The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing

BCEN Learn Live Welcome Reception

Join us poolside to enjoy a lively cocktail hour and mingle with your fellow conference attendees! Hors d’oeuvres and additional raffle opportunities will be provided.

Conference badge required upon entry.

Puppy Palooza!

What’s a better stress reliever than spending time with furry friends? Join us in the West Courtyard between 12-4 PM to play with cute rescue puppies from our friends at local shelter Arf Ang Rescue!

Leaps of Growth: Embracing Bold Steps in Professional Development

Leaps of Growth: Embracing Bold Steps in Professional Development is a transformative session where Becky Rich, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, CEN will share her path from a diploma school-prepared RN to a doctoral-prepared nurse. In this session Becky will reveal the strategies used for continuous learning, how resilience helped her overcome various challenges, and how you can create an action plan for your next career leap. Whether you are at the beginning of your career seeking a certification or looking into an advanced degree, this session will provide you with insights and encouragement to take those bold steps forward in your professional life.

The Importance of ED Clinical Procedures: Tips and Pearls for ED Trained Clinicians

Procedures are a common practice in many ED patients. Lumbar puncture, central line placement, intubation, suture placement, abscess drainage and foreign body removal in adult and pediatric patients remain important tasks of the ED team. The astute ED clinician must be prepared for the proper set up, procedural intervention, risk/benefits, pearls, tips and recovery for all ED patients. We will renew and refresh some simple to complex procedural considerations in both adult and pediatric patients in the ED. Important procedural pearls will be highlighted with video compilation.

Pain Assessment with Various Patient Populations: It’s Not Always About the Number

Pain is a common part of presenting complaints emergency departments and similar settings. While nurses understand that pain assessment is a complex, multi-dimensional, and subjective part of daily work, there are certain patient populations that receive inadequate pain management. Proper pain assessment is made more difficult with increased patient volumes, complex co-morbidities, and lack of proper tools to assess certain special populations. Through the use of interactive case studies and audience participation, pain assessment for the critically ill and injured, geriatric and non-verbal populations will be discussed.

Sepsis: The Legal Aspects of Clinical Care

Sepsis has been around for 20 years and is still a difficult patient population to care for. With the increasing co-morbidities, sepsis remains a challenging population of patients that are cared for in emergency departments. This lecture will link sepsis patients with the role of the CLNC when reviewing patient cases and expectations of standards of care for the sepsis patient.

Decompensated Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock in the Emergency Setting

This session will cover identification and acute management of decompensated heart failure and cardiogenic shock in the emergency setting, including discussion about medications and hemodynamics, presented by an advanced heart failure nurse practitioner.

When the Brain Meets the Streets: Neurotoxicology & Street Drugs

It is sometimes difficult to attribute a particular clinical syndrome to a particular drug type. Certain common features emerge that may be related directly and specifically to the drug, but other clinical features may arise in a non-specific way from complications of injection and/or coma. Illicit drugs can have substantial negative effects on the structure and functioning of the brain. This presentation will discuss some of the common medications and the assessment of these patients, factors that may have adverse effects, and treatment plans for the acute and chronic complications that may occur in these individuals.

Diagnostic Peritoneal Resuscitation: Getting That Belly Closed!

We will discuss the background and indications for diagnostic peritoneal resuscitation for patients who have undergone damage control laparotomy with an open abdomen. As we review a case study, we will review the setup and management of this complex patient from the OR to initial fascial closure, including complications that can arise.

The Shocking Truth About Electrical Injuries

The presenter will discuss emergency management of electrical and lightning injuries, including case presentations and care rendered at a regional American Burn Association verified Adult and Pediatric Burn Center.

Surviving the "Burn" - A Pediatric Lesson

This session will provide an overview discussion on trends seen in pediatric burn injuries, including evidence-based recommendations for pediatric burn related management strategies both during the resuscitation and acute phases of care. Wrapping up we will briefly discuss potential complications seen in pediatric burn injuries and treatment.

Navigating Through the Initial Care of a Trauma Burn Patient

Severe burns, while visually striking, can potentially mask more life-threatening injuries. This session will cover the importance of the recognition, prioritization, and treatment of life-threatening conditions in complex trauma burn patients via a case study approach.

Burn Rehabilitation: A Verified Burn Center and Certified Burn Therapist Perspective

This session will focus on burn wound assessment and implications for function and movement induced disorder, emphasize the difference between verified burn center care and non-verified care in the rehabilitation realm, and highlight contemporary practice in the burn rehabilitation arena including current research discoveries and applicability to practice.

Burn Care: The Basics and Innovations

Explore the basics of burn care plus recent innovations presented by Dr. Foster, Director of Burn Services for the Arizona Burn Center and Director of Surgical Research for the Department of Surgery.

Survive and Thrive: A Story of Adversity, Triumph and Will

On January 27, 2013, Firefighter Smoke Jumper Lane Lamoreaux was paragliding in a rural portion of the San Jacinto mountains. Lane is an experienced paraglider who unfortunately experienced an extreme wind change while flying. He had a prolonged EMS extrication due to the terrain and presented severe multi-system traumatic injuries, including multiple fractures, hemorrhagic shock, and ALOC. He coded twice during ED and OR resuscitation and received more blood products then any other trauma patient to date at Riverside University Medical Center.

Through great care and perseverance, Lane was discharged after 40 days to a hospital in AZ. His healing journey was only beginning, and since then, Lane has starred in a full length documentary film chronicling his journey as a trauma survivor. He is now a teacher and TED Talk presenter, and his documentary has won several awards at various film festivals.

Lane’s nurse, CEN Lori Maddox, will review Lane’s medical case, then Lane himself will close the session by sharing his experiences post-accident as a survivor.

Networking in Nature

Explore the great outdoors with your fellow BCEN Learn Live attendees! This free, 60-minute guided hike through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve surrounding the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort will provide scenic views of the mountains over Phoenix and Scottsdale. (And don’t worry, we’ll have you back in time for breakfast, coffee and our first conference session!)

Hike Difficulty Level: Easy/Moderate

BCEN Learn Live Exhibitor Reception

Enjoy refreshments and hors d’oeuvres while you mingle with conference attendees and exhibitors at the BCEN Learn Live exhibitor reception! This reception will include an Accelerated Networking event and additional raffle opportunities.

Conference badge required upon entry.

How to Live, Work, and Retire Healthfully: Understanding the Emergency Responder's Unique Path to Wellbeing

In this presentation tailored for first responders, Kim Colegrove will shine a spotlight on issues that contribute to personal and professional stress and dissatisfaction, and present a path to balance and well-being that’s been tested and approved by your peers.

Whole Person Care: Treating More Than Just a Body

Have you ever felt like something is missing in your patient care? Have you felt that maybe you cured your patient for now, but did not leave them whole? This session will explore how to equip yourself to assess and address the spiritual needs of patients in a professional, ethical, caring, and patient-centered manner.

Let's Scratch That Itch!

Attendees will discuss and identify rashes commonly seen in pediatric patients and implement a plan of care, including protective needs for staff and patient.

Journey to Optimal Pediatric Readiness in a Rural ED

This session presented by BCEN’s 2024 Distinguished CPEN Award winner will provide an overview of Pediatric Readiness, why it’s so important in rural EDs and underserved communities, and how to overcome barriers to implementation, including simulation resources.

ATV Injuries in Children - A Case Study

ATV injuries have risen to the top 5 MOI in pediatric trauma patients in AZ. Understanding the pattern of injuries sustained by the pediatric patient and recognition of assessment and management priorities related to ATV injuries is crucial for the survival of the pediatric patient. An actual ATV patient case scenario from time of accident to definitive care will be utilized to demonstrate the pattern of injuries and the management priorities involved.

Rapid Recognition and Treatment of Pediatric Seizures

Responses and resources dedicated to the treatment of STEMI, stroke, sepsis and trauma are vast. Their recognition as time-sensitive illnesses are directly related to the high risk of irreversible brain loss and death. Seizures also pose this same risk. In combination with the increased recognition difficulty, pediatrics may be more at risk of brain loss and death. This session will address barriers to recognition and treatment of pediatric seizures.

Disaster Preparedness and Response: Essentials for Success

This informative session is designed to equip nurses with the essential knowledge and skills needed for disaster preparedness and response. Join us as we empower nurses to become key players in the face of emergencies and discover practical strategies for promoting readiness initiatives within healthcare facilities.

What Can End Tidal CO2 Do For You?

End-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) is routinely used to monitor ventilation during patient sedation and to validate endotracheal tube placement. Research has demonstrated ETCO2 can reliable be used for a multitude of other purposes.

1. Waveform analysis can point to the cause of a patient’s ventilation problem and assist in formulating a treatment plan.

2. Blood flow is necessary for gas exchange thus ETCO2 is a useful, non-invasive mode to evaluate patient hemodynamics.

Ahh! I Have to Push! The Down and Dirty of Emergency Obstetric Care

This session is designed to make you less uncomfortable with the obstetric patient presentation. The general knowledge and assessment of the emergent OB patient can make a difference in the outcome of the care. Stress levels we experience when dealing with a high acuity and low volume patient population can increase the risk of a bad outcome.

This is meant to give you to the down and dirty of the general OB patient and how to medically manage this patient in a high-stress situation.

Bizarre and Unusual Clinical Case Studies 2024

Injuries are one of the most important public health issues worldwide and have a considerable contribution to the disease burden, especially in young adults. Approximately 9% of all blunt trauma patients suffer pelvic fractures. These fractures can range from insignificant and requiring almost no therapy to massive destruction of the pelvic ring associated with multisystem injury and life-threatening hypotension which mandates the attention of specialists. Polytrauma involving multiple systems challenges the best assessment skills. This lecture will examine different types of trauma through a case study format.

Burning Shield

Growing up, Jason had one dream – to serve as a Phoenix Police Officer. Inspired by his brother and the tragic loss of a local law enforcement hero, Jason worked persistently towards his dream. After serving four years in the Air Force, at age 26, Jason achieved his goal to work on the streets of Phoenix as a rookie police officer. Then, only 14 months into what was supposed to be a life-long career, Jason’s life took an unexpected, dramatic and, at the time, tragic turn.

On the night of March 26th, 2001, a taxi cab crashed into the rear of Jason’s patrol car. Upon impact, Jason’s car burst into flames, trapping him inside with temperatures reaching over 700 degrees.

Through a series of miraculous and fateful circumstances, Jason survived the crash and ensuing physical and emotional catastrophe. He suffered severe burns to over 40% of his body, which drastically altered his appearance. He has undergone more than 50 surgeries just to have the ability to accomplish simple daily tasks we often take for granted.

Jason’s journey chronicles his fight for life, his triumph over tragedy and the inspiration that enables him to continue to overcome unimaginable adversity. His personal narrative exemplifies that the power of the human spirit can never be underestimated or extinguished. His story is also a testament of true love and the dedication Jason and his wife have in their commitment to honor their family and the vows of marriage in good times and bad.

His story is one of life, rebirth and transformation. Jason represents the human experience at its very best – an ascent from despair to describing himself as the luckiest person alive!

Using Virtual Reality to Explore the Realities of Emergency Nursing: Immersive Practice of Clinical Scenarios

Join us for an immersive workshop that reimagines emergency nursing training through the power of virtual reality. Designed to elevate emergency response skills, this hands-on event provides participants with a unique opportunity to practice managing a range of situations, from common emergencies to complex clinical cases to managing escalating situations in a realistic immersive environment. Additionally, you’ll have the chance to showcase your expertise in an engaging, Olympic-style competition, demonstrating your mastery of ED triage and patient management. Whether you’re looking to refine your emergency nursing skills or push your skills to new heights, this workshop will challenge you to redefine your practice and have some fun in our virtual ED!

No prior VR experience is required as the workshop team will provide all of the equipment and instructions necessary to care for patients in VR.

Pre-conference attendees earn 3.5 additional CE credits. Registration and $100 fee required, 20 seats available.

Navigating Resilience: How to Restock Inner Reserves and Find Your Way to Well-Being

In this interactive resilience training designed for first responders, attendees will learn the importance of considering and addressing multiple components of wellbeing. Through a process of discovery and self-assessment, they’ll gain insight regarding personal and professional stress, trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue. Participants will leave the event with a practical strategy in place to restore resilience and improve quality of life.

Pre-conference attendees earn 3.5 additional CE credits. Registration and $100 fee required, 50 seats available.

Passing the Baton: Ensuring Smooth Leadership Transitions

Leadership development is essential to organizational success. This interactive presentation will describe a well-executed succession plan as a method for leadership development. As the past Treasurer of Texas ENA, Shawntay Harris will share practices essential for efficiency and engagement in leadership development.

Burn: Priorities and Pitfalls

Nearly 500,000 burn injuries requiring medical care occur in the United States each year. This session will include an overview of burn pathophysiology, burn care, fluid resuscitation and American Burn Association criteria for transfer to a burn center.

Don’t Be Afraid of Treating Extensive Burns

A review of first aid in providing care for extensive burn injuries. Advances in the care of burn victims will be reviewed, why they are significant, and you will be convinced the effort is worthwhile.

AC/DC: It’s Not Just a Band

This session will focus on all areas of electrical injury discussed on the CBRN exam. It will incorporate principles of electrical injury from at risk populations through prevention, and ending with reintegration to work and home.

Surviving Neonatal Resuscitation, aka. NRP for EMS/ER

How many times have we said, “All patients can make it to L&D…” Most times this statement is true, however, deliveries can and do occur outside the labor and delivery setting. All EMS and ER professionals should have a basic understanding of the necessary steps in resuscitation of a newborn.

Most infants are healthy and require little more than “catching and clamping,” however, others may require more extensive resuscitative measures. This presentation has been designed to teach the what you really need to know (and will actually remember) information regarding neonatal assessment and resuscitation.

Nonfatal Strangulation

Do you know what to do when someone that has been strangled arrives to your facility? This session will review populations at risk, pathophysiology, nursing assessment, and care planning for strangulation survivors.

Human Trafficking and Healthcare

This session is to serve as a general overview of human trafficking, with an emphasis on how it may present itself in the healthcare setting – for patients and providers alike. The session will present potential red flags to be aware of as service providers, but also an understanding of what labor trafficking may look like for healthcare workers in their field.

Sexual Assaults Within the Department of Defense

This presentation will discuss the policies and procedures for sexual assaults within the department of defense, reporting instructions and follow up care, as well as the important role of civilian Emergency Departments in this vital process.

Behavior Health Emergencies: Creating a New Care Model to Reduce Length of Stay in the ED

Behavior health patient volumes are rising in the Emergency Department, and inpatient psychiatric beds are dwindling. Developing new strategies to reduce length of stay and creating a therapeutic milieu within the ED can improve patient outcomes. An overview of this care model will demonstrate the success of reducing length of stay and creating a safer environment for patients awaiting placement at a psychiatric hospital.

The Intersection of AI and Value-based Care in Emergency Medicine

Dr. Scaletta will discuss the intersection of two significant developments in healthcare:

1. The shift from fee-for-service to value-based care
2. The surge in the integration of artificial intelligence in emergency medicine.

The QUEST framework is introduced and used to explore the dynamic intersection of smart technology and value-based care, encompassing quality, utilization, efficiency, satisfaction, and teamwork.

It's Your License, Love It or Lose It

This session will explore how state boards of nursing function, providing insight into threats to a nursing license and how a nurse can be proactive in protecting their hard-won license to practice.

The Internet Never Forgets! How to Use Social Media as a Nurse

Use social media to support your career success! In this lecture, learn the essential information on how best to leverage social media for professional development and steer clear of potential career pitfalls from your content.

Empowering Emergency Nurses in Media

Join us for an inspiring journey into the dynamic world of nursing in the media. In “Empowering Emergency Nurses in Media,” you’ll delve into the power of nurses’ narratives and expertise in shaping healthcare perceptions, policies and pubic safety.

Discover how nurses’ representation in the media impacts patient care, education, and advocacy, and gain practical tips for effective communication in this evolving landscape. Together, let’s foster collaboration between nursing staff and hospital leaders to advance our profession and elevate emergency medicine on a global stage. Don’t miss this opportunity to harness the potential of media to empower emergency nurses and enhance healthcare outcomes.

Annie! Annie! Are You OK? The Science Behind the Resuscitation

Ho hum, a CPR lecture? Are you kidding me? I can (and do) CPR in my sleep! Now, ask yourself, how often do you and your team actually obtain neurologically intact ROSC?

Come to this fast-paced and funny lecture to learn what we used to “know” is now wrong, and what the current science is teaching us about game-changing resuscitation. Explore the nerd-level science behind the resuscitation so we can actually give “Annie-Annie” a fighting chance!

Fact or Fiction: Are These Cutting-Edge Medical Innovations Too Good to Be True?

This interactive presentation will cover a series of the latest breakthroughs in health care technology. The audience will be asked to determine if they are real or not, then the answer will be provided with the research, development and science, including its availability to the health care industry.

PERT Alert in the ED

Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams provide access to a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to advancing the care of patient with PE. This session includes an overview of patient criteria, the impact of nurses, and improving patient outcomes.

From The Scene to ED: Bridging the Gap in Prehospital and ED Communications

This session is designed to delve into the critical aspect of seamless communication between prehospital EMS and the ED. Effective and timely information exchange is vital for optimizing patient outcomes during the continuum of care from the incident scene to arrival at the hospital.

This session will explore the challenges faced in communication handoffs, such as conveying critical patient data, relevant medical history, and incident details accurately. Join this session to explore real-world case studies to learn how best to foster communication, enhance patient safety, and ultimately provide the highest quality of care in emergency medical settings.

Change of Plans: Expecting and Treating the Unexpected

What do you do when everything changes in a matter of seconds? In this case review, we will discuss the rare cases where nothing is as it seems, and anticipating care is not an option. Discussion will include how flexibility and training are crucial to the ability of the flight team to care for any patient at a moment’s notice.

Deception: Factitious Disorders

Fabricated or induced illnesses present a unique challenge to emergency department staff trained to recognize patterns of signs and symptoms and intervene accordingly. This session will explore factitious disorders induced on self and on another by combining didactic information with actual ED case studies.

Pediatric Emergency Simulation Mastery: Navigating Critical Moments in the ED and Transport Environments

This presentation provides an engaging exploration of simulation activities designed to enhance the skills of healthcare teams in managing pediatric patients within the Emergency Department and during transport. Leveraging the principles of simulation education, the session delves into real-world case studies, offering participants the opportunity to remember key pediatric emergency concepts, understand the complexities of pediatric care, and apply their knowledge in simulated scenarios.

By emphasizing critical thinking, effective communication, and collaborative teamwork, attendees will gain practical insights to elevate their clinical proficiency and contribute to improved patient safety outcomes in pediatric emergency settings.

Humanitarian Medical Missions: What They Are and What They Are Not

This session will discuss the challenges of providing medical care and health education in a low resource, low-income environment. The ethical issues surrounding humanitarian missions will be addressed as well as the highs and lows of being on a humanitarian mission.

Creating an ED Transition Program: Expanding Onboarding Practices for the Novice ED Nurse

The ED transition nurse program is an extensive 12-week onboarding fellowship that provides nurses without an emergency nursing background the knowledge, skills, certifications, and clinical orientation needed to become proficient and competent ED nurses. Education is provided by ED clinical educators, department leadership, and interdisciplinary team members that includes advanced specialty training, didactic review, simulation, skill development activities, and certification course participation.

This session will discuss program benefits, including professional growth and competency for both new ED nurses and the precepting interdisciplinary team members, as well as increased department staffing with improved nurse retention.

Understanding the Psychosocial Needs of the Burn Patient

This session will look at the emotional aspect of recovery from a burn injury. Burn injuries can be overwhelming and isolating, which makes addressing patient’s psychosocial incredibly important. This session will cover common issues that result from suffering a burn injury and ways to ensure burn survivors are able to integrate back into their community and their lifestyle.

Pediatric Pitfalls

Caring for a critically ill child can sometimes cause anxiety and fear even in the most seasoned of medical professionals. Children have many of the same diseases and conditions as adults, yet the assessment and management principles will differ in some areas and be quite similar in others. This presentation will review the essential components of a rapid pediatric assessment, along with some “just like adults” treatment tips. Through the use of real-life case studies and two rounds of Jeopardy, critical care and emergency personnel will come away better able to provide care for crashing kids.

Pre-conference attendees earn 3.5 additional CE credits. Registration and $100 fee required, limited space available.

Hot Topics: Managing Burns of All Depths and Sizes

Through current, evidence-based information, the emergency nurse will discover proper acute care of the burn patient. The presentation will deliver case studies that highlight the role of the emergency nurse in the initial management of a burn patient including discussion of fluid resuscitation, intubation decisions, inhalation injuries, determining burn size, and treatment interventions. Acute burn care management of the patient with a thermal injury determines both short-term and long-term outcomes, including survivability. Vivid photographs and interactive slides complement this session.

Pre-conference attendees earn 3.5 additional CE credits. Registration and $100 fee required, limited space available.

Finding Your North Star

The unprecedented and widespread experience of languishing can be overcome. Dr. Joseph will help your team find clarity of purpose to restore your confidence, hope and optimism in challenging times.

What does it take for you to connect with your own North Star? How does your team maintain a culture of excellence in the face of setbacks or fatigue?

National championship coach and sport psychologist Dr. Ivan Joseph has not only studied the tenets of grit and resilience, he has successfully applied them time after time with professional and Olympic athletes, executives, industry leaders and high performers from all walks of life. In this session, you will learn the importance of finding your own clarity of purpose and shifting your focus to what matters, making sure those around you feel that they belong and finding your flow again.

Self-confidence, grit and optimism are the keys to Finding Your North Star. Dr. Joseph’s approach works: leaders and teams see an immediate impact.

Volunteer exam item writers for the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification meet at the first-ever CBRN Item Writer Workshop, September 2022.

Why does nursing specialty certification matter?

National specialty certification, also called board certification, is the highest professional credential a nurse can earn.

In order to become a registered nurse, an individual has to sit for a licensing exam, which is designed to determine whether it’s safe for them to begin practice as an entry-level RN.

When an RN becomes interested in a particular specialty, such as adult or pediatric emergency nursing or trauma nursing or flight nursing, they can become board certified in their specialty, similar to what physicians do. To earn a specialty credential, RNs must pass a national specialty certification exam.

While the purpose of specialty certification is to independently validate specialty knowledge, skills and abilities, which provides important information to patients, families and employers … nurses earn specialty credentials for many reasons, including the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with being among the best of the best in their specialty.

Research links specialty certification with improved patient outcomes … and certification also benefits nurses and their careers, healthcare teams, hospitals and other providers, and entire communities.

What is Certified Nurses Day?

Certified Nurses Day™ is celebrated worldwide every March 19, the birthday of Dr. Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, RN, EdD, FAAN. Gretta was one of the earliest and greatest champions of nursing certification. Her vision, leadership, research and advocacy helped form and influence certification throughout the U.S. and around the globe.

Certified Nurses Day is a day for organizations, communities and leaders to honor and recognize the clinical excellence, professionalism and service of nurses whose dedication to their specialty advances nursing and patient care every day.

This international nursing celebration day was created in 2008 by the American Nurses Association and the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

Be your best self. Be BCEN board certified.

# of BCEN Certifications Held: 59,185

It's Important for ED Nurses to Earn and Maintain Specialty Certification

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