Specialty Nurses Thrive When They Stay Board Certified Says New White Paper from BCEN

18 RNs, Educators, and Leaders Join BCEN to Discuss Supporting Nurse Success and Satisfaction While Improving Outcomes

OAK BROOK, Ill., May 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A new white paper from the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) explains why ongoing board certification for specialty RNs is the key to sustaining nursing specialty excellence — to the benefit of nurses, patients and healthcare providers. The white paper also features never-before-published research on recertification conducted by BCEN and the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO).

In "Sustaining Specialty Excellence: Why RNs Thrive Through Recertification," the fifth white paper in BCEN's popular series, 18 top bedside RNs, nurse educators, unit leaders, and C-suite executives join BCEN to discuss the benefits, challenges, and impacts of supporting nursing specialty certification renewals for RNs working across the emergency spectrum and in any specialty.

"Earning a nursing specialty credential is a tremendous accomplishment, and it is equally true that the full and enduring value of certification is in maintaining it," said BCEN CEO and American Board of Nursing Specialties Past President Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, CENP, CPHQ, FABC.

Beyond the independent validation of knowledge, skills and clinical judgment across a nursing specialty that comes with initial certification, national board certification is specifically designed to create a framework for continuing competence through the renewal process — enabling RNs to deliver safe, effective and ethical care that reflects current knowledge, advances and best practices.

Available for free download, the research-backed white paper explains why nurses who maintain their specialty credentials:

• Are well-prepared to care for their patients
• Enter a "virtuous cycle" where they continuously learn, grow, engage, excel, mentor and lead
• Enhance their clinical and career success and satisfaction

Findings from BCEN's Recertification Research Study, based on 45 in-depth interviews and a survey of over 800 Certified Emergency Nurses, are published for the first time in Sustaining Specialty Excellence, documenting:

• The recertification "enthusiasm gap"
• Top motivators, behaviors and factors that influence credential renewals
• Organizational support as a statistically significant factor leading to recertification

Seasoned certified emergency, trauma and critical care transport RNs, nursing professional development professionals, emergency department (ED) and trauma center leaders, CNOs, physician leadership, and a top rural hospital CEO also share their experiences and advice on:

• How supporting recertification helps attract and retain staff (and reduce turnover), enhances teams, builds leadership pipelines, and elevates specialty centers of excellence and rural care
• Proven solutions to topple common barriers to recertification
• How to pave a path to recertification success

Download the white paper: https://bcen.org/white-paper-sustaining-specialty-excellence/

About BCEN 
Founded in 1980, the independent, not-for-profit Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®) offers robust nursing specialty certification programs fostering empowered nurses across the emergency spectrum who contribute noticeably to patient care, safety and outcomes. BCEN offers the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN®), Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN®), Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN®), Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN®), Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®), and Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification programs, and the award-winning BCEN Learn professional development platform.

SOURCE Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing