Raising the Bar in Emergency Nursing: Inside BCEN’s Bold Vision with Janie Schumaker
In this episode of Tried and Tested, host Isabelle Gonthier sits down with Janie Schumaker, CEO of the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), to explore how strategic innovation, authentic leadership, and unwavering commitment to certification are shaping the future of emergency nursing.
Janie shares her unique journey from bedside nurse to CEO, her belief in the life-saving impact of certification, and the power of storytelling in inspiring the next generation of nurses. They dive into BCEN’s growing ecosystem—covering everything from their “Invest in Yourself” campaign and their dynamic podcast BCEN & Friends, to bold marketing strategies and their highly engaging, TED-style educational conference. Janie also offers practical insight into launching new credentials, such as the Certified Burn Registered Nurse program, and the importance of listening deeply to community needs.
Whether you’re a credentialing leader, healthcare professional, or simply curious about how certification can elevate practice, this conversation is a masterclass in visionary leadership and impact-driven growth.
Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, ICE-CCP, CENP, CPHQ, FABC
CEO, Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)
An accomplished nurse leader with over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Janie Schumaker has spent the majority of her career in emergency nursing, both at the bedside and in leadership roles.
Schumaker was named CEO of the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), an independent, not-for-profit nursing specialty board that certifies emergency, transport and trauma nurses, in January 2021 after serving as executive director since December 2017. Recent major BCEN initiatives led by Shumaker include the development and launch of the award-winning BCEN Learn continuing education platform, the BCEN EDvantage certificate, and BCEN Learn Live conferences.
From July 2019 – June 2021, she served as president of the American Board of Nursing Specialties (ABNS), whose member organizations represent nearly 1 million board certified nurses worldwide across dozens of specialties. During this time, she spearheaded major research projects describing credentialing programs offered by U.S.-based nursing certification boards and the public perception of nursing specialty certification. In April 2025, Janie was recognized with the ABNS Janel Parker President’s Award.
Prior to her executive leadership role at BCEN, Schumaker held multiple nurse executive positions including chief nursing officer (CNO), director of emergency services, and several senior business operations and client experience posts. A strong advocate for professional certification—in particular, national board certification for nurses—she first earned the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) credential from BCEN in 1996. She also holds the Institute for Credentialing Excellence Certified Credentialing Professional (ICE-CCP), the Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP), and the Certified Professional in Health Quality (CPHQ) credentials. She has been a registered nurse since 1992.
Schumaker’s first role with BCEN was as a volunteer item writer for the CEN exam in 2003. She subsequently served on the CEN exam construction and review committee, became a board member, served in multiple board leadership roles including board chair, and was appointed BCEN’s interim executive director in July 2017. She is a long-time member of the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), serves on the Institute for Credentialing Excellence’s research and development committee, and is a Fellow of the Advisory Board Company (FABC). From 2008-2014, she served on the board of the Reach Healthcare Foundation. From 2013-2019, she served as a volunteer Medical Officer for the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.
Peer-reviewed articles authored or co-authored by Schumaker focusing on nursing specialty certification, the emergency nursing workforce, and nurse leadership have been published in Nurse Leader, Air Medical Journal, and Nursing Management.
Schumaker earned her MBA from the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, KS, and her BSN from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She is a lifelong resident of Kansas City, KS.