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Use the buttons or your mouse to zoom in to find our respected and valued volunteers in your region, or scroll down to the right to find a list of each volunteer and his/her certifications, location and qualifications.

Meet Our Volunteers

 

Subject matter experts who serve on BCEN ECRCs and who write items (questions) for BCEN exams represent various aspects of emergency nursing practice and are well versed in the clinical topics and professional issues encompassed by each of our specialty certification programs. BCEN screens applicants to ensure geographic, demographic, and practice diversity so that committee members and item writers reflect the population of nurses in each specialty certification practice area.

BCEN is deeply grateful to our respected subject matter experts who volunteer their time so freely to help us create high-quality, robust exams. All of our highly-accomplished experts maintain full-time careers in their specialty area and contribute noticeably to the industry.

Exam Construction Review Committees (ECRCs)

BCEN’s Exam Construction Review Committees (ECRCs) are responsible for mentoring item writers, reviewing all new exam questions, reviewing and editing unscored pretest questions, reviewing scored questions, and reviewing the exam’s overall performance. ECRC members are selected for their knowledge, experience, content expertise, and strong skills in question development and must have previously served as an item writer. BCEN strives to ensure that the composition of its ECRCs reflects certification candidate populations in terms of geography, ethnicity, gender, and educational preparation.

ECRC members are trained in item review principles, bias and sensitivity issues, and basic statistical concepts as they relate to item performance. The committees meet once or twice a year to assemble exams and participate in BCEN’s item-writing workshops as mentors to item writers. ECRC members work directly with an assigned team of item writers to review all new items and provide detailed feedback on each assignment.

Meet our ECRCs:

  • CEN ECRC

    Chairperson (WA)
    Roger Casey, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, FAEN

    Committee Member (TX)
    Steven Talbot, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN

    Committee Member (DE)
    Kara Streets, RN, MS, CEN, NE-BC

    Committee Member (OR)
    Clair Barnett, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN

    Committee Member (HI)
    Autumn Riddell, MSN, RN, CEN, CNS, ACCNS-AG

    Committee Member (AL)
    Heather Swindle, RN, CEN

  • CFRN-CTRN ECRC

    Chairperson (TX)
    Sue Parrigin, MSN, RN, CFRN, CTRN, EMT-P

    Committee Member (AB)
    Graham Newton, RN, MN, CFRN, CTRN, ACP

    Committee Member (CO)
    Allen C. Wolfe Jr, MSN, CNS, APRN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, CCRN, CMTE

    Committee Member (CO)
    Steven Malarchick, DNP, MSN, CFRN, CTRN, NRP, FP-C

    Committee Member (NJ)
    Jeanette Pascale, MSH I, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CTRN, CCRN, EMT

    Committee Member (GA)
    Nyssa Hattaway, BA, BSN, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN

  • CPEN ECRC

    Chairperson (IL)
    Rebecca Steinmann, MS, APN, NPD-BC, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN, CCNS, FAEN

    Committee Member (PA)
    Julie Ruddy, BS, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN

    Committee Member (NM)
    Sara Daykin, DNP, MSN, RN, CPEN, TCRN, CPST

    Committee Member (NC)
    Katherine Walker, BSN, RN, CPEN

    Committee Member (NY)
    Cara Szeglin, BSN, RN, CPEN

    Committee Member (NY)
    Tara Doherty, BSN, RN, CPEN

  • TCRN ECRC

    Chairperson (VA)
    Kelley Rumsey, DNP, RN, CEN, TCRN, ACNP-BC, PNP-BC

    Committee Member (OH)
    Brody Eick, MBA, HCAN, BSN, CEN, TCRN, CCRN

    Committee Member (OH)
    Rebecca Geyer, MSN, RN, TCRN

    Committee Member (CA)
    Michael Gibson, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CFRN

    Committee Member (TX)
    Heather Timmons, BSN, RN, CCRN, TCRN

    Committee Member (PA)
    Amy Kempinski, RN, MSN, CEN, TCRN

  • CBRN ECRC

    Chairperson (WA)
    Gretchen Carrougher, MSN, RN, CBRN

    Committee Member (CA)
    Kiera Earney, RN, CBRN, CCRN

    Committee Member (IL)
    Purvi Patel, RN, FNP-C, CBRN

    Committee Member (UT)
    Lois Remington, BSN, RN, CBRN

    Committee Member (MD)
    Emily Werthman, DNP (c), RN, CBRN

Item Writers

BCEN’s item writers are key to the success of our exam programs. As experts in their respective fields and sub-specialty areas, our item writers are responsible for creating test questions for their assigned program. BCEN chooses new item writers for its programs at least every 2 years and screens applicants to ensure geographic, demographic, and practice diversity so that our item writers reflect the population of nurses in each specialty certification practice area. View BCEN’s policy on Item Writer Selection.

Meet our Item Writers:

  • CEN Item Writers

    Laura Coles, MSN-Ed, RN, CEN (NY)

    Jessica Davis, DNP, MBA, MSN, ARNP, FNP-C, CEN (WA)

    Sara Gears, MSN, RN, CEN (IL)

  • CFRN-CTRN Item Writers

    Angela Atwood, RN, MSN, CFRN (UT)

    Lindsey Duff, RN, CFRN (CO)

    Emma Hart, CFRN, C-NPT (TX)

    Jennifer Williams, BScN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, CTRN, TCRN, NRP (MS)

     

  • CPEN Item Writers

    Mara Harner, MS, RN, CPEN (CO)

    Ann Crawford, PhD, MSN, CNS, CEN, CPEN (TX)

    Josie Kik, CPEN (MI)

    Teresa Bontrager, MSN, RN, CPEN (KS)

    Lisa Chambers, MSN, MPS, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN (CA)

    Kara Piganelli, MSN-Ed, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN-P (CA)

    Jaclyn Eineder, CEN, CPEN (FL)

     

  • TCRN Item Writers

    David Booker, BSN, RN, TCRN, CFRN, CEN, CPEN, MICN, NREMT-P (CA)

    Karen Leal, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN, TCRN (TX)

    Andrea Light, MS, BSN, RN, EMT, CEN, TCRN (OH)

    Melaina King, BSN, RN, CCRN, TCRN (NY)

    Jennifer Gieger, BSN, RN, TCRN, CEN (NJ)

    Rebecca VanStanton, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN (MI)

  • CBRN Item Writers

    Patrick Brockway, MSN, RN (MS)

    Michele Buraczewski, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, CCRN-K (PA)

    Mary Capley, BSN, RN (AL)

    Elisabeth Fletcher, BSN, RN, CCRN (WI)

    Alison Hao-Smith, BSN, RN, CCRN (NY)

    Haley Jennings, BSN, RN (CO)

    Nancy Moeur, BSN, RN, CCRN (NY)

    Mary Mondozzi, MSN, RN, WCC (OH)

    Paul Plowman, BSN, RN (IN)

    Emily Snyder, BSN, RN, CCRN (TX)

    Megan Zynkian, MSN, RN, CCRN (CA)

Practice Exam Item Writers

BCEN’s practice exam item writers are subject matter experts in their respective fields and sub-specialty areas who contribute to the development of BCEN’s practice exam. BCEN chooses new practice exam item writers for its programs at least every 2 years and screens applicants to ensure geographic, demographic, and practice diversity so that our practice exam item writers reflect the population of nurses in each specialty certification practice area.

To qualify to be a practice exam item writer, applicants must be a registered nurse, have a BSN (preferably), and hold a current certification in the program they are applying for. While no previous item writing experience is necessary, practice exam item writers are required to attend a two-day item-writing workshop to receive instruction in basic item-writing and item review principles, including bias and sensitivity training. After attending the workshop, practice exam item writers work closely with BCEN in the development and maintenance of practice exam questions.

Visit our BCEN Subject Matter Expert (SME) page to apply to be a BCEN Practice Exam Item Writer.

Meet our Practice Exam Item Writers:

  • CEN Practice Exam Item Writers

    Sorayah Bourenane, RN, CEN (TX)

    Lindsay Davis, RN, CEN, TCRN (VA)

    Todd Haines, RN, CEN (TN)

    Jana Kling, RN, CEN (LA)

    Sarah McLelland, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN (LA)

    Michael Zonak, RN, CEN (FL)

  • CFRN Practice Exam Item Writers

    Jonathan Baxter, RN, CEN, CFRN, TCRN (AR)

    Steve Cumming, RN, CFRN (CA)

    Ryan Dale, RN, CFRN (FL)

    Caroline Levin, RN, CEN, CFRN (MD)

    Jonah Pregulman, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN, CTRN, TCRN, ATCN, NIHSS (CO)

    Jason Vest, RN, CFRN, CTRN (WA)

  • CPEN Practice Exam Item Writers

    Tommee Duran, RN, CPEN (NV)

    Ron Fay, RN, CEN, CPEN (KS)

    Cindy Joseph, RN, CPEN (CO)

    Justin Milici, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, CCRN, CPN (TX)

    David Miller, RN, CPEN (MO)

    Kelly Snapp, RN, CEN, CFRN, CPEN (KS)

     

  • TCRN Practice Exam Item Writers

    Kelly Ashcraft, CEN, TCRN (MI)

    Brady Bielewicz, RN, TCRN (PA)

    Marisa Buchmann, RN, TCRN (TX)

    Amy Crisp, RN, CEN, TCRN (MI)

    Ashley Metcalf, RN, CEN, TCRN (SC)

    Jessica Pemberton, RN, CEN, TCRN (CA)

    Pam Vanderberg, RN, CEN, TCRN (GA)

  • CBRN Practice Exam Item Writers

    CBRN Practice Exam Construction Review Committee:

    Sarah Bernardy, BSN, RN, CCRN (CA)

    Amanda Fucci, BSN, RN (AZ)

    Rebecca Garber, MSN, RN, FNP-BC (CO)

    Andrew Neading, BSN, RN (OH)

    Annemarie O’Connor, MSN, RN, FNP-BC (IL)

     

    CBRN Practice Exam Item Writers:

    Cheryl Barela, MSN, RN, CCRN (AZ)

    Ann Brennan-Cooper, MSN, RN, CCRN (NY)

    Bailey Burge, MSN, RN, CCRN (TX)

    Megan Cyrulik, MSN, RN (IL)

    Delene Marie DeForest-Dale, BSN, RN, CMSRN (WA)

    Natalie Fitzgerald, BSN, RN (IN)

    Heather Garcenila, MSN, RN (TX)

    Audrey Hoerner, MSN, RN (NY)

    Tami Kline, BSN, RN (OH)

    Abby Ksobiech, BSN, RN (WI)

    Laura Madsen, BSN, RN, CCRN (CO)

    Sarah Mattison, BSN, RN (CA)

    Stacey Richerbach, MSN, RN (AZ)

    Lisa Smith, MSN, RN (MD)

    Eleanor Thibodeau, BSN, RN (MN)

    Jennifer Zapke, BSN, RN (PA)

Volunteer Opportunities

  • Become an Item Writer

    Become an Item Writer

    BCEN® item writers are key to the success of its exam programs. As experts in their respective fields, item writers are responsible for creating test questions for their assigned programs. Content experts who write items for BCEN exams represent various aspects of emergency, pediatric emergency, ground and flight transport, trauma, and burn nursing. BCEN strives to screen applicants to ensure geographic, demographic, and practice diversity. BCEN chooses new item writers for its programs at least every 2 years. No previous item-writing experience is necessary!

    Eligibility Requirements

    Criteria for participation as a BCEN item writer are as follows:

    • Current status as a registered nurse, BSN preferred
    • Holds a current certification in a BCEN Exam Program.
    • Actively employed in a clinical practice setting as an emergency nurse, pediatric emergency nurse, flight/transport nurse, trauma nurse, or burn nurse.
    View BCEN’s policy on Item Writer Selection.

    Item-Writing Workshop

    Item writers must attend a 2-day item-writing workshop to receive instruction in basic item-writing and item-reviewing principles, including bias and sensitivity training. The workshop includes both didactic and interactive activities in which item structure, the test blueprint, confidentiality, and security issues are presented and discussed. Exam Construction Review Committee (ECRC) members also participate in the workshop and serve as mentors to new writers.

    Assignments and Time Commitment

    Assignments are made twice a year and are based on areas of each program’s content outline. Item writers serve 2-year renewable terms and can expect to write about 20 items a year.

    Mentoring and Feedback
    Each item writer is part of an item-writing team and is assigned an ECRC mentor who reviews all newly written items. Items are reviewed for accuracy, critical content for the exam, bias and sensitivity issues, and correct classification to their respective content outline. Mentors provide detailed feedback to item writers after every assignment.

    How to Apply

    A call for item writers is published on BCEN’s website and in other communication vehicles at least six (6) months prior to the item writing workshop. Interested applicants who meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply via BCEN’s SME management platform.  Those applicants who meet the initial criteria are asked to complete a sample item writing assignment, specific to their respective certification exam program.

    We value the time and expertise our item writers commit to our programs.

  • Become an Exam Construction Review Committee (ECRC) Member

    Become an Exam Construction Review Committee (ECRC) Member

    Item writers who consistently write high-quality items, meet deadlines, and respond to feedback may have the opportunity to serve on an ECRC as openings occur. ECRC members are responsible for mentoring item writers, reviewing new questions, and assembling exam forms for their respective programs. ECRC members are selected for their knowledge, experience, and content expertise, and strong skills in question development. As with item writer selection, BCEN strives to ensure that the composition of its ECRCs reflects candidate populations in terms of geography, ethnicity, gender, and educational preparation.

  • Become a BCEN Subject Matter Expert (SME)

    Become a BCEN Subject Matter Expert (SME)

    BCEN SMEs share their experience and insight with other nurses by helping us build quality, expert content that will be made available on BCEN Learn, our award-winning online continuing education platform, as well as in-person at BCEN Learn Live conferences.

    BCEN SMEs help develop:

    • Online courses
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • Practice exams
    • In-person conference sessions
    • … and even more!

    Interested in sharing your unique skill set and know-how with an audience of nurses ready to learn? Visit our BCEN SME page to learn more or apply now!