Individual Awards | Organizational Awards | Scholarships
About BCEN’s Awards Program
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 four emergency nursing specialties: emergency (CEN®), pediatric emergency (CPEN®), transport (CFRN® and CTRN®), and trauma (TCRN®).
- BCEN’s National Certification Champion Award recognizes organizations in three categories: Small Healthcare Organization, Large Healthcare Organization and Healthcare System.
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
The 2023 BCEN Distinguished Award nominations window is February 1-March 15, 2023.
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.
Please nominate an individual who demonstrates:
- Excellence in pursuing 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) or TCRN (Trauma Certified Registered Nurse) certification is eligible to be nominated or nominate themselves.*
To be eligible for a 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 and 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:
You will be asked to 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, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN or TCRN)
- How you believe they exemplify the clinical excellence and professionalism of a BCEN-certified nurse in this specialty
Following your submission, nominees will be asked to submit the following:
- At least 3 ways you have succeeded in advocating for certification and supporting other nurses to earn and maintain board certification in this specialty.
- A current CV
- A current headshot
- Up to 3 additional supporting items may be uploaded, but are not required.
2023 Distinguished Award winners will receive a one-year all-access pass to the award-winning BCEN Learn continuing education platform (valued at $2,500) and be honored at a special workplace celebration.

Distinguished CEN Award
- Honors a Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- 2022 Winner
Nicholas Jazdzewski
BSN, RN, CEN Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, WIAbout Nicholas
Nicholas is an emergency department staff RN with Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, WI.
Colleagues in Froedtert Hospital’s ED know Nicholas for taking every opportunity to improve his knowledge and practice and as “one of the most well-rounded ED nurses you will meet.” He’s an approachable and positive leader, a trusted resource and advocate, and “the one I look to to get things done.”
Nicholas has knocked down barriers to certification, set up an internal social media site for CEN test prep, and ensures colleagues are recognized when they earn the CEN. Altogether, he is a huge part of why a significant number of Froedtert & MCW’s ED nurses obtained their CEN in 2021.
Read more about Nicholas in our Meet the Winner series.
- Previous Winners
2021
Heidi Cote, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN
Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME2020
Jude Lark, BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN
Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ2019
Heather Linsalata, BSN, RN, CEN
University Hospital, Newark, NJ2018
Wilmar Flores, BSN, RN, CEN
La Jolla Emergency Department, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Health Systems, La Jolla, CA2017
Kathy Ingersoll, BSN, RN, CEN
Harford Memorial Hospital, Havre de Grace, MD2016
Kara Bauman, MN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, Falls Church, VA2015
Diane Branson, RN, CEN, OR-SANE-A
Salem Hospital, Albany, OR

Distinguished CPEN Award
- Honors a Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN).
- 2022 Winner
Jessica Evins
BSN, RN, CPEN in NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York, NYAbout Jessica
A clinical nurse III in NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital Pediatric ED, Jessica is known as “a consummate professional with patients and staff across multiple disciplines and departments.” In addition to providing high-level quality care to a high acuity and chronic patient population, she educates other nurses, students and medical staff to give them the tools they need to provide exceptional care and holds multiple committee leadership roles.
After earning the CPEN, Jessica created a guidebook for nurses new to pediatric emergency care that features unit-specific tips plus comprehensive clinical best practice guidelines, policies and procedures for pediatric-specific emergencies. It’s now SOP for every nurse in her ED to get a copy and the guide is regularly used for nurses studying for their CPEN.
Read more about Jessica in our Meet the Winner series.
- Previous Winners
2020
Lisa Chambers, MSN, MPS, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
CHOC Children’s Hospital, Orange, CA2019
Cara Szeglin, BSN, RN, CPEN
New York-Presbyterial Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, New York, NY2017
Jodi Cregger, RN, MICT, CEN, CFRN, CPEN
LifeTeam, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson, KS2016
Brian Johnson, RN, CEN, CPEN
NorthBay Medical Center, Fairfield, CA2015
Kristen Cline, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, SANE-A
Sanford AirMed, Sioux Falls, SD

Distinguished CFRN Award
- Award honors a Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN).
- 2022 Winner
Abigail Harvey
BSN, RN, CFRN, NREMT-P Lutheran Health Network, Fort Wayne, Indiana.About Abigail
Abby keeps up on best practices and challenges teammates to be the best clinicians they can be. She’s compassionate and dedicated and a leader among her coworkers and in the flight nursing profession. She has excellent clinical skills, yet is always open for improvement and learning from others. She empowers her coworkers and sets them up for success, including inspiring her fellow flight nurses to work toward obtaining the CFRN too.
Among her major accomplishments, Abby helped expand Lutheran Health Network from a one-aircraft flight program to three aircraft. “Abby is the true definition of leading by example. She actively listens and communicates with her teammates, which undeniably encourages and motivates them to succeed.”
Read more about Abigail in our Meet the Winner series.
- Previous Winners
2021
Kevin Kissner, MSN, RN, CEN, CFRN
VCU Health & Virginia State Police Med-Flight I , Richmond, VA2020
Tonya Barnard, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN, CCRN, EMT-B
Pafford Air One, Orlando, FL2019
Carlos Tavarez, RN, CEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, NREMT-P, FP-D, CCEMT-P, EMT-T, WEMT
Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center, Orlando, FL2018
Teresa Elder, MEd, BSN, RN, CFRN
Flight for LIfe Colorado, St. Anthony Hospital, Denver, CO2017
Bambi Pish-Derr, DNP, CFRN, CCRN
Angel MedFlight, Scottsdale, AZ2015
Mick McCallum, TNS, RN, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P, FP-C, CMTE
Topeka, KS

Distinguished CTRN Award
- Award honors a Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN).
- 2022 Winner
Mackenzie Alexander
BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CTRN, CPEN Harris Health System, Houston, TexasAbout Mackenzie
Mackenzie transports some of the most critical patients out of Harris Health System’s emergency center and ICUs. In fact, she helped create and was an initial member of the Critical Care Transport Team at Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital. As the team’s education chair, she educates other RNs, EMT-Bs and EMT-Ps, leads and develops critical scenarios for training, and runs the mock drills and codes.
Mackenzie mentors new and experienced nurses, supporting them on their journey to achieve certification. She created a year-long education calendar for the team based on BCEN exam content outlines, secures monthly expert speakers, and helped her transport program institute certification as a requisite to joining the team to ensure excellence and expertise. “With her knowledge and training, Mackenzie is a sought-out resource and delivers quality care to critical patients during transports and on site. Her dedication to education exemplifies clinical excellence.”
Read more about Mackenzie in our Meet the Winner series.
- Previous Winners
2016
Kimberly Lacina, MSN, ARNP-C, CTRN, CEN, EMT-P
Sunstar Paramedics, Largo, FL

Distinguished TCRN Award
- Honors a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN).
- 2022 Winner
Shayna Stevens
BSN, RN, TCRN Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, Plano, TXAbout Shayna
At Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano in Plano Texas, a Level II trauma center, Shayna has been instrumental in building collaboration between the trauma and emergency departments. Her commitment to improving patient care and staff satisfaction includes developing and refining the intro to trauma care and advanced trauma care classes for ED staff, being a TNCC instructor and teaching in the Society of Trauma Nurses trauma lecture series, and doing just-in-time education before, during and after trauma activation. Simply put, Shayna is known as a trauma expert across the hospital.
As her nominator wrote: “As a leader in a small department, Shayna served as a guiding light these last few years. Her focus on what is best for the patient and how to help support her coworkers so they also focus on what’s best for the patient and their family is a shining example of what professionalism in nursing should be about.”
Read more about Shayna in our Meet the Winners series.
- Previous Winners
2021
Julie Donnelly, MSN, RN, TCRN
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA2020
Lt. Mariah Pruett, NC, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN
David Grant USAF Medical Center, Fairfield, CA2019
Travis Beebe-Woodard, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT2018
June Guadalupe, MSN, BSN, RN, CEN, CCRN, CMC, CNRN, TCRN
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD2017
Andrea Wright, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital Level I Trauma Center, Roanoke, VA

National Certification Champion Award
- Scroll down to meet our 2022 National Certification Champions!
- Awarded in three categories.
- 2023 BCEN National Certification Champion Award nominations will be accepted beginning June 1, 2023.
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 System
- 2022 Winner
Centura Health
Centennial, COHow does Centura Health instill valuation of specialty certification across an entire health system?
It starts at the executive leadership level, where a belief that professional board certification is the “highest indicator of professionalism in the nursing field” that “helps advance the profession by recognizing and rewarding individuals for their clinical expertise and experience” is put into action every day and every shift.
At Centura, committing significant resources to support and encourage associates to obtain and maintain certification includes funded exam prep, paid time off to take the exam, reimbursement for successful certification, CE credit and certification differential with wages. Recognition on the units, in daily huddles and system wide. Consideration of certification within the career ladder, promotions and extensive ongoing special projects. The result is a 44% certification rate.
Inspiring Confidence in Patients: Certified nurses at Centura have a large ‘certified nurse’ sign added to their badge hanger for recognition, which patients comment conveys confidence to them and their care.
The Bottom Line: “Our certified nurses exceed expectations.”
- Previous Winners
2020
Life Link III
Minneapolis, MN2019
Northeast Georgia Health System
Gainesville, GA2018
UCHealth Emergency Care
Fort Collins, CO
Large Healthcare Organization
- 2022 Winner
Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Emergency Center
Houston, TXHow did Harris Health LBJ Emergency Center make valuing emergency, trauma and transport certification part of its culture?
Bonuses, free prep resources and onsite review courses with paid time off, and advancement opportunities, for sure. Where LBJ EC really impresses and achieves is through integration and interdisciplinary participation, including: Full engagement from clinical resources nurses and educators. Frequent impromptu “shock talks” hosted by MDs, bedside nurses and ancillary departments. Specialty certification required for clinical ladder advancement and promotions, required for nursing leadership within two years of their promotion, and strongly preferred for all leadership candidate new hires.
Certified Success Worth Noting: Home to the only adult ground transport specialty team in greater Houston (which was formed by its own emergency nurses), LBJ EC requires all nurses to have at least one BCEN certification to join the team and three certifications (CEN or TCRN, plus CFRN and CTRN) within two years. LBJ EC directly links the interdisciplinary specialty team and the certifications they hold to positive patient outcomes.
The Bottom Line: “In February 2022, our patient satisfaction scores reached an all-time high score which was >90th percentile of all EDs within the same category.”
Read our Meet the Winner interview with Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital EC.
- Previous Winners
2021
Yale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, CT2020
University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
Plattsburg, NY2019
Oak Hill Hospital
Brooksville, FL2018
Chilton Medical Center
Pompton Plains, NJ2017
Houston Methodist Hospital System
Houston, TX2016
Avera McKennan Hospital Emergency Department
Sioux Falls, SD2015
Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital EMTC
Indianapolis, IN
Small Healthcare Organization
- 2022 Winner
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Centennial Emergency Department
Frisco, TXWhat fueled the Baylor Scott & White – Centennial Emergency Department’s remarkable two-year jump in certification rates from 6% to 56.5%?
Free exam prep materials, free onsite review courses with paid time off to attend, study groups, daily huddle review questions, and voucher-covered exam fees. Executive team-attended personal celebrations for every newly certified nurse. Recertification supported by a wide range of funded CE options and a renewal bonus.
The ROI: Increased nurse engagement and satisfaction. Certified nurses can level-up the clinical ladder. Nurse-led process and research initiatives leading to significant quality improvements. A top Press Ganey score and trauma and stroke center zero-deficiency surveys.
The Bottom Line: “As a facility, the care delivery to our patients has continued to improve in alignment with our certification rates.”
Read our Meet the Winner interview with Baylor Scott & White.
- Previous Winners
2020
Childress Regional Medical Center
Childress, TX2019
Rush Foundation Hospital ED
Meridian, MS2018
USC Verdugo Hills Hospital
Glendale, CA2017
Bristol Hospital
Bristol, CT2016
Angel MedFlight
Scottsdale, AZ2015
IU Health Saxony Hospital Emergency Department
Fishers, IN
Scholarships
As part of our commitment to helping current and aspiring emergency, trauma and transport nurses achieve all of their professional development goals, BCEN is donating $155,000 in 2022 to fund nearly 60 academic nursing scholarships.
Since 2011, BCEN has funded $1.2 million in scholarships.
BCEN proudly:
- Donates to established scholarship programs to fund undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral scholarships for BCEN-certified nurses and fund paramedic-to-RN scholarships for paramedics committed to becoming BCEN-certified RNs
- Donates $10,000 to ASTNA’s bereavement fund
To apply for BCEN-funded academic scholarships, please visit our partner organizations’ websites here:
- Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
- Society of Trauma Nurses (STN)
- Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA)
- Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA)
Current Year Scholarship Contributions and Most Recent Awardees:

ENA Foundation Scholarship - $50,000
- 2022 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral Scholarship Recipients
- Lisa M. Lietzke, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, Delaware
- Danielle Berry, CEN, South Carolina
BCEN Master’s Scholarship Recipients
- Amy Booth, CEN, Louisiana
- Kristina Croddy, CPEN, Indiana
- Kayla Logsdon, CEN, Ohio
- Rose Poyourow, CEN, Rhode Island
- Kristie Kassay, CEN, TCRN, Florida
- Kristine Johnson, CEN, Wisconsin
- Jessica Taddeo, CEN, CPEN, Florida
BCEN Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients
- LeAnne Carson, CFRN, Georgia
- Jennifer Hogestad, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, Colorado

Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) Scholarship - $35,000
- 2022 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral Scholarship Recipients
- Sean Elwell, MSN, RN, TCRN, NE-BC, EMT, Wilmington University
- Lisa Lietzke, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, Wilmington University
- Wendy McEuen, MSN, RN, TCRN, CEN, Chamberlain University
- Joshua Winowiecki, BSN, RN, Michigan State University
- Michelle Wright, MSN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, TNS, University of Illinois
BCEN Graduate Scholarship Recipients
- Valerie Brockman, RN, BSN, CAISS, CSTR, Western Governors University
- Sarah Harless, BSN, RN, TCRN, University of Michigan
- Karyn Haynes, BSN, RN, PCCN, CCRN, TCRN, NREMT, Pace University
- Kara Himelfarb, BSN, RN, TCRN, CFRN, CCRN, CEN, BS, MT, PHRN, NRP, The University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Katelyn Kulacz, RN, BSN, CEN, TCRN, Western Governors University
- Nicole Miller, BSN, RN, University of Texas at Arlington
BCEN Paramedic Scholarship Recipients
- Luis Tapia, EMT/ Paramedic
BCEN Undergraduate Scholarship Recipients
- Ivan Jorrin, RN, TCRN, California State University Fullerton
- Clinton Payne, RN, CEN, TCRN, CCRN, NRP, Grand Canyon University

Air & Surface Transport Nursing Association (ASTNA) - $35,000
- 2021 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral (DPN) Scholarship Recipients
- Rachel Hollinger-Janzen, CCRN, CEN, CFRN
- Gregory S. Wamack, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CFRN, CTRN, AEMT
- Jonathan Baxter, BSN, RN, NREMT-B, CEN, TCRN, CFRN, CCRN
BCEN Masters (MSN) Scholarship Recipients
- Nicholas Fatolitis, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, NRP, FP-C
- Clifford O’Sullivan, RN, BSN, CEN, CCRN, CFRN, CCP, FP-C, C-NPT
- Tiffani Santos, BSN, RN, CFRN, TCRN, CEN, TNS, TPATC, NRP
- Paul Rigby, RN, BSN, BS, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P, CCEMT-P
- Marybeth Wiedemann
Paramedic to RN Scholarship Recipients
- Jeffrey Begay, FPC, PCC, NRP, CNPT, AAS
- Mike Irwin, NRP, FP-C, CCP-C, ACLS Instructor, PALS Instructor, BLS Instructor, Neonatal Resuscitation Provider, TPATC, S.T.A.B.L.E.
BCEN Undergraduate (BSN) Scholarship Recipients
- Robert Beckl, RN, CFRN, NRP, FP-C, CHSE
- Cody Mefferd, ADN-RN, CFRN, CEN
- Mary Elizabeth Shumate, RN, CFRN, CCRN, SCRN, EMT

National Student Nurses Association Foundation (NSNA) - $35,000
- 2021-2022 Awardees
- Damaris Chaidez, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Michael Fleck, Pennsylvania State University
- Jason Hicks, University of Massachusetts – Amherst
- Annamaria Keltner, Point Loma Nazarene University
- Colleen Kinslow, Medical University of South Carolina
- John Palmer, University of Pennsylvania
- Sabrina Sabry, Chamberlain University College of Nursing
- Grace Schaefer, Binghamton University, Decker School of Nursing
- Hailey Stevens, University of New Hampshire
- Gabriela Willet, Seattle University, College of Nursing