Awards & Scholarships

Distinguished CEN Award

• Honors a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
• The nomination link is open until July 3, 2020.

Nominate a CEN!

• 2019 Winner
  

  Heather Linsalata

  BSN, RN, CEN University Hospital, Newark, NJ

  About Heather

  Heather has been an incredible force in supporting professional development and nursing in her organization. She is credited for greatly improving morale and stabilizing her department. One way she has done this is through her tireless efforts for support of specialty nursing certification. Not only has Heather held numerous review courses, provided online learning materials and books to assist her team, she also has worked to remove financial barriers for the nurses to achieve certification. Heather provides fun fact Fridays with certification review questions. When it comes to recognition, Heather’s efforts continue to be robust with certification teas and badge buddies.

   

• Previous Winners

  2018
  Wilmar Flores, BSN, RN, CEN
  San Diego, CA

  2017
  Kathy Ingersoll, BSN, RN, CEN
  Richmond, VA

  2016
  Kara Bauman, MN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
  Fairfax, VA

  2015
  Diane Branson, RN, CEN, OR-SANE-A
  Albany, OR

Distinguished CPEN Award

• Honors a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN).
• Nominations link is open until July 3, 2020.

Nominate a CPEN!

• 2019 Winner
  

  Cara Szeglin

  BSN, RN, CPEN New York-Presbyterian, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Levittown, NY

  About Cara

  Cara has conducted numerous review classes and has set up a google classroom for her teammates to give them the tools to prepare for success. The CPENs in Cara’s department have increased from 1 to 11 in the past year. Cara works tirelessly to encourage and support her coworkers. She is truly a champion for CPEN certification and is making a huge difference!

   

• Previous Winners

  2017
  Jodi Cregger, RN, MICT, CEN, CFRN, CPEN
  Great Bend, KS

  2016
  Brian Johnson, RN, CEN, CPEN
  Walnut Creek, CA

  2015
  Kristen Cline, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, SANE-A
  Sioux Falls, SD

Distinguished CFRN/CTRN Award

• Honors a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) or a Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN).
• Winner honored at the Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference (CCTMC) in April 2020
• Distinguished CFRN/CTRN Award Nominations are no longer being accepted. Check back in early 2021!

 

• 2020 Winner
  

  Tonya Barnard

  RN, BSN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN, CCRN, EMT-B Pafford Air One

  About Tonya
  Tonya Barnard started her flight career by doing something quite extraordinary. When she started her employment as a flight nurse she already had her CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CFRN, and CTRN. In addition, she also had her CCRN. Having done this, she demonstrated to others that these certifications are doable and not a modern-day Holy Grail. She has frequently encouraged others at her base to complete certifications, as well as at other bases and to nurses at hospitals that she visits. When at public events Tonya encourages nurses that are interested in flying to began the process of seeking certification and to start the process of preparing for the CFRN. She has offered assistance and challenged others to sit for the certifications. She has also assisted her company with education and in house certification review courses. She verbally encourages others to excel and leads by example.

  

• Previous Winners

  2019
  Carlos Tavarez, RN, CEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, NREMT-P, FP-D, CCEMT-P, EMT-T, WEMT
  Orlando, FL

  2018
  Teresa Elder, MEd, BSN, RN, CFRN
  Lakewood, CO

  2017
  Bambi Pish-Derr, DNP, CFRN, CCRN
  Mesa, AZ

  2016
  Kimberly Lacina, MSN, ARNP-C, CTRN, CEN, EMT-P
  Palm Harbor, FL

  2015
  Mick McCallum, TNS, RN, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P, FP-C, CMTE
  Topeka, KS

Distinguished TCRN Award

• Honors a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN).
• Winner honored at STN’s TraumaCon in April 2020.
• Distinguished TCRN Award Nominations are no longer being accepted. Check back in early 2021!

• 2020 Winner
  

  Mariah Pruett

  LT, USAF, NC, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN 60th Medical Group/Emergency Services Flight at David Grant USAF Medical Center

  About Mariah
  Lt Pruett has been nothing short of exceptional. She continually strives for excellence in both her clinical knowledge and clinical care, elevating the knowledge and skill of those around her by doing so. She utilizes her drive for improved patient care to encourage and mentor her coworkers and colleagues to also strive to improve themselves through certification. She mentored not only the Emergency Medicine nurses, but also the ICU staff, creating a certification mentorship program within the 60th Medical Group. Thanks to the mentorship and motivation of Lt Pruett, TCRN certification rates in the 60th Medical Group increased by 200%.

  

• Previous Winners

  2019
  Travis Beebe-Woodard, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
  Burlington, VT

  2018
  June Guadalupe, MSN, BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CMC, CNRN, TCRN 
  Baltimore, MD

  2017
  Andrea Wright, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
  Roanoke, VA

National Certification Champion Award

• Awarded in three categories.
• Nomination link is open until July 3, 2020.

Nominate a small healthcare organization, large healthcare organization, or healthcare system now!

BCEN’s National Certification Champion Award (formerly Honorary Certification Recognition Award) recognizes health care facilities and health systems that:

• Exemplify excellence in supporting emergency RNs who pursue BCEN certifications
• Show achievement in designing and implementing effective and innovative practices and programs that encourage, support, and recognize emergency nursing specialty certification
• Demonstrate the impact of a board certified emergency nurse workforce on patient, nurse and organizational outcomes

One national winner will be recognized in each of the following categories:

• Small Healthcare Organization: single hospital emergency department, trauma program or freestanding emergency center with less than 30,000 visits per year, or a single critical care ground transport and/or flight base
• Large Healthcare Organization: single hospital emergency department, trauma program or freestanding emergency center with more than 30,000 visits per year
• Healthcare System: a group or system of 2 or more hospital emergency departments, trauma programs, freestanding emergency centers, or critical care ground transport and/or flight bases

Eligibility Requirements 

To be eligible for the National Certification Champion Award, a facility or organization must:

• Currently employ BCEN-certified emergency, transport and/or trauma nurses
• Be actively engaged in supporting their nurses in obtaining and maintaining one or more of BCEN’s certifications
• 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

Healthcare Systems

• 2019 Winner
  

  Northeast Georgia Health System

  Gainsville, GA

  About Northeast Georgia Health System

  Support for specialty nursing certification starts on the first day of employment where new hires attend a seminar led by nursing leadership. In this seminar, the value placed on specialty nursing certification is conveyed along with the benefits and recognition in store for nurses once certification has been achieved. Recognition includes an annual dinner celebrating certified nurses across the system along with system wide recognition in the way of plaques, newsletters and public display of certification achievements throughout the facilities. Northeast Georgia has a 25% certification rate in their emergency departments throughout the health care system. Northeast tells us that supporting certification has led to many positive outcomes in performance improvement initiatives and patient satisfaction. They attribute this to the ownership and professionalism their certified nurses demonstrate.

  

• Previous Winners

  2018
  UCHealth Emergency Care  
  Fort Collins, CO

Large Healthcare Organization

• 2019 Winner
  

  Oak Hill Hospital

  Brooksville, FL

  About Oak Hill Hospital
  Oak Hill is truly a champion of specialty nursing certification. In the emergency department, the certification rate is 87%! Organization wide the certification rate held by nurses is 81%! Pretty impressive. All the nurse leaders in the organization act as role models and are 100% board certified. Nurses with the appropriate amount of experience are expected to achieve specialty certification within six months of hire. Nurses are provided preparation support, continuing education and financial assistance for the cost of the exam. Once certified, nurses are rewarded with additional pay. Oak Hill has robust recognition efforts in place, and they celebrate specialty certification achievement mightily with a certification breakfast, organizational emails and congratulatory letters sent to the nurses’ homes.

  

  

• Previous Winners

  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 Health Care Organization

• 2019 Winner
  

  Rush Foundation Hospital ED

  Meridian, MS

  About Rush Foundation Hospital ED
  This 25-bed emergency department boasts a 41% certification rate with five more nurses scheduled to take their CEN certification exams. Rush has a formal recognition plan in place to ensure their nurse’s accomplishments don’t go unnoticed. Rush also provides an increase in pay with achievement of certification. Rush tells us they have seen many benefits to their patients because their nurses have obtained specialty certification exemplifying greater confidence at the bedside.

  
  

• Previous Winners

  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