1.1 Current CEN Exam Facts
Key Takeaways
- The CEN delivers 175 items: 150 scored and 25 unscored pretest questions, with no penalty for guessing.
- Candidates get 180 minutes (3 hours) to complete the exam; that is about 61 seconds per item.
- Through July 5, 2026 the passing standard is 106 of 150 scored items; effective July 6, 2026 it drops to 99 of 150.
- The exam fee is $285 for members of an eligible professional association and $380 for non-members.
- BCEN delivers the CEN by computer at PSI test centers or by Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) at home or work.
What the CEN Is and Who Owns It
The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential is granted by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), the independent body that has certified emergency nurses since 1980. The CEN is a specialty nursing certification, not a license. Your RN license lets you practice; the CEN documents validated expertise in emergency nursing and is widely used for Magnet recognition, clinical-ladder advancement, and pay differentials.
Quick Answer: The CEN is a 175-item (150 scored + 25 unscored pretest), 3-hour, computer-based BCEN exam. You currently need 106 of 150 scored items correct to pass; on July 6, 2026 that threshold falls to 99 of 150. There is no penalty for guessing.
BCEN administers the CEN, the CPEN (pediatric), the CFRN/CTRN (flight/transport), the TCRN (trauma), and the CEN-related lines, but the CEN is its flagship adult/general emergency exam. Everything in this guide maps to the current BCEN Examination Content Outline, which is the single source of truth for what is tested.
The Numbers You Must Know
The CEN is a fixed-form, 175-item multiple-choice exam. Exactly 150 items are scored and 25 are unscored pretest items that BCEN is field-testing for future exams. You cannot tell which 25 are pretest, so you must treat every question as if it counts. You have 180 minutes (3 hours), which works out to roughly 61 seconds per item if you used time perfectly.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total items | 175 |
| Scored items | 150 |
| Unscored pretest items | 25 |
| Time limit | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Question format | Four-option multiple choice, one correct answer |
| Pass standard (through 2026-07-05) | 106 of 150 scored items (~70.7%) |
| Pass standard (from 2026-07-06) | 99 of 150 scored items (~66%) |
| Guessing penalty | None — score is number correct |
| Member fee | $285 |
| Non-member fee | $380 |
Because scoring is number-correct, you should never leave a question blank. A blank is a guaranteed wrong answer; a guess gives you a 25% chance. Flag uncertain items, answer them anyway, and return if time allows.
Delivery, Scoring, and Pass/Fail
The CEN is delivered by computer at PSI testing centers or through Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) from your home or office. Both formats present the same 175 items. At the end of the session you receive an immediate unofficial pass/fail result on screen; BCEN later posts an official report to your account.
Scoring is criterion-referenced: you are measured against a fixed standard, not curved against other candidates. The number of items you must answer correctly is set by a standard-setting study. Through July 5, 2026 that standard is 106 of 150; the updated 2026 outline lowers it to 99 of 150 because the item pool was rebalanced. Either way, BCEN reports performance by content area so a failing candidate can see which body-system domains were weakest.
Why the second-chance math matters
- A failed attempt requires a 90-day wait before retesting.
- Discounted retest fees are available for up to one year after your first attempt.
- There is no limit on lifetime attempts, but each costs another fee, so the goal is a first-attempt pass.
Knowing these facts cold prevents day-of surprises and lets you build a pacing plan (covered in 1.4 and 1.5) around the real 3-hour clock.
Pacing Math and Test-Day Logistics
The 3-hour clock is generous if you respect it and brutal if you don't. With 175 items in 180 minutes, your raw budget is about 61 seconds per item. A practical rule is to aim for roughly 60 items per hour, which lands you at item 120 with an hour left and leaves a real cushion to revisit flagged questions and still finish. If you find yourself at item 60 with only 90 minutes spent, you are on pace; if you have burned two hours by item 90, you are too slow and must speed up immediately.
| Checkpoint | Target time used | On pace? |
|---|---|---|
| Item 60 | ~60 min | Yes |
| Item 120 | ~120 min | Yes |
| Item 175 | ~165–175 min | Yes, with review buffer |
There is no scheduled break built into the standard CEN session, so plan your hydration and restroom timing before you start. At a PSI test center you arrive early with a valid government photo ID; personal items go in a locker; the workstation provides an on-screen calculator and a basic clock. With Live Remote Proctoring, the proctor checks your ID, scans your room and desk, and monitors you by webcam for the full session. Any unauthorized materials, a second person in the room, or leaving the camera's view can void your exam.
Because the result is immediate and unofficial on screen, you walk out knowing whether you passed. That immediacy is why the pacing discipline above matters: a candidate who runs out of time and leaves the final 15 items blank converts winnable points into automatic zeros.
How many of the 175 items on the current CEN exam actually count toward your score?
A candidate testing in May 2026 finishes the CEN. How many scored items must be answered correctly to pass under the standard in effect at that time?
Because the CEN is scored by number-correct with no guessing penalty, what is the best strategy for an item you cannot answer with the clock running low?