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
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.

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
- Awarded in three categories.
- National Certification Champion Award Nominations are now closed.
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
- 2020 Winner
Life LInk III
Minneapolis, MNAbout Life Link III
At Life Link III, 98% of their 44 nurses have one professional certification, 50% have two, and 22% have three or more, with the Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) required for all RNs within 18 months of hire and additional certifications required for clinical ladder advancement. From day one, the value of certification is frequently spoken. Support includes a personal professional development fund, paid time off for exam prep and exam fee reimbursement, and opportunities to participate in and lead quality, safety and clinical initiatives.
- Previous Winners
2019
Northeast Georgia Health System
Gainesville, GA2018
UCHealth Emergency Care
Fort Collins, CO
Large Healthcare Organization
- 2021 Winner
Yale New Haven Hospital
Plattsburg, NYAbout Yale New Haven Hospital
“Yale New Haven Hospital’s path to becoming a BCEN National Certification Champion serves as a master class on how to build an emergency nursing powerhouse that raises the standard of care for patients of all ages and scenarios,” said BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, CENP, CPHQ, FABC. “Any organization providing emergency, trauma, or transport nursing care can benefit from the certification best practices happening at Yale New Haven.”
As YNHH’s nursing specialty certification rates continue to rise on the way to their ultimate goal of 100%, the hospital’s adult and pediatric EDs and critical care transport program have seen a variety of metrics improve — from rapid triage and out-the-door transport times to sepsis care and suicide prevention screening — largely thanks to unit-based councils focusing on nurse-led-and-driven performance improvement initiatives. Incorporating certification into its clinical ladder program is one of many ways YNHH encourages, recognizes and rewards certification.
- Previous Winners
2020
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
- 2020 Winner
Childress Regional Medical Center
Childress, TXAbout Childress Regional Medical Center
- With 42% of its emergency RNs holding the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) and a mission to be the best rural facility in the state of Texas, Childress Regional Medical Center (CRMC) assists new hires with certification readiness and goal-setting from day one, offers a professional development scholarship fund for every employee, celebrates certified nurses with formal banquets covered by the local press, and rewards RNs with a pay increase for each national certification they hold.
- Previous Winners
2019
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 BCEN-certified nurses achieve all of their professional development goals, BCEN will donate $175,000 in 2020 to fund nearly 60 academic nursing 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): https://www.ena.org/foundation/scholarships
Society of Trauma Nurses (STN): https://www.traumanurses.org/bcen-scholarships
Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA): https://astna.org
Foundation of the National Student Nurses’ Association (FNSNA): https://www.forevernursing.org/undergraduate-scholarships.html
Current Year Scholarship Contributions and Past Awardees:

ENA Foundation Scholarship - $50,000
- 2021 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral Scholarship Recipients
- Elisabeth Dowd, RN, CEN
Florida
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Lisa M Lietzke, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Deleware
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Alison Camarda, RN, CEN, CPEN
Vermont
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Wendy McEuen, RN, CEN, TCRN
California
Amount Awarded: $5,000
BCEN Master’s Scholarship Recipients
- Abigail Coles, RN, CEN
North Carolina
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Kimberly Mueller, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Iowa
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Angela Morris, RN, CEN
Indiana
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Megan Moyneur, RN, CEN, TCRN
California
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Lisa Scott, RN, CEN, CFRN
Virginia
Amount Awarded: $5,000 - Paige Williams, RN, CPEN
Indiana
Amount Awarded: $5,000
- Elisabeth Dowd, RN, CEN

Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) Scholarship - $35,000
- 2021 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral Scholarship Recipients
- Wendy McEuenr, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN
Chamberlain University - Farah Laurent, MSN, RN, CEN ,CPEN, TCRN, NPD-BC, NEA-BC
Monmouth University - Lisa Lietzke, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Wilmington University - Joshua Winowiecki, BSN, RN, CCRN, TCRN
Michigan State University
BCEN Graduate Scholarship Recipients
- Matthew (Evan) Edminster, BSN, RN, TCRN, CFRN, CEN, NHDP-BC
University of San Francisco - LynMaree Harris, RN, BSN, TCRN
Aspen University - Irina Kennedy, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN
University of Texas Medical Branch - Heather Timmons, RN, BSN, CCRN, TCRN
Walden University - Hillary Howse, BSN, TCRN, CEN, TNCC, NIH, ACLS, BLS, PALS
George Washington University - Kimberly Mueller, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN
Grand Canyon University - Misty Brendan, BSN, RN, TCRN, PCCN
South Dakota State University
- Wendy McEuenr, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN

Air & Surface Transport Nursing Association (ASTNA) - $35,000
- 2020 Awardees
BCEN Doctoral (DPN) Scholarship Recipients
- Gregory Wamack, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CFRN, CTRN, AEMT, Mount Juliet, TN
- Jonathan Baxter, BSN, RN, NREMT-B, CEN, CFRN, TCRN, CCRN, Ward, AR
BCEN Masters (MSN) Scholarship Recipients
- Teri Campbell, CEN, CFRN, TNS, PHRN, Chicago, IL
- Paul Rigby, RN, BSN, BS, CFRN, CCRN, EMT-P, CCEMT-P, Schoolcraft, MI
- David Schnabel Jr, BSN, RN, CFRN, CCRN, PHRN, Ardmore, PA
- Kaitlyn Luckey-Smith, RN, BSN, MSc, CCRN, CFRN, FP-C, NR-Paramedic, CEN, Clyde, NC
- Kyle Lucky-Smith, MSc, CCRN, CFRN, FP-C, Clyde, NC
Paramedic to RN Scholarship Recipients
- Jeffrey Begay Jr, AAS EMT-P, NRP, FP-C, C-NPT, Denver, CO
- Jeffrey Massie, EMT-P, FPC, Simi Valley, CA
- Jesse Mangiacarne, Associates Degree Paramedic, NREMT-P, PA state paramedic, FP-C, Altoona, PA

National Student Nurses Association Foundation (NSNA) - $35,000
- 2021 Awardees
- 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