Awards

BCEN’s annual emergency nursing awards shine a national spotlight on certified nurses and organizations who exemplify excellence in support of specialty certification.

Individual Awards | Organizational Awards

About BCEN’s Awards Program

.NEW in 2025: BCEN will recognize a burn nurse with the new Distinguished CBRN Award, and burn centers are eligible for the National Certification Champion Award.

Every year, BCEN shines a national spotlight on 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 2025 award cycle are now closed.
  • BCEN’s National Certification Champion Award recognizes organizations in three categories: Small Healthcare Facility, Large Healthcare Facility, and Healthcare System. Nominations for the 2025 award cycle are now closed.

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 2025 award cycle are now closed.

.NEW in 2025: BCEN is introducing the Distinguished CBRN Award to recognize a top nurse who is board certified in burn nursing.

Please 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)
  • 2025 Winner

    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

    About Marvin

    As a Clinical Nurse IV/Unit Educator in the Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments at Stanford Health Care, “Nurse Marvin” is a respected clinician and a sought-after mentor who inspires a community of RNs supporting RNs in his corner of Northern California and around the world.

    In 2019, with just 61 certified nurses in the EDs, Marvin and his Stanford Health Care colleagues formed a certification champions team to identify certification barriers and focus on motivation and preparation. Next came review courses, “Testy Tuesday” emails, study groups and shared resources, plus tackling financial barriers with the BCEN Voucher Program. Third, and most importantly, during ED downtimes, they instituted “Certification Rounding”—a dedicated time to listen to and understand each RN’s unique study habits, learning styles, and fears, followed by encouragement and tailored study approaches. The results to date: empowered RNs who have overcome self-doubt and embrace their potential—and 185 certified nurses, the highest number in his facility.

    Intent on amplifying the certification movement beyond the borders of his facility, Marvin is also active on social media, podcasts and online support groups, sharing his journey to inspire internationally education nurses (IENs) to pursue certification.

    Read more about Marvin in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    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, CENFroedtert & 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).
  • 2025 Winner

    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

    About Kasia

    A Clinical Nurse Educator in the Pediatric ED, Pediatric ICU and Pediatric/Neonatal Transport Team at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and a member of the New Jersey State Pediatric Committee, Kasia is regarded as one of the foremost pediatric emergency practitioners at her facility and in her home state.

    Fueled by her passion and advocacy for the specialty care of children, her expansive pediatric emergency expertise, and a consummate ability to teach and collaborate with a diverse range of healthcare professionals, Kasia’s contributions have improved pediatric patient care—impacting the lives of countless numbers of children and their families—while inspiring and mentoring hundreds of colleagues.

    Instrumental in supporting a new graduate nurse mentorship environment in the pediatric ED, where she fosters a powerful, bidirectional relationship with the new RNs, Kasia does for novice nurses what she says her mentors did for her—see potential in them that they don’t see in themselves.

    Read more about Kasia in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    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, CPENin 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

  • Award honors a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN).
  • 2025 Winner

    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

    About Michael

    In the air and in the classroom, Michael is lifting flight and transport teams, advanced practice nursing students and the flight specialty to new heights in his current positions as a Flight Nurse Practitioner for Vanderbilt LifeFlight at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. But that’s only part of his story that began in rural Tennessee where he became an RN at 19 as a first generation college student.

    When Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s transport program, Vanderbilt LifeFlight, was challenged with ensuring that every nurse obtained the CFRN or CTRN in order to retain its CAMTS accreditation, Michael was instrumental in that success, teaching review courses and personally mentoring and coaching many of the dozens of nurses sitting for the CFRN and CTRN through their fear and anxiety of taking on a new certification.

    Michael’s ongoing pursuit of evidence-based knowledge, his exceptional ability to teach, and his years of experience inspire and provide nurses at Vanderbilt and everywhere he travels with just what they need to excel at their practice and earn and maintain the privilege of wearing the CFRN wings.

    Read more about Michael in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    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-PLutheran 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).
  • 2025 Winner

    Justin Rodriguez

    RN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, CTRN, CPEN, TCRN, MICN Inspira Health, Millville, NJ

    About Justin

    As the SCTU (Specialty Care Transport Unit) Coordinator for Inspira Health’s Ground Transport/EMS, a vital role for ground critical care transport services in New Jersey, Justin spends a great deal of time focusing on clinical management in the form of clinical education, QA/QI, and assists with the development of clinical protocols and annual skills competencies.

    Justin’s love of his specialty is apparent just by being around him. In his drive to succeed in ground transport nursing, he has earned multiple advanced certifications including the CTRN. He challenges peers and newer nurses to not just obtain certifications, but to incorporate the concepts and understanding of pathophysiology into their daily practice, sharing how certification has contributed to his growth as a well-rounded clinician and effective clinical leader.

    On truck as often as he’s behind the desk, Justin practices what he preaches as a proactive transport nurse who ensures his patients receive the best care they can during their time with him.

    Read more about Justin in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    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, CPENHarris 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).
  • 2025 Winner

    Kristi Bonny

    BSN, RN, CPHQ, TCRN, EMT-P Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Plano, TX

    About Kristi

    As a Trauma Clinician in Texas Health Plano Hospital’s Level II Trauma Department, and throughout her almost 20-year career, Kristi has been a role model by setting an example of excellence. Responding to trauma activations, as a mentor for other RNs pursuing advanced certification (including her own mentor), and as a contributing member of five hospital-level councils, committees and teams, Kristi leads with professionalism, a strong work ethic, kindness and compassion.

    A TCRN since 2018 and a former firefighter/paramedic, Kristi designed and maintains Texas Health Plano’s trauma scorecard and develops and implements trauma quality improvement initiatives to improve the care of trauma patients from pre-hospital through discharge. Her primary focus is on medical staff and overall trauma performance improvement. Among her many contributions, she established the Level I blood cooler, which decreased time to transfuse whole blood from 40 minutes to often less than 10.

    Kristi advocates for nurses and encourages and mentors her peers to take on leadership roles. A   clinical excellence task force she chaired tripled the participation in the hospital’s poster fair. Connecting care teams, patients and families, she founded her hospital’s Honor Walk to honor organ donors and initiated her facility’s first Trauma Survivors Day Celebration.

    Read more about Kristi in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    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).
  • 2025 Winner

    Amanda Kumar

    BSN, RN, CBRN UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center, San Diego, CA

    About Amanda

    Inspired by her own experience of being one of the world’s first board certified burn nurses, Amanda is forging a bright future as a nurse at the UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center, the region’s only burn unit, by helping her colleagues highlight their burn specialty knowledge, experience the pride of being certified, and elevate patient care.

    Because Amanda took (and unfortunately didn’t pass) the CBRN exam during the beta testing phase when CBRN certification prep resources were still under development, she had a unique perspective on just how vital robust study resources and support can be when studying for a specialty board exam. After passing on her second attempt, she decided to encourage other nurses on the burn team to become certified and worked to remove any barriers they might face.

    Garnering the support of the burn center’s medical director, nurse managers and unit educators, and with the encouragement of her unit managers, she embarked on a special project that increased the number of certified nurses in the Burn Unit at UC San Diego Health from three to 14 in just four months.

    Read more about Amanda in our Meet the Winner interview.

  • Previous Winners

    The Distinguished Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) Award debuted in 2025, following the October 2023 worldwide launch of the CBRN certification program.

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

.NEW in 2025: BCEN invites burn centers and burn center networks to apply.

Nominations for the 2025 award cycle are now closed.

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

  • 2025 Winner

    The University of Tennessee Medical Center Emergency & Trauma

    Knoxville, Tennessee

    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

Small Healthcare Facility