Leaders who walk the talk. Remarkably low nurse turnover. An increased ability to attract and recruit top-tier nursing talent. Higher quality care, reduction in errors, and increased patient satisfaction scores. These are among the notable achievements of the three organizations recognized by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)

on September 19 as BCEN’s 2024 National Certification Champions. The annual award recognizes organizations for their exceptional commitment to adult and pediatric emergency, trauma, flight, and critical care ground transport nursing excellence through specialty certification. 

“The 2024 BCEN National Certification Champions show us how nursing specialty certification empowers RNs, elevates patient care, and helps ensure communities of every size have access to advanced emergency and trauma care,” said BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, ICE-CCP, CENP, CPHQ, FABC. 

The 2024 BCEN National Certification Champion Award winners are: 

Small Healthcare Organization: Phelps Health Emergency Department in Rolla, Missouri
Large Healthcare Organization: Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments at Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California 
Healthcare System: ChristianaCare, headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware

The winners’ accomplishments—plus their advice on the most effective ways to support nurse success and lifelong learning—are profiled in BCEN’s Meet the Winner series. 

What Happens When Organizations Help Their Nurses Soar

Research has established a positive link between nursing specialty certification and a host of improved outcomes. Studies have also demonstrated that lack of time, lack of financial resources, and lack of employer support are significant barriers to RNs achieving this pinnacle professional achievement. 

Here’s how each winning organization broke down those barriers and created a workplace culture that helps their nurses excel:  

Phelps Health Emergency Department (Rolla, Missouri)

Part of a small health system serving 200,000 residents in south-central Missouri, Phelps Health Hospital credits nurses empowered with advanced knowledge—thanks to a surge in emergency nursing certifications—as the pivotal factor in driving emergency care improvements, including enhanced patient care, fewer medical errors, and higher patient satisfaction scores.

Phelps Health Critical Care Educator Gavin McDonald, RN, CEN, said, “The organization began our push for certified nurses at the beginning of this year, offering nurses up to $1,000 toward the certification preparation resources of their choice, advance funding for exam registration, a reference library, and a CEN review course twice a year.” 

Following the hospital’s first CEN review session this spring, seven ED nurses attended and all successfully passed the exam, increasing the number of CENs from one to eight after only three months. After a full year of the class and resource implementation, Phelps Health expects their growth of certified nurses to go from 4% to over 55%.

“Phelps Health is proud to be recognized as a BCEN National Certification Champion, a title that showcases our team’s advanced skills and dedication to excellence,” said Keri Brookshire-Heavin, MHA, BSN, RN-CNML, senior vice president/COO/CNO, Phelps Health. “This achievement reflects our commitment to ongoing improvement, with patient safety and quality care always coming first.”

Stanford Health Care Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments (Stanford, California)

Stanford Health Care earned National Certification Champion status by demonstrating how they prioritize supporting and recognizing certified nurses for upholding their professional commitment, nationally validating their clinical expertise, and promoting the highest standards of nursing. The Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult Emergency Department, with its “record-breaking” 168 certified nurses, 131 of which are certified by BCEN, reports that the higher levels of bedside care they are seeing is contributing to improved survival rates and recovery times for critical care patients—and also boasts a remarkable 99.1% yearly retention rate. 

The low turnover rate, says Clinical Nurse IV Sue Vanek, MBA, RN, TCRN, CBRN, who nominated her organization, “highlights the supportive and positive work environment that cultivates and motivates continued professional development.” 

This organization’s secret to success is “dozens of programs, daily practices and resources” that encourage, support and recognize RNs committed to specialty excellence, including 36-40 hours of annual pay for full-time RNs to use for continuing education, scholarship grants to participate in national conferences, annual tuition reimbursement to defray review materials and exam fees, and a bonus and salary differential for nationally certified RNs.  

 “At Stanford Health Care, we recognize the importance of our nurses’ professional certifications and promote and celebrate their achievement,” said Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN, Chief Nurse Executive & Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services. 

ChristianaCare (Wilmington, Delaware)

Across ChristianaCare’s emergency departments, Level I and Level III trauma centers, and flight and critical care ground transport teams—which serve all of Delaware and parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey—the leadership team is dedicated to promoting and supporting its caregivers to attain the high standards of care and adherence to best practices that come with nurses who are nationally certified in their specialties. 

It all starts with those same leaders walking the talk, as 100% of ChristianaCare’s emergency nurse leaders in its ED service line hold emergency nursing-related professional certifications. 

With more than half of its emergency nurses being certified and a 72% certification rate for its flight/transport teams, the system is seeing positive impacts, including improved cardiovascular and neurovascular outcomes and a greater than 50% reduction in ED boarding hours in collaboration with inpatient departments. ChristianaCare’s certified adult and pediatric emergency, trauma and critical care transport nurses are stepping up to take on leadership roles and contributing to policy development, QI initiatives and mentorship programs.   

“We take every opportunity to have conversations about obtaining certification,” explained VP of Emergency Services Janeen Rawlings, MBA, MSN, RN. “Our success in increasing and sustaining our certifications is directly related to the unit-based councils and committees within the system. These opportunities both encourage and support our team members to seek out advanced certification as well as new ideas and upcoming best practices. The importance of our nurses and these teams in overall organization outcomes for the communities we serve is palpable.” 

“It’s a privilege to be part of a team that is committed to nursing excellence, practicing at the top of their license through specialty certification,” said ChristianaCare Chief Nurse Executive Danielle Weber, DNP, MSM, RN-BC, NEA-BC. “We are so proud of our certified nurses and their commitment to lifelong learning.”

All three of the 2024 BCEN National Certification Champions noted that their holistic approach to supporting RN professional development has also increased their ability to attract top-tier new graduates and recruit more seasoned nurses to join their ED, trauma, and critical care transport teams.  

2024 Celebration Events & the 2025 Awards Cycle

This month and in early October, BCEN officials are celebrating the winners with on-site trophy presentations. 

Nominations for BCEN’s 2025 Distinguished Awards, which recognize individual emergency, trauma and transport nurses for specialty certified excellence and advocacy, will open in early 2025. The  nomination cycle for the 2025 BCEN National Certification Champion Awards will begin later in the year. Learn more here.

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