CEN Head, Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Practice Questions
Head, Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat makes up 3 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest CEN practice test. Here are 10 of the 12 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Based on the BCEN CEN Examination Content Outline effective July 2026. Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real exam. Not affiliated with BCEN.
1. A worker was splashed in the eye with a cleaning chemical. What is the first action?
- A.Wait for the pH result
- B.Irrigate the eye at once
- C.Check visual acuity first
- D.Patch the eye
Answer: B. Chemical eye injuries are irrigated immediately, often with liters of saline, until the pH is near neutral. Delay increases damage.
2. A patient has sudden painless loss of vision in one eye and a cherry red spot on exam. What is most likely?
- A.Acute glaucoma
- B.Bacterial conjunctivitis
- C.Retinal detachment
- D.Retinal artery occlusion
Answer: D. A blocked retinal artery causes sudden painless loss of vision. It is an emergency, much like a stroke.
3. A patient reports flashing lights, new floaters and a curtain over part of the vision. What is most likely?
- A.Retinal detachment
- B.Migraine aura
- C.Early cataract
- D.Corneal abrasion
Answer: A. Flashes, floaters and a shadow or curtain point to retinal detachment, which needs urgent ophthalmology care.
4. A patient has a red, painful eye, a fixed mid-dilated pupil, halos around lights and vomiting. What is most likely?
- A.Retinal detachment
- B.Corneal abrasion
- C.Angle-closure glaucoma
- D.Viral conjunctivitis
Answer: C. Sudden rise in eye pressure causes pain, blurred vision with halos, a mid-dilated pupil and often nausea. It can blind within hours.
5. A patient has an object impaled in the eye. How should it be managed?
- A.Irrigate around it
- B.Apply a pressure patch
- C.Stabilize it, cover both eyes
- D.Remove it gently
Answer: C. Impaled objects are left in place and stabilized. Covering both eyes limits movement of the injured eye.
6. A patient struck in the eye has double vision on looking up and numbness of the cheek. What injury is likely?
- A.Orbital floor fracture
- B.Corneal ulcer
- C.Acute optic neuritis
- D.Retinal detachment
Answer: A. A blowout fracture can trap the inferior rectus, limiting upward gaze, and injure the infraorbital nerve.
7. A soft contact lens wearer has a painful red eye with a white spot on the cornea. What is most likely?
- A.Stye
- B.Allergic conjunctivitis
- C.Subconjunctival bleed
- D.Corneal ulcer
Answer: D. Contact lens wear raises the risk of bacterial keratitis, often Pseudomonas. It needs urgent antibiotics and eye follow-up.
8. A patient has a nosebleed that will not stop. What is the first step?
- A.Lie flat on the back
- B.Pinch the soft nose firmly
- C.Tilt the head back
- D.Pack the ear canal
Answer: B. Leaning forward and firmly pinching the soft part of the nose controls most anterior nosebleeds. Tilting back lets blood run down the throat.
9. A child has drooling, a muffled voice, high fever and sits leaning forward. What should the nurse avoid?
- A.Allowing upright position
- B.Examining the throat
- C.Keeping the child calm
- D.Letting the parent stay
Answer: B. These are signs of epiglottitis. Upsetting the child or using a tongue blade can trigger complete airway obstruction.
10. A patient has a severe sore throat, a muffled voice, trouble opening the mouth and the uvula pushed to one side. What is most likely?
- A.Epiglottitis
- B.Mononucleosis only
- C.Viral pharyngitis
- D.Peritonsillar abscess
Answer: D. A peritonsillar abscess causes trismus, a hot potato voice and uvular deviation. It is drained and treated with antibiotics.
Practice all 12 head, eye, ear, nose & throat questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free CEN training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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