BCEN's Critical Care Ground Transport Nursing Specialty Certification Turns 20

 Celebrating board-certified ground transport RNs delivering expert critical care every second, every mile

OAK BROOK, Ill., March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), the benchmark for nursing specialty certification across the emergency spectrum, is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of its nationally accredited and Magnet-accepted Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN) certification program. The milestone, celebrated as "20 Years of Clinical Mastery, Mile by Mile," honors board-certified critical care ground transport nurses and their impact on patients, transport teams, and hospital-based and independent transport programs.

Officially introduced by BCEN on March 31, 2006, following initial development collaboration with the Air & Surface Transport Nurses Association (ASTNA), the CTRN credential is now held by over 675 RNs. Since the start of 2020, the number of CTRNs has risen by 185%, or nearly tripled. CTRN certification independently validates specialty nursing knowledge and expertise across the ground transport nursing specialty in the complex, autonomous and high-acuity ground transport setting. 

Ground transport nurses provide critical care during interfacility transports and emergency scene responses, bringing ED- and ICU-level care to patients wherever it is needed. CTRNs work in hospital-based and independent transport programs and regional transport networks across the country. In the unique ground transport environment, nurses monitor and manage critically ill patients of all ages throughout long transports, operate increasingly sophisticated medical equipment, and lead onboard care teams that may include more than two clinicians—unlike most flight-based transports, where space limitations typically restrict the number of clinicians on board and limit available equipment.

"When critically ill patients need to be moved, they depend on nurses with the knowledge and skill to deliver lifesaving care outside the resource-rich hospital environment. The CTRN credential validates this specialized expertise and recognizes nurses who have made the extraordinary commitment to become board certified and serve as leaders in this pivotal specialty," said BCEN CEO Janie Schumaker, MBA, BSN, RN, CEN, ICE-CCP, CENP, CPHQ, FABC. "As health care becomes more fluid and patients receive care across multiple settings, the need for highly skilled ground transport nurses will only continue to grow."

Major Milestones of the CTRN Certification Program

• March 31, 2006: First CTRN exam administered
• Since 2009: ANCC Magnet-accepted
• 2020-2023: Four consecutive years of strong growth, averaging just over 22% annually
• Since August 2023: Nationally accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), after a sufficient number of RNs had earned the credential
• March 1, 2026: 676 nurses hold the CTRN credential

"Over the past 20 years, CTRN certification has helped define and advance ground critical care transport nursing as a specialty," said Allen C. Wolfe Jr., MSN, CNS, APRN, CFRN, CCRN, CTRN, TCRN, CMTE, FAASTN, BCEN board of directors immediate past chairperson, and senior director of clinical education and critical care clinical nurse specialist at Life Link III. "As patients grow sicker, transport times lengthen, and resources become more limited, ground transport–specific expertise matters more than ever. CTRN certification sharpens clinical judgment and strengthens decision-making under pressure, helping nurses advocate more effectively for their patients and their teams—raising the bar for ground transport programs and ensuring nurses are prepared for what comes next."

Learn more about RNs' vital role in critical care ground transports and the history and impact of the CTRN in the 20^th anniversary edition of the backgrounder, "Grounded in Excellence: The CTRN." 

More CTRN 20^th Anniversary Celebrations

• Join CTRN-certified nurses and transport industry leaders in the celebration today on BCEN's Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram channels.
• BCEN is offering a 20% discount on CTRN initial certification throughout March and on CTRN renewals from March through May—both stackable with ASTNA member and military discounts.

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. Nearly 55,000 RNs and APRNs who specialize in emergency, pediatric emergency, flight, critical care ground transport, trauma, and burn nursing are board certified through BCEN worldwide, collectively holding more than 65,000 BCEN credentials. 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®). All six BCEN certification programs are nationally accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) and are ANCC Magnet-accepted. Learn more at bcen.org.

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SOURCE Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing