BCEN-CPEN Exam Information and Outline
Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN)
Syllabus Update Checked on: November 12, 2026
BCEN-CPEN Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the
official BCEN-CPEN exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.
The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by
BCEN.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
- Exam Format
- 175 multiple-choice questions (150 scored, 25 unscored); duration 3 hours
- 1. Triage Process (20 items, 13.3%)
- Emergency intake: visual assessment, triage priority, immunization status, isolation
- Behavioral risk, cultural and language needs
- Emergency preparedness: decontamination, mass casualty incidents
- 2. Assessment (25 items, 16.7%)
- Primary and secondary survey; developmental milestones
- Children with special healthcare needs; caregiver input and family dynamics
- Pain assessment and management
- 3. System-Focused Emergencies (56 items, 37.3%)
- Respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies
- Neurological and gastrointestinal emergencies
- Genitourinary/obstetric emergencies
- Maxillofacial, ocular and ENT emergencies
- Musculoskeletal and integumentary emergencies
- Hematology/oncology and endocrine/metabolic emergencies
- 4. Special Considerations (25 items, 16.7%)
- Neonatal emergencies and behavioral health
- Child maltreatment
- Environmental emergencies and toxicology
- Communicable diseases
- 5. Multi-System Considerations (12 items, 8%)
- Submersion injury, sepsis, anaphylaxis
- Post-resuscitative care and procedural sedation
- 6. Professional Issues (12 items, 8%)
- Consent, forensic evidence, regulations and risk management
- Workplace violence, safety culture, delegation and process improvement
- Discharge planning, end-of-life care and transitions of care