Recognizing Nursing Distinction
Awards
BCEN’s annual emergency nursing awards shine a national spotlight on certified nurses and organizations who exemplify excellence in support of specialty certification.
About BCEN’s Awards Program
Every year, BCEN recognizes exemplary nurses and organizations who are committed to specialty certification and excellence in emergency nursing and who promote and advance the value of board certification.
BCEN’s Distinguished Awards recognize one nurse exemplifying excellence in each of the following emergency nursing specialties: emergency (CEN®), pediatric emergency (CPEN®), flight (CFRN®), critical care ground transport (CTRN®), trauma (TCRN®), and burn (CBRN®). Nominations for the 2026 award cycle are now closed.
BCEN’s National Certification Champion Award recognizes organizations in three categories: Small Healthcare Facility, Large Healthcare Facility, and Health System. Nominations for the 2026 award cycle will open Friday, May 15.
Help us recognize excellence, achievement and impact in emergency nursing certification. Nominate a colleague, nominate yourself, or nominate your workplace!
Eligibility requirements, judging criteria, nomination forms and deadlines, award dates, and previous winners are provided below.
Distinguished Awards
BCEN’s Distinguished Awards recognize board certified emergency nurses who exemplify excellence in their emergency nursing specialty practice and who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advocating for, supporting and promoting board certification for emergency nurses. Nominations for the 2026 award cycle are now closed.
We invite you to nominate an individual who demonstrates:
- Excellence in pursuing and applying advanced knowledge with one of BCEN’s certifications
- Achievement in promoting and advocating for BCEN emergency nursing certification
- Impact of certification on the nursing profession and patient outcomes
Eligibility Requirements
Any nurse holding a current CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), CFRN (Certified Flight Registered Nurse), CPEN (Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse), CTRN (Certified Transport Registered Nurse), TCRN (Trauma Certified Registered Nurse), or CBRN (Certified Burn Registered Nurse) certification may be nominated or nominate themselves.*
To be eligible for a BCEN Distinguished Award, nominees must:
- Hold the specific BCEN certification that is being honored
- Be currently practicing in that specialty emergency nursing area
*Individuals serving on BCEN’s board of directors or exam construction review committees (ECRCs), or who are engaged in revenue-generating businesses or activities associated with any BCEN certification program, product or service (including providers of certification prep materials and/or review courses), are not eligible.
Nomination Submission Requirements
Award nomination is a brief, two-part process!
Please provide the following information about your nominee:
- Their name, email address, title and affiliation/place of employment
- The certification award for which they’re being nominated (CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CFRN, CTRN, or CBRN)
- How you believe they exemplify the clinical excellence and professionalism of a board certified nurse in this specialty
Following your submission, nominees will be asked to submit the following:
- At least three ways they have successfully advocated for specialty certification and supported other nurses to earn and maintain board certification in this specialty.
- A current CV & headshot
- Up to three additional supporting items may be uploaded, but are not required.
Distinguished CEN Award
Honors a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
2026 Winner
Michael Isaacs, MSN-NE, APRN, ACNPC-AG, NPD-BC, CEN, TCRN, BCMMHC
Salinas Valley Health, Salinas, California
Previous Winners
2025
Marvin Delfin, MSN, MAN, RN, CNRN, CPEN, CEN, CCRN, TCRN, CFRN, CTRN, CBRN
The Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments, Stanford, CA
2024
Tina Owens, BS, RN, CEN, CCRN, CRSN, CNML, MEDSURG-BC, NHDP-BC
Buchanan General Hospital, Grundy, VA
2023
Calee Muldrow, BSN, RN, CEN
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Dallas, TX
2022
Nicholas Jazdzewski, BSN, RN, CEN
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, WI
2021
Heidi Cote, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN
Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME
2020
Jude Lark, BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN
Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ
2019
Heather Linsalata, BSN, RN, CEN
University Hospital, Newark, NJ
2018
Wilmar Flores, BSN, RN, CEN
La Jolla Emergency Department, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Health Systems, La Jolla, CA
2017
Kathy Ingersoll, BSN, RN, CEN
Harford Memorial Hospital, Havre de Grace, MD
2016
Kara Bauman, MN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA
2015
Diane Branson, RN, CEN, OR-SANE-A
Salem Hospital, Albany, OR
Distinguished CPEN Award
Honors a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN)
2026 Winner
Solomiya Veturys, MSN, RN, CPEN
Nemours Children’s Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware
Previous Winners
2025
Katarzyna “Kasia” Wolan, MSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CPEN, CTRN, EMT
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (an RWJBarnabas Health facility), New Brunswick, NJ
2024
Jordan McAdam, BSN, RN, CPEN
Northern Navajo Medical Center, Shiprock, NM
2023
Dawn Tasche, BSN, RN, CPEN
Aurora Health Care in Sheboygan County, Sheboygan, WI
2022
Jessica Evins, BSN, RN, CPEN
in NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York, NY
2020
Lisa Chambers, MSN, MPS, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
CHOC Children’s Hospital, Orange, CA
2019
Cara Szeglin, BSN, RN, CPEN
New York-Presbyterial Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York, NY
2017
Jodi Cregger, RN, MICT, CEN, CFRN, CPEN
LifeTeam, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson, KS
2016
Brian Johnson, RN, CEN, CPEN
NorthBay Medical Center, Fairfield, CA
2015
Kristen Cline, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, SANE-A
Sanford AirMed, Sioux Falls, SD
Distinguished CFRN Award
Honors a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
2026 Winner
Christine Muszalski, MSN-Ed, RN, EMT-B, CFRN, CEN, CCRN, CNPT
Boston MedFlight, Bedford, Massachusetts
Previous Winners
2025
Michael D. Gooch, DNP, APRN, CCP, ACNP-BC, FNP-BC, ENP-C, CEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, NRP, FAASTN, FAANP, FAEN
Vanderbilt LifeFlight at Vanderbilt University Medical Center & Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN
2024
Tyler Reeves, RN, NRP, CFRN, CEN
EagleMed, Great Bend, KS
2023
Stacey Dock, MSN, RN, CFRN
LifeFlight Eagle, Kansas City, MO
2022
Abigail Harvey, BSN, RN, CFRN, NREMT-P
Lutheran Health Network, Fort Wayne, Indiana
2021
Kevin Kissner, MSN, RN, CEN, CFRN
VCU Health & Virginia State Police Med-Flight I , Richmond, VA
2020
Tonya Barnard, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN, CCRN, EMT-B
Pafford Air One, Orlando, FL
2019
Carlos Tavarez, RN, CEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, NREMT-P, FP-D, CCEMT-P, EMT-T, WEMT
Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL
2018
Teresa Elder, MEd, BSN, RN, CFRN
Flight for LIfe Colorado, St. Anthony Hospital, Denver, CO
2017
Bambi Pish-Derr, DNP, CFRN, CCRN
Angel MedFlight, Scottsdale, AZ
2015
Mick McCallum, TNS, RN, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P, FP-C, CMTE
Topeka, KS
Distinguished CTRN Award
Award honors a Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN).
Previous Winners
2025
Justin Rodriguez, RN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, CTRN, CPEN, TCRN, MICN
Inspira Health, Millville, New Jersey
2024
Austin Johnson, BSN, RN, EMT-P, C-NPT, CBRN, CCRN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN
AdventHealth Orlando, Orlando, FL
2023
George Olschewski, BSN, RN, CFRN, CTRN, CEN, TCRN
Hackensack University Medical Center Specialty Care Transport Unit, Hackensack, NJ
2022
Mackenzie Alexander, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CTRN, CPEN
Harris Health System, Houston, Texas
2016
Kimberly Lacina, MSN, ARNP-C, CTRN, CEN, EMT-P
Sunstar Paramedics, Largo, FL
Distinguished TCRN Award
Honors a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN)
2026 Winner
Cassie Herman, BSN, RN, TCRN
Riverside Health, Newport News, Virginia
Previous Winners
2025
Kristi Bonny, BSN, RN, CPHQ, TCRN, EMT-P
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Plano, TX
2024
Jamin Rankin, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, TCRN, CPEN, CTRN
Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Monroe, LA
2023
Jordan Tyczka, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, VA
2022
Shayna Stevens, BSN, RN, TCRN
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Plano, TX
2021
Julie Donnelly, MSN, RN, TCRN
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
2020
Lt. Mariah Pruett, NC, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN
David Grant USAF Medical Center, Fairfield, CA
2019
Travis Beebe-Woodard, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT
2018
June Guadalupe, MSN, BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CMC, CNRN, TCRN
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
2017
Andrea Wright, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital Level I Trauma Center, Roanoke, VA
Distinguished CBRN Award
Honors a Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN)
2026 Winner
Kelly Speer, BSN, RN, CBRN
Vanderbilt Health, Nashville, Tennessee
Previous Winners
2025
Amanda Kumar, BSN, RN, CBRN
UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center, San Diego, CA
National Certification Champion Award
BCEN’s National Certification Champion Award recognizes healthcare facilities and health systems that:
- Exemplify excellence in supporting emergency RNs who pursue BCEN certifications
- Show achievement in designing effective and innovative programs supporting emergency nursing specialty certification
- Demonstrate the impact of board certified emergency nurses on patient, nurse and organizational outcomes through data-based examples
Nominations for the 2026 award cycle will open Friday, May 15.
Category Criteria
One winner will be recognized in each of the following categories:
- Small Healthcare Facility: single hospital emergency department, trauma program or freestanding emergency center with less than 30,000 visits per year, OR a single flight and/or critical care ground transport base, OR a single burn center/burn unit
- Large Healthcare Facility: single hospital emergency department, trauma program or freestanding emergency center with more than 30,000 visits per year
- Health System: a group or system of 2 or more of the following: hospital emergency departments, trauma programs, freestanding emergency centers, critical care ground transport and/or flight bases, OR burn centers/burn units
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the National Certification Champion Award, a facility or organization must:
- Currently employ BCEN-certified emergency, trauma, transport and/or burn nurses
- Be actively engaged in supporting their nurses in obtaining and maintaining one or more of BCEN’s specialty certifications, with data provided to demonstrate growth in the number of specialty certified nurses, plus practices and policies showing the facility’s or organization’s commitment to supporting specialty certification.
- Serve as a model for advancing board certification for the nursing profession
Nomination Requirements
In order to be considered, nominations must include the following:
- Completed nomination form
- Two (2) letters of reference from individuals with relevant professional positions or qualifications
Health System
The University of Tennessee Medical Center Emergency & Trauma
Knoxville, Tennessee
2025 Winner
At The University of Tennessee Medical Center Emergency & Trauma, a strong commitment to nursing specialty certification has fostered a culture of excellence that has led to more cohesive teams, elevated standards of care, and greater trust among colleagues and from patients. Robust peer support and financial backing—evidenced by 90% of eligible nurses receiving full or partial certification reimbursement in the past year alone—have driven a 22% increase in certified nurses across the system’s emergency, trauma and critical care transport departments.
Read our Meet the Winner Q&A with The University of Tennessee Medical Center Emergency & Trauma.
Previous Winners
2024
ChristianaCare
Headquartered in Wilmington, DE
2023
RWJBarnabas Health Emergency Departments
Throughout New Jersey
2022
Centura Health
Centennial, CO
2020
Life Link III
Minneapolis, MN
2019
Northeast Georgia Health System
Gainesville, GA
2018
UCHealth Emergency Care
Fort Collins, CO
Large Healthcare Facility
Hackensack University Medical Center – Adult and Pediatric Emergency Department
Hackensack, New Jersey
2025 Winner
Hackensack University Medical Center – Adult and Pediatric Emergency Department, one of the busiest EDs in the U.S., attributes tangible improvements in patient care, operational efficiency and professional development to their investment in specialty certification for their nurses.
By removing barriers and ensuring certified RNs are well-recognized, certification rates are climbing, staff satisfaction rates are up, attrition is down, and patient satisfaction scores are up. Plus, RNs certified through BCEN are catalysts for powerful change, spearheading impactful projects that elevate patient care and enhance the entire organization.
Read our Meet the Winner Q&A with Hackensack University Medical Center – Adult and Pediatric ED
Previous Winners
2024
Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments at Stanford Health Care
Stanford, CA
2023
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Roanoke, VA
2022
Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Emergency Center
Houston, TX
2021
Yale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, CT
2020
University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
Plattsburg, NY
2019
Oak Hill Hospital
Brooksville, FL
2018
Chilton Medical Center
Pompton Plains, NJ
2017
Houston Methodist Hospital System
Houston, TX
2016
Avera McKennan Hospital Emergency Department
Sioux Falls, SD
2015
Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital EMTC
Indianapolis, IN
Small Healthcare Facility
UCHealth Emergency Room – Harmony Campus
Fort Collins, Colorado
2025 Winner
UCHealth Emergency Room – Harmony Campus is a high-acuity freestanding emergency department (FSED) in Northern Colorado. Since increasing its focus on certification, UCHealth – Harmony ED has seen measurable and meaningful improvements across clinical, cultural, and organizational outcomes. Notably, certification contributed to UCHealth – Harmony ED becoming the first verified Pediatric Readiness-recognized FSED in Colorado, a project led by a CPEN (Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse).
Read our Meet the Winner Q&A with UC Health Emergency Room – Harmony Campus
Previous Winners
2024
Phelps Health Emergency Department
Rolla, MO
2023
WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital
Ephrata, PA
2022
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Centennial Emergency Department
Frisco, TX
2020
Childress Regional Medical Center
Childress, TX
2019
Rush Foundation Hospital ED
Meridian, MS
2018
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital
Glendale, CA
2017
Bristol Hospital
Bristol, CT
2016
Angel MedFlight
Scottsdale, AZ
2015
IU Health Saxony Hospital Emergency Department
Fishers, IN