Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN)
Who
respectED. trustED. dedicatED.
Whether they’re in the ED, in the air, in the trauma center or in the back of an ambulance, certified emergency nurses touch lives… and save them. Research shows that certified emergency nurses are more confident, more efficient, and contribute to better patient outcomes. For years, the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) has been the premier certification provider to emergency nurses, offering robust and comprehensive exams in five areas of specialization: Certified Emergency Nurse, Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse, Trauma Certified Registered Nurse, Certified Flight Registered Nurse and Certified Transport Registered Nurse. BCEN acts as a champion and cheerleader — of the benefits of certification, of the high standard of care it empowers, and of the individual nurses who pour their time, energy and passion into achieving, excelling, and impacting everyone they touch.
What
While BCEN maintained good market share within its field, something was lacking. The organization’s interaction with its customers was purely transactional. Certification was sold as a commodity, and touchpoints with customers only happened when recertification loomed. A different approach was needed to refresh the BCEN brand and build a new relationship with its customers, who weren’t just any customers — they were educated, hard-working, dedicated emergency nurses. These men and women are inspired to help, to care, and to be the best in their field. They sacrifice so much of themselves for their career, their passion… their calling. In order to communicate effectively, BCEN needed to acknowledge the humanity of their audience and appeal to their greatest needs: to be empowered, to be valued, and to be supported.
How
We began mapping an entirely new brand for BCEN, from a bold new logo (plus a colorful array of logos for each certification) to a refreshed and intuitive new website, to a brand guide that laid out the new voice of BCEN. We developed CARE (Compassionate, Assured, Respectful, Empowering) language, to help BCEN employees interact with and build relationships with nurses. We also planned a thrilling brand launch that coincided with the industry’s largest professional event, the ENA (Emergency Nurses Association) Conference. We designed an eye-catching and functional new booth, created plenty of marketing collateral, and produced a very special video recognizing and thanking certified emergency nurses for all they do. In all, the tone and approach of BCEN has changed from transactional and distanced, to relationship-centered and value-focused. It is a more personal, authentic and caring way to reach and retain customers, and one that speaks to this particular audience. To further promote the inherent value of certification, and recognize their customers, we helped BCEN launch a “My Why” campaign, which encourages nurses to share their reasons for becoming an emergency nurse, and for striving for certification. Certified nurses were asked to share their “Why” via post-its on-site at ENA, as well as digitally via a landing page on the website.
Future plans include extending the new brand into every facet of BCEN’s outreach, including the design of a nurse recognition kit, and promotional materials for hospital administrators and nurses. A communications plan that emphasizes speaking with CARE has been implemented and will continue as we move forward, as well as an engaging social strategy.
