Hello dear reader!
Welcome to this informative article about Emergency Nurse Certifications, their benefits to Nurses, and how to acquire the certification.
By the time you are done reading this article, you will understand the different Emergency Nurse Certifications offered by the Board of Certification For Emergency Nursing (BCEN).
In this article, we will cover the following:
- The Board of Certification For Emergency Nursing Certifications
- How To Obtain Emergency Nurse Certifications
- Emergency Nurse Certification Statistics
Gaining additional certifications as an emergency nurse will put you in a position to pursue a rewarding career as a Nurse.
Let’s get started!
Introduction
The moment you become a Registered Nurse and decide to take a specialty like the Emergency Room Nurse, Intensive Care Unit Nurse, or any other specialty and getting the proper certifications is important.
Nursing certifications will not only equip you with the additional skills to perform your duties as a Nurse better by addressing various emergencies, but they will also protect you and your employers from legal liabilities that may befall you when you lack these certifications.
The Board of Certification For Emergency Nursing Certifications
BCEN is an organization that has supported Nurses in equipping themselves with sought-after nursing skills in the nursing job market for a long time.
The board has done so through its outstanding emergency nursing specialty certification programs, which showcase the value of these ER Nurse Certifications.
Apart from offering the nursing profession’s most recognized certification programs, BCEN also offers Emergency Nurses recertification resources and tools, contributing to the thriving of healthcare institutions and health systems nationwide, resulting in a competent and certified nurse workforce.
Candidates must meet all the ER Nurse Certification requirements before enrolling in any certification program.
After that, they can take advantage of the various certifications that BCEN offers.
BCEN offers various Emergency Nurse Certifications like:
- Certified Emergency Nurse( CEN)
- Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPEN)
- Critical care Transport Nursing ( CTRN)
- Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN)
- Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN)
Emergency Nurses must take the CEN exam to gain certification.
The CFRN is ideal for Nurses who work in either air or ground emergency environments.
The CTRN, on the other hand, is ideal for Nurses working in ground transport nursing.
The CPEN is a certification for Emergency Nurses working with pediatric patients.
If you want to specialize in trauma nursing, you can pursue the Trauma Certified Registered Nurse(TCRN) certification.
How To Obtain Emergency Nurse Certifications
These nursing certifications usually take around four months to complete.
All you need to do is visit the BCEN’s homepage and create an account where you will fill out an initial application and make payment for the exam.
Within a month, you will receive approval from BCEN where you will get a 90-day test window that allows you to schedule and complete your exam.
After setting the actual exam date, it is then up to you to begin seriously studying because you must pass the exam to gain the certification.
Most Nurses usually prepare for the exam while still working as Emergency Nurses.
It is advisable for Emergency Nurses on tight schedules to focus on small chunks of reading material every day.
Doing bits of the practice questions and the other study material every day will improve the CEN test success chances.
This will prevent the candidate from last-minute memorizing.
Remember that you will always know your exam results before walking out of the exam center.
If you don’t pass the exam, BCEN always emails with instructions on how to reapply for another exam.
Attaining these certifications mentioned above is important for your nursing career, especially as an Emergency Nurse working in an emergency department or the intensive care unit.
Various accredited online providers offer these certifications.
Just find one that suits you best.
When you choose to complete your nursing certifications online, you will work at your own pace and make the learning experience more efficient.
Emergency nurses who wish to diversify their specialty through certifications can still keep themselves updated by joining the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), which is resourceful for keeping up with current medical trends.
The ENA is known for giving its members access to useful publications, conferences, and learning opportunities.
Emergency Nurses can also earn additional credentials by earning certifications such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).
These certifications make them even more competent and attractive to potential employers.
Emergency Nurse Certification Statistics
According to BCEN certification statistics reported in September 2018, more than 48000 BCEN certifications have been obtained by Nurses across the emergency field.
There are more than 36000 Nurses who have earned the CEN credential.
In 2017 BCEN released results of a large-scale study about the value of CEN Certification with responses from over 8,800 both certified and non-certified Emergency Nurses and over 1000 of their supervisors.
This resulted in the release of the first two white papers in June and July 2018.
These valuable research-backed white papers deeply discuss board certification’s benefits, impact, and value.
Conclusion
Certifications are very important because Emergency Nurses usually require vital skills and knowledge to contribute to saving lives.
Since we have looked at the various certifications suitable for ER Nurses and understand what they entail, make sure you choose certifications that best apply to you and will benefit your prospective and current employers.
FAQs
What does CEN mean in Nursing?
This is an abbreviation for Certified Emergency Nurse. It is simply a credential that is earned and showcases an Emergency Nurses’ specialized skills and knowledge. Certification is usually given by a third-party recognized organization like the Board of certification for Emergency Nursing.
How do you qualify for CEN?
To qualify for this exam, you must be a holder of an unlimited Registered Nurse license from the United States, a United States territory, or Canada. A nursing certificate equivalent
How hard is the CEN exam?
You must study hard, understand all topics, and do lots of practice exams before sitting for the exams. To pass the exams, you must answer at least 109 out of the 150 questions correctly. This is equivalent to 75% of the questions.
How long is CEN certification good for?
According to BCEN, the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) certification will serve you for four years, after which you must renew it. You can only renew it by retaking the certification exam. Successful candidates must also meet all the program’s requirements for the renewal.
Is Emergency Nursing a specialty?
It is an emergency nursing specialty certification that is so unique and challenging. This contributed to the American Nurses Association recently officially recognizing it as a specialty practice. Emergency nursing requires all the RN’s training and experience in emergency care whenever there are medical emergencies.
What are the 5 BCEN certifications?
The certifications for Emergency Nurses are CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse), CPEN(Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse, CFRN(Certified Flight Registered Nurse, CPEN(Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse), and TCRN (Trauma Certified Registered Nurse). Those are the main certifications for ER Nurses offered by BCEN.
What is CFRN certification?
This RN Emergency Certification stands for the Certified Flight Registered Nurse, where the Nurse earns this credential after getting equipped with nursing education comprising of specialized knowledge and skills to handle critical care situations. This certification is usually awarded by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing.
Why is CEN certification important?
According to a BCEN survey, CEN nursing certification gave 90 percent of the ER Nurses a sense of great accomplishment. 80 percent of Nurses said they have the knowledge to handle emergency cases coupled with their years of experience. 70 percent of them said the CEN improved their employment prospects.
What kind of critical care situations do Emergency Nurses with CEN certification handle?
An Emergency Room Nurse is usually responsible for crafting patient care plans for critical care situations such as cardiovascular emergencies, neurological emergencies, ocular emergencies, respiratory emergencies, toxicology emergencies, wound emergencies, etc. They do this after developing quick and thorough evaluations of a patient’s condition.
