Another BCEN Research First: The 2022 CTRN Pulse Survey
In another BCEN research first, the findings of the 2022 Certified Transport Registered Nurse Pulse Survey have been published as an original research article in the January/February 2023 issue of Air Medical Journal.
As shared in BCEN’s February 15 announcement, Air Medical Journal co-editor Eric Swanson, MD, FACEP, said, “Air Medical Journal values this important and first-of-its kind research at the intersection of critical care ground transport nursing and specialty certification—both of which are vital to delivering advanced care in the challenging and dynamic out-of-hospital environment.”
In spring 2022, BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker and former transport nurse turned researcher and Air Medical Journal co-editor Jackie Stocking joined forces to develop and publish the findings of the first study focused on the value of CTRN certification.
Prompted by the recent surge in CTRN certifications—with the number of CTRN nurses growing by 19% in 2020, 29% in 2021 and 24% in 2020—and BCEN’s commitment to understand and support the professional development needs of critical care ground transport nurses, the CTRN Pulse Survey was conducted in spring 2022.
As BCEN’s Schumaker said: “Excellence in ground transport nursing is crucial to the public emergency response and the successful interfacility transfers of critically ill patients, and BCEN is committed to advancing the critical care ground transport specialty and the extraordinary nurses who commit to being board certified. We are so very grateful to the CTRNs who participated in this study.”
The CTRN Pulse Survey was based on BCEN’s large-scale landmark Value of CEN Certification Research Study, which surveyed over 8,800 emergency nurses and 1,000 of their supervisors, as featured in BCEN’s first two white papers.
CTRN Pulse Survey Highlights:
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- The top three perceived benefits of being a CTRN are a sense of accomplishment and pride (95%), confidence as a ground transport nurse (88%), and critical thinking in the ground transport environment (88%)
- 43% have more than 10 years of ground transport nursing experience
- 46% are employed by a stand-alone transport program, and another 25% work for a university/academic hospital or university/academic trauma program
- 43% said ground transports make up at least half of their current role, with 25% doing ground transports exclusively
- 62% said being a CTRN “contributed to their ability to deliver the best possible care” to patients with COVID-19, and 51% reported doing more ground transports since the start of the pandemic
Read or download the complete CTRN survey findings via free access through 2023 here.
“We hope this important foundational study will inspire CTRNs and transport teams to submit additional original research, case reports, and feature articles to continue to grow the body of literature describing the specialty of transport nursing,” said article co-author Jacqueline C. Stocking, PhD, MBA, MSN, NEA-BC, CMTE, CEN, CFRN, FP-C, CCP-C, RN, NREMT-P, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California.
BCEN Insider Scoop: Stay tuned for the results of the 2022 CFRN Pulse Survey!
Learn more about BCEN’s research leadership and BCEN-authored journal articles.
View the new CTRN Exam Content Outline.
