You are caring for a patient that has been in the ED for 2 hours. The patient was brought in by ambulance already intubated and still sedated from drugs used for RSI on arrival. At the scene the paramedics were told the patient had been using cocaine immediately before collapsing and the ambulance being called. The patient just woke up, eyes wide, grabbing at anything she can get her hands on, biting the ETT. The patient’s respiratory rate is 40 and the heart rate is 120. The patient’s ABG shows pH 7.48, PaCO2 50 mm Hg, and a decreased H2CO3. The nurse attempts to calm the patient verbally and by decreasing the stimuli, with no result. What intervention should the nurse expect to perform?

What does a CEN do? A Certified Emergency Nurse treats patients while they face a life-threatening crisis.  According to the BCEN (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing), which sponsors the certification exam for emergency nurses, the emergency nurse certification process helps patient care by: Establishing a level of knowledge, competency, requirements, and achievements Measuring the attainment of a defined body of knowledge needed to function at the current level of competence Encouraging participation in continuing education Promoting professional development and career... Show more

What does a CEN do?
A Certified Emergency Nurse treats patients while they face a life-threatening crisis.  According to the BCEN (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing), which sponsors the certification exam for emergency nurses, the emergency nurse certification process helps patient care by:

Establishing a level of knowledge, competency, requirements, and achievements
Measuring the attainment of a defined body of knowledge needed to function at the current level of competence
Encouraging participation in continuing education
Promoting professional development and career advancement
Providing employers, patients, and peers a mechanism to recognize knowledgeable professionals
Promoting self confidence for emergency nursing practitioners
 .
The CEN exam is composed of 175 multiple choice questions and you are given three hours to complete the exam.
There are twelve areas tested on the CEN exam:
- Cardiovascular 
- Respiratory 
- Medical Emergencies and Infections 
- Neurological
- Orthopedics and Wounds 
- Gastrointestinal 
- Genitourinary, Gynecological and Obstetrical 
- Environment and Toxicology 
- Professional issues 
- Shock 
- Maxillofacial and Ocular 
– Psychosocial

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