstrate the format used on a BCEN certification exam and how questions reflect the nursing process. They are not intended to reflect the difficulty of the actual questions on any of our exams.
Reference Lists
Each reference list includes helpful books, websites, and other resources for each certification program exam.
BCEN does not endorse any resources or have a proprietary relationship with any publishing company.
Review Courses
BCEN’s online review courses provide a comprehensive, interactive guide to emergency nursing, with 175 practice questions dispersed throughout each course.
CEN Review Course: Essentials of Emergency Nursing
CPEN Review Course: Essentials of Pediatric Emergency Nursing
TCRN Review Course: Essentials of Trauma Nursing
What sets BCEN review courses apart from others?
- Only BCEN review courses are created by the same organization designing the actual exams
- We have a committee of nurses working across the emergency spectrum who build our review courses with the goal of helping you succeed
- BCEN review courses provide a comprehensive, interactive overview of the content on the CEN, CPEN and TCRN certification exams
- The convenient self-guided, online format can be taken any time and on any device
- 21 CEs will be awarded upon successful completion of the review course
Save money on your review course by purchasing as few as three at a time for a volume discount through the BCEN Voucher Program.
Prepare
Preparation Checklist
The preparation checklist helps guide you as you prepare, from the application, to taking a practice test, to scheduling your exam.
Practice Exams
Take a BCEN practice exam at the start of your test prep to determine your weak areas, and again as your final pretest before the real exam!
What sets BCEN practice exams apart from others?
- Only BCEN practice exams are created by the same organization designing the actual exams
- We have a committee of nurses working across the emergency spectrum who build our practice exams with the goal of helping you succeed
- A BCEN practice exam will help you familiarize yourself with the computer-based format of the real exam
- You will be able to answer questions, then have immediate access to the correct answers, backed up with rationale and references
- 3 CEs will be awarded upon successful completion of the practice exam
Practice exams can be taken in three formats:
- Timed exam – this option closely simulates the actual testing environment. You will have the option to see answers and explanations when the entire exam is completed.
- Non-timed exam – this option offers the benefits of the timed exam, without the stress of watching the clock
- Quick 10 option – this option allows you to take 10 randomly selected questions for a quick study session
Save money on your practice exam by purchasing as few as three at a time for a volume discount through the BCEN Voucher Program.
Candidate Handbook
The BCEN Candidate Handbook provides information about all certification program exams, including eligibility requirements, how to apply for the exam, testing facilities, reporting of exam results, detailed content outlines and sample questions for each exam and recertification details.
In-Person Testing Center Experience
If you choose to take your BCEN exam in person, watch this video to learn what to expect at a PSI test center on the day of the exam.
Live Remote Proctoring (Online) Experience
If you choose to take your BCEN exam online through PSI’s Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) service, watch this video to understand the LRP process and visit this page to help determine if you’re a good candidate for LRP testing.
Test Anxiety Tips
Kick your nerves to the curb with our test anxiety tips. You’ve got this!
BCEN makes no guarantees as to the success of a candidate who utilizes BCEN’s tools and resources in preparation for the CEN, CFRN, CTRN, CPEN, TCRN, or CBRN exam.