CEN Full Form
The Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Exam is an earned credential demonstrating the individual's specialized knowledge and skills. A third-party organization, such as the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing awards the certification.
About CEN Exam
The CEN exam is intended for emergency department nurses who want to demonstrate their competence, knowledge, and versatility in emergency medicine.
BCEN is the only resource for critical care professionals and their employers to gain proven certification in knowledge and performance improvement. Advance your knowledge, career, and patient care with an Emergency Nursing Specialty Certification.
How to Take the BCEN Exam
Let's take a look at the process from start to finish of the BCEN exam. The
BCEN certification exam is developed by an exam board of nurses practicing in the exam specialties and representing different geographies. BCEN works with test development companies to ensure exams are psychometrically sound and questions are written in best practice format. Obtaining a BCEN certification is a national accreditation that allows holders to display their qualifications as part of their signature. The BCEN exam is based on the Professional Nurse Description Study which is a role delineation study (RDS). These research studies, also called practice analyses, or job analyses, are conducted by review boards composed of subject matter experts.
As part of the RDS, a survey tool will be distributed to registered nurses working in each specialty in the United States. Your survey responses will guide the examination committee in identifying relevant skills. The integrated concepts, distribution of cognitive levels, and a number of items (questions) specified in each content area are developed in an iterative process leading to unanimous approval by the Examining Board.
Exam questions are then created by the question author and reviewed, modified, and approved by the exam design committee and exam board. Questions are also reviewed repeatedly during the exam development process.
Finally, the exam is computer-administered at a Pearson VUE testing center.
Exams are held daily, Monday through Friday, at the candidate's convenience.
Understanding Certificates vs. Certification
One of the most frequently asked questions from our customers is the difference between a certification and a certificate. Here are the differences:
CERTIFICATIONS | CERTIFICATES | |
Purpose | Validate your knowledge, skills, and expertise across subject areas. | Learn, practice, or demonstrate knowledge or skills in a particular topic, subject, or area of skill. |
Outcome | Commission Accreditation/Professional Certificate | certificate or certificate of completion and/or proof of CE hours. |
Essential to Safe and Professional Practice | Yes | Yes |
Awarding Organization | Independent Certification Body | Varies |
Nationally Recognized | Yes | Mostly |
Portable | Yes | Varies. Nurses may be required to accept an employer-sponsored or employer-approved offer. |
Eligibility Requirements | Rigorous and nationally standardized. Most require RN approval. Many require relevant direct or indirect clinical experience. | Varies. May or may not require clinical experience or RN license. |
Preparation/Course of Study | uniquely designed. Contains weeks or months. Preparatory materials and refresher courses developed by professional institutions and professional certification preparation providers. | Instructions or courses delivered in person or online over a period of hours to days. Content may vary by instructor or provider. |
Culminates in Exam or Practicum | Yes. Rigorous, comprehensive and standardized testing delivered in a secure testing facility. Based on national role delineation studies to ensure relevance to clinical practice specialties. Psychometrically sound and legally justified. | sometimes. Contents may vary. Tests or internships organized by the host institution and/or tests or internships offered online. |
Renewal/Recertification Frequency & Requirements | Average every 4 years. ^ Retake the certification exam or earn the required Continuing Education (CE) hours. | Refresh rate is different. Can be used for CE requirements of the certification program. |
Eligible for Accreditation by ABSNC* or NCCA* | Yes. These independent third-party accreditations confirm that our certification programs adhere to recognized national and international accreditation industry standards. | No. Certificate Program/CE Providers may be accredited or accredited by trade associations or sponsors of the Certificate Program. |